Childrens Book on Islam [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

The Fourth Imam

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (A.S.)

In the Audience of a Tyrant

Hisham ibn Abd ul-Malik was an
oppressive king.

He
considered himself the successor
of the Prophet, but he was
unjust to the people and oppressed
them, and spent the public
purse and wealth of the nation
on his own desires and on
strengthening his power.

Many,
many Muslims lived in
poverty during his reign while
he built for himself palaces and
mansions.

And, so that the people
would not rise up against
him, he kept them uninformed and
ignorant.

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (A.S.) lived at this time
in Medina.

There he used to broaden
the awareness of the
people and teach them the true
concepts of religion.

He used
to speak badly of injustice and
oppression and encourage the
people in their natural desire
for justice.

He used to teach the
people the value of rising up against
oppressors to acquire
one's rights and to establish the
true Islam in society, and to
give the oppressors their just
what they deserve
News of Imam Baqir's teachings
reached Hisham, and
he saw his government to be in
danger.

He was angry and
ordered that Imam Baqir (A.S.) be brought from Medina to
his capital at Damascus.

.

.

.

The government ministers and leading
men of
Damascus were present when Imam
Baqir (A.S.) was
brought in.

Imam Baqir entered
and sat down without paying
any attention to Hisham.

Hisham
became even more angry at
this behavior of the Imam and with
shouts and a display of
irritation tried to make the Imam
feel threatened.

"O Muhammad ibn Ali", he said,
"I have heard reports
of your encouraging the people
to rise up against my
government.

"If this is .

rue", he continued,
you had better stop it at
once.

Otherwise your life will
be in danger."

Following this, the vile ministers
and courtiers who
surrounded Hisham added their own
words in order to
threaten and frighten the Imam.

Imam Baqir (A.S.) stood up.

He began his speech in the
Name of God and by thanking and
praising Him.

Then he
addressed the people in the hall,
saying:
"O ignorant, deceived people, around
what type of
person have you gathered? Whose
pleasure have you
acquired? You have made God angry
with you and purchased
degradation in the world and punishment
in the Hereafter.

Do you know who has been threatened
in your presence? Do
you know who I am? I am the son
of your Prophet.

I am the
Imam and leader of the Muslims.

God has entrusted me with
this responsibility.

I understand
Islam.

I know the contents of
the Quran.

I know the path to your
prosperity and success.

Why do you support this tyrant?
Don't you see his injustice
and oppression? Are you unaware
of the poverty and need of
the people? Are you not Muslims.

that you Sit silently in the
face of injustice and oppression
and quietly endorse it? Fear
God and rise up for Him and destroy
this oppressive
government.

In this way you will
acquire for yourselves
felicity and honor in this world
and in the Hereafter."

Hearing these words of Imam Baqir (A.S.), Hisham
became enraged and ordered the
Imam to be imprisoned.

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (A.S.) did not remain silent,
even in prison.

He used to speak
to the prisoners and call
them to rise up for God.

The prisoners
listened to him and
liked him and began to revolt against
the government of the
tyrant Hisham within the prison
walls.

Hisham then felt the pressure of
danger from all sides,
and he finally considered it better
to have Imam Baqir (A.S.)
sent back to Medina, which he did.