25, and also both A'LAM AL-WARA and KASHF AL-GHUMMA IF...

25, and also both A'LAM AL-WARA and KASHF AL-GHUMMA IF MU'RIFT AL-A'IMAM, when IMAM ALI IBN ABU TALIB (AS) was on his death-bed, his will to his oldest son AL-HASAN was: "O son! The Messenger of God (p) ordered me to give you my books and weapons just as he had ordered me to take his books and weapons and to tell you to pass them over to your brother HUSAIN before you die".

Then he turned to IMAM HUSAIN (AS) and said: "… and the Messenger of God (p) ordered that you (IMAM HUSAIN (AS) should pass them on to your son MUHAMMAD IBN ALI and to convey to him the SALAM from the Messenger of God and from me".

KARBALA' For three years, IMAM AL-BAQIR (AS) enjoyed the cherished love of his grandfather IMAM HUSIAN (AS), and when he had to leave Medina, AL-BAQIR, too, was one of the family members who made the journey across the desert, IMAM HUSAIN (AS) left for KUFA and his journey terminated at KARBALA'. From the 7th of MUHARRAM, when the Prophet's family was denied access to the water of the Euphrates, IMAM AL-BAQIR (AS) suffered from the pangs of thirst till the tragedy was over.

Providence, however, intended to preserve the Imamate by safeguarding his life while even a baby such as ALI AL-ASGHAR had already been pierced and killed by an enemy arrow. Like his father IMAM ZAIN AL-ABIDIN (AS), IMAM AL-BAQIR (AS) could not physically participate in the battle. The 10th of MUHARRAM of 61 A.H.

(October 10, 680 A.D.) brought its hideous events with IMAM HUSAIN (AS) gathering the corpses of his slain warriors all day long, the women wailing, the children crying because of being extremely thirsty, startled and bewildered, then came the last farewell bidden by IMAM HUSAIN (AS), the murder of his baby ALI AL-ASGHAR, the return of IMAM HUSAIN'S horse to his master's tent without his master…. Young IMAM AL-BAQIR (AS) witnessed all these events.

AL-BAQIR witnessed the tents being burnt, the children reeling in panic, the heartless enemy plundering, and the ladies of the Prophet's family being deprived even of their sheets and scarves. Who can possibly imagine how young IMAM AL-BAQIR (AS) felt, or what a permanent impression such scenes had left on his mind?

On the next day, IMAM AL-BAQIR (AS) witnessed the ladies of the Prophet's family being shackled with chains, hand-cuffed, then transported as captives by the enemy the entire distance from KARBALA' to KUFA, then to Damascus. He witnessed their journey back to Medina, again passing by KARBALA', after being released.