The Imams of Baqi is a title for four Shiite Imams whose graves are in the Baqi Cemetery in Medina. These Imams are: Imam Hassan Mujtaba (a.s.), Imam Sajjad (a.s.), Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.), and Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.). Their graves used to have a shrine and a tomb alongside other tombs in Baqi, which were destroyed in 1344 AH during the destruction of Baqi by the Wahhabis.

Four Shiite Imams are buried in the Baqi Cemetery, and on this basis, they are called the Imams of Baqi; including:

Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (3-50 AH), known as Imam Mujtaba (a.s.), the second Shiite Imam and son of Imam Ali (a.s.) and Hazrat Fatima (s.a.), who attained the Imamate and Caliphate at the age of 37 and made peace with Muawiyah in 41 AH. His reign lasted for six months and three days. After the peace, he went to Medina and stayed there for ten years until he was martyred and buried in the Baqi cemetery.[1]

Ali ibn Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (38-94 AH), known as Imam Sajjad (a.s.) and Zayn al-Abidin, is the fourth Imam of the Shiites. His Imamate lasted for 34 years. He was present at the Battle of Karbala and was taken to Kufa and Syria with the prisoners of Karbala. According to Shiite traditions, Imam Sajjad (a.s.) was poisoned by order of Walid ibn Abd al-Malik.[2] He was buried in the Baqi cemetery next to the grave of his uncle Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba.[3]

Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (57–114 AH), known as Imam Baqir (a.s.), the fifth Imam of the Shiites, who led the Shiites for about 19 years, and was poisoned and martyred in the year 114 AH by order of Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik. He was buried in the Baqi cemetery next to the tombs of his father Imam Sajjad (a.s.) and his paternal uncle Hassan ibn Ali (a.s.).[4]

Ja'far ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Husayn (a.s.) (83–148 AH), known as Imam Sadiq (a.s.), the sixth Imam of the Shiites, who led the Shiites for 34 years. Imam Sadiq (AS) died at the age of 65 or 66 [5] and was buried next to his father, Imam Baqir (AS) and two other Imams in the Baqi cemetery. [6]

Footnotes

1. Jafarian, Hayat Fikri Wa Siyasiyya Imaman Shia, 1381 AH, pp. 168-169.

2. Shabrawi, Al-Ithaf Bahb Al-Ashraf, 1423 AH, p. 143.

3. Mufid, Al-Irshad, 1413 AH, vol. 2, p. 138.

4. Jafarian, Hayat Fikri Wa Siyasiyya Imaman Shia, 1381 AH, p. 286.

5. Kulayni, Kafi, 1407 AH, vol. 1, p. 472.

6. Jafarian, Hayat Fikri Wa Siyasiyya Imaman Shia, 1381 AH, Imam Sadiq (AS) section.