Scholar of Madinah; fifth Twelver Imam
Family
Muhammad al-Baqir was the son of Ali ibn Husayn. His mother, Fatimah, was a daughter of Hasan ibn Ali, connecting his ancestry with both Hasan and Husayn.
Learning and teaching
He lived in Madinah and became known for religious learning. Sunni and Shi‘i sources recognize his scholarly standing, while Imami Shi‘i tradition gives his teaching a foundational role. His son Ja‘far al-Sadiq continued the family’s scholarly legacy.
Place in tradition
Twelver Muslims recognize al-Baqir as the fifth Imam. Reports about the precise years of his birth and death vary. A responsible introduction separates his broadly attested scholarly position from particular theological claims and individual reports requiring closer study.
Sources and further study
Encyclopaedia Iranica — Muhammad al-Baqir
An introductory, source-attributed profile. Dates and disputed reports are qualified where necessary. The linked works represent their authors’ historical or religious approaches; linking a source does not endorse every interpretation it contains.