Imam Baqir stories

EARNING LIVELIHOOD IS A WORSHIP

The town of Medina was burning under the exhalation of the heat of the sun of Hejaz and was thawing like the benumbed sleepers under the fire of the sky.

The branches of the palms were not oscillating under any breeze and the trees were as weary men sleep-strucken while standing. The camels were sheltering themselves under some shade of the palm branches, exceeding the wall of gardens and were ruminating silently and motionlessly. In the town every being was crawling under a shade and nobody was seen in the palm gardens of the round about, except a rather nice man having a slightly corpulent body which was leaning on the shoulders of a young man, (perhaps his son), who was visiting his farm. He was perspiring from the heat.

His eyes, which were half-closed because of the violent shining of the sun, were so attractive that they recalled the looking of the most beautiful gazelle. His nice feature was adorned with a pretty beard and mustache. But this handsome face was turning to purple under the sun and the drops of perspiration were pouring from his cheeks, like the drops of dew from a wild tulip. They were running from his face and dropping into his chest.

At this moment another man was seen on the plain, which was advancing towards this point. His name was Mohammad Ibn Monkader. He was supposing himself to be a pious and anchorite, a hermit man far from Mormonism. He had a bowed down stature and a weary face. When he reached the fat man who was perspiring under the glow of the sun, busy to supervise his farm, he wondered and said to himself: "See how the greed of the mammon blinds the eyes of wisdom. This man is melting like a candle under the sun. And he is not ready to stop to hurt himself for his avidity. It is better to go to him and to advise him. Perhaps he will be guided."

When he came near, he knew the man and said: "Oh it's strange. This man is Mohammad Ibn Ali, Imam Bagher, and the leader of the Shia faith. Why this man is trying for worldly wealth?"

He goes then nearer, stood and greeted the Imam. Imam Mohammad Bagher (Peace Be Upon Him), was busy with his work and was perspiring and panting. He replied to his greeting. The man halted a while and said: "Is it worthy for a great and pious man like you to come out of home in this hour of the day, to seek worldly wealth? And with this rather fat body you have to bear, of course, more pain."

"If in this moment, (God forbids), your death comes, in what situation are you going to meet God? No, it is not worthy for you, with this heat and this natural disposition, to be so concerned with mammon."

The Imam cleaned the perspiration off his forehead with the back of his hand, stopped the work and looked at him.

"If my death in this very moment", said the Imam, "I will meet God in a state of worship." You think that the worship is only to pray and to do religious ceremonies? I am living in the world and I have to earn my livelihood. If I do not work I will need the help of some men like you and I have to stretch my hands for begging. I should fear the coming of my death when I am sinning and disobeying my God. At this moment, when I am, working under the order of God, I am trying not to be a weight on the shoulders of my fellow-beings.

Ibn Monkader, struck with shame, said nothing and continued his way, while he was humming with himself: "Wonderful. I was thinking that I can advise him, but this was myself to earn an advice."

Moral: You should always try hard to do something by yourself and only when you have tried and can not do it you should ask for help.


FRUITS OF HEAVEN


Once a Christian asked our 5th Imam, Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (AS), how it could possibly be true what the Imam had said about the fruits of Heaven not reducing when they were eaten?

Imam (AS) told him not only was it true but he could give him an example of something being used and not reducing, which was present in this world.

Imam (AS) then continued that when a candle is used to light other candles, even as many as a hundred thousand other candles, the light of the original candle will not get any less.

Moral: Just because you do not understand something in Islam does not mean it is wrong. Allah gave us Islam and our knowledge can not compare with His.


SALAAMS FROM GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER


In the time of our 5th Imam, Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (AS) there lived a man called Jabir bin Abdullah.

Jabir was a pious man who was alive at the time of the Holy Prophet (SAW).

One day the Holy Prophet (SAW) told Jabir that he would be alive to see the Prophet's great great grandson Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (AS). The Holy Prophet (SAW) asked Jabir to give Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (AS) salaams from his great great grandfather, the Holy Prophet (SAW).

The Holy Prophet (SAW) passed away and Jabir remained alive for a long time just as the Prophet (SAW) had told him.

One day Jabir who was now a very old man, was visiting the house of Imam Ali Zainul Abideen (AS) when he came across a small child.

Jabir asked Imam Zainul Abideen (AS) who the child was. When Imam (AS) replied that the child was his son Muhammad Al-Baqir who was to be the next Imam, Jabir was so happy that he began to cry.

At last Jabir could give the message that he had been carrying with him for so many years.

Jabir turned to face Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (AS) and told him that his great great grandfather had asked him to pass his salaams to Imam (AS).

Moral: If you are given something to look after or pass to someone else (no matter how small) then look after it well as you are accountable for it.


ISLAMIC COINS

In the time of our 5th Imam, Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (AS) the Muslims were using Roman coins for money. The King of Rome decided that he was going to make new Roman coins which would have written on them things that were against Islam.

The Muslim king Waleed did not know what to do because they needed to use the coins for money but at the same time they did not want to use coins which had things against Islam written on them.

Waleed decide to ask our 5th Imam, Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (AS) what he should do. Imam (AS) told him that he should also make new coins which the Muslims could use from then on.

Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (AS) told him that the coins should have on one side "La Ilaha Illallah" and on the other side "Muhammadur Rasulullah".

Waleed agreed that this was an excellent idea and the coins were made.

Moral: We should learn what our Imams (AS) have taught us. They always know what to do.