Baqīyyatullāh (Arabic: بَقیّة الله) is among the titles of Imam al-Mahdi (s.a), the last Imam of Twelver Shi’a who is in occultation. The phrase “baqiyyatullah” is mentioned in the Qur’an. In some hadiths which interpret the Qur’an, it is interpreted to be referring to the Infallible Imams (s.a). In some other hadiths, it is considered a title for Imam al-Mahdi (s.a).
The word “Baqīyyatullāh” lexically and in the exegeses means what God(Allah) keeps for humanity. It has also been interpreted as blessing and goodness. The reason it has been interpreted referring to Imams (s.a) is that they are God’s blessing upon humans and creatures. In al-Ziyara al-Jami’a al-Kabira, Imams (s.a) of Shi’a are referred to as Baqiyyatullah. (1)
Since the promised Mahdi ((May Allah hasten his return) is the last leader and the greatest revolutionary leader after the holy Prophet (s.a), he is one of the clearest examples of “Baqiyyatullah” (remainder of Allah). And ever since the departure of the prophets and the imams, Imam Mahdi (a) is the last remnant that God keeps on the earth for the guidance of people. Therefore, in several narrations, Imam Mahdi has been given the title of Baqiyyatullah.
As an example, it is narrated from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (s.a) that he said: “When he reappears he would lean on the Ka’ba and 313 of his followers will gather around him. The first words he would utters will be the verse of Quran: “What remains of Allah [‘s provision] is better for you, should you be faithful”. Then he would say: I am the remnant of Allah (Baqiyyatullah) and the caliph of Allah and His proof upon you.” Then no-one will greet him except that they will say, ‘Peace be on you O Baqiyatullāh on His earth’. (2)
In addition, Baqiyyatullah means the one who has all the inheritances of prophets and imams (a). In fact, the special feature of Imam Mahdi (a) is that he is remnant of Allah (Baqiyyatullah). According to the narration of Imams (a), all the manifestations of divine knowledge, power and wisdom have been gathered together in the blessed existence of Imam Mahdi (s.a).
It is narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (s.a) when Imam Mahdi(s.a) reappears beside the Kaba, he will say to the world:
اَلا وَ مَنْ اَرادَ اَنْ ینْظُرَ اِلی آدَمَ وَ شَیثَ، فَها اَنَا ذا آدَمُ وَ شَیثُ، اَلا وَ مَنْ اَرادَ اَنْ ینْظُرَ اِلی نُوحٍ وَ وَلَدِهِ سامْ فَها اَنَا ذا نُوحٌ وَ سامُ، اَلا وَ مَنْ اَرادَ اَنْ ینْظُرَ اِلَی اِبْراهیمَ وَ اِسْماعیلَ فَها اَنَا ذا اِبْراهیمُ وَ اِسْماعیلُ اَلا وَ مَنْ اَرادَ اَنْ ینْظُرَ اِلی مُوسی وَ یوشَعَ فَها اَنَا ذا مُوسی وَ یوشَعُ اَلا وَ مَنْ اَرادَ اَنْ ینْظُرَ اِلی عیسی وَ شَمعونَ فَها اَنَا ذا عیسی وَ شَمعونُ. اَلا وَ مَن اَرادَ اَن ینْظُرَ اِلی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَمیرِ الْمُؤمِنین صَلَواتُ الله عَلَیهما فَها اَنَا ذا مُحَمَّدٌ صلی الله علیه و آله وَ اَمیر الْمُؤمِنین علیه السلام اَلا وَ مَن اَرادَ اَن ینْظُرَ اِلی الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَین علیهماالسلام فَها اَنَا ذَا الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَینُ اَلا وَ مَن اَرادَ اَن ینْظُرَ اِلی الائمةِ مِنْ وُلْدِ الحُسَینِ علیه السلام فَها اَنا ذاالاَئِمَّةُ علیهم السلام
“Truly, anyone who wishes to see Adam (s.a) and Seth (s.a), should know that I am that Adam (s.a) and Seth (s.a). Anyone who wishes to see Noah (s.a) and his son Shem (s.a), should know that I am that Noah (s.a) and Shem (s.a). Anyone who wishes to see Abraham (s.a) and Ishmael (s.a), should know that I am that Abraham (s.a) and Ishmael (s.a). Anyone who wishes to see Moses (s.a) and Joshua (s.a) should know that I am the Moses (s.a) and Joshua (s.a). Anyone who wishes to see Jesus (s.a) and Simon (s.a), should know that I am that I am that Jesus (s.a) and Simon (s.a). Anyone who wishes to see Muhammad (s.a) and ʿAli (s.a), the Amir (Leader) of the Believers, should know that I am that Muhammad (s.a) and ʿAli (s.a). Anyone who wishes to see al-Hasan (s.a) and al-Husayn (s.a), should know that I am that al-Hasan (s.a) and al-Husayn (s.a). Anyone who wishes to see the Imams (s.a) from the descendants of al-Husayn (s.a), should know that I am those pure Imams (s.a).”
In the continuation of the narration, Imam Mahdi (s.a) will say: “I will inform you whatever you wish to know. Anyone who has read the heavenly scriptures and divine scrolls, will hear them from me.” (3)
It is noteworthy that the meaning of his closeness and similarity to the prophets is that all the knowledge and attributes and praiseworthy morality in the prophets are gathered in him as we read in Hadith of Fatima’s tablet (Arabic: حَدیث اللَّوح), when God says:
وَ الْخازِنَ لِعِلْمِی الْحَسَنَ (ثُمَّ) وَ اَكْمَلَ ذلِكَ بِابْنِهِ (م ـ ح ـ م ـ د) رَحْمَةً لِلْعالَمینَ عَلَیهِ كَمالُ مُوسی وَ بَهاءُ عیسی وَ صَبْرُ اَیوبَ
“I shall bring out the Inviter to My Path, and the Treasure holder for My Knowledge, al Hassan (s.a). I shall complete it (Imama) by his son (the son of Hasan b. ‘Ali al-‘askari (s.a)), Muhammad(Imam Mahdi), a Mercy for the worlds. Upon him shall be the Perfectness of Moosa (Moses), and the Brightness of ‘Eesa (Jesus), and the Patience of Ayyoob (Job)”. (4)
The reason for expressing these points and making these emphases is that people know the perfection and comprehensiveness of Imam Mahdi (s.a), and understand that all the knowledge of the prophets and their heavenly books are gathered in him. Therefore Imam al-Sadiq (s.a) said:
كُلُّ نَبِىٍّ وَرِثَ عِلْمَا أو غَيرَهُ فَقَد انْتَهى إلى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ.
What every prophet has inherited from knowledge and other than it; eventually, all of them reach the family of Muhammad (s.a). (6)
And Imam al-Baqir (s.a) said:
«اِنَّ الْعِلْمَ بِكِتابِ اللّه عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ سُنَّةِ نَبِیهِ صلی الله علیه و آله لَینْبُتُ فی قَلْبِ مَهْدِینا كما ینْبُتُ الزَّرعُ عَلی اَحْسَنِ نَباتِهِ فَمَنْ بَقی مِنْكُم حَتّی یراهُ فَلْیقُلْ حینَ یراهُ السَّلامُ عَلَیكُم یا اَهلَ بَیتِ الرَّحمَةِ وَ مَعدِنِ الْعِلمِ وَ مَوْضِعِ الرِّسالَةِ اَلسَّلامُ عَلَیكَ یا بَقیةَ اللّه فی اَرْضِهِ»
“There is much awareness of the Book of God, the Honorable and Glorious, and the Sunnah of the Noble Prophet (s.a) in the heart of our Mahdi such that a plant will grow with the best quality. Anyone of you who remains alive during his advent and visits him, at the moment of meeting him should say: ‘May peace be upon you, O progeny of mercy and the depository of wisdom, the destination of the Divine messages. May peace be upon you, O Baqiyatullāh on His earth.’(6)
As a result, Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h) is not only comprehensive of the attributes of perfection of the prophets but also comprehensive of their knowledge and aware of their heavenly books. As Imam al-Sadiq (s.a) said: Imam Mahdi will say: “everyone who is reading books and scrolls of the prophets, he has to hear from me”, and then he (a) will start reading scrolls that God revealed to Adam and Seth (peace be upon them), and says the nation of Adam and Seth, this is the gift of God, and by God this is the exact scrolls. He (s.a) showed us what we did not know, and was hidden from us, and what had fallen out of it and was distorted. Then Imam Mahdi will read Scrolls of Noah and Abraham, Torah and Injil (Gospel) and Zabur. The follower of Torah and Gospel and Zabur will say, “By God, this is the whole Torah, the Perfect Zabur, and the Complete Injil (Gospel), and indeed this is several times more than what we have read before.” (7)
مَنْ كَانَ يَقْرَأُ اَلْكُتُبَ وَ اَلصُّحُفَ فَلْيَسْمَعْ مِنِّي ثُمَّ يَبْتَدِئُ بِالصُّحُفِ اَلَّتِي أَنْزَلَهَا اَللَّهُ عَلَى آدَمَ وَ شِيثٍ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ وَ يَقُولُ أُمَّةُ آدَمَ وَ شِيثٍ هِبَةِ اَللَّهِ هَذِهِ وَ اَللَّهِ هِيَ اَلصُّحُفُ حَقّاً وَ لَقَدْ أَرَانَا مَا لَمْ نَكُنْ نَعْلَمُهُ فِيهَا وَ مَا كَانَ خَفِيَ عَلَيْنَا وَ مَا كَانَ أُسْقِطَ مِنْهَا وَ بُدِّلَ وَ حُرِّفَ ثُمَّ يَقْرَأُ صُحُفَ نُوحٍ وَ صُحُفَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ اَلتَّوْرَاةَ وَ اَلْإِنْجِيلَ وَ اَلزَّبُورَ فَيَقُولُ أَهْلُ اَلتَّوْرَاةِ وَ اَلْإِنْجِيلِ وَ اَلزَّبُورِ هَذِهِ وَ اَللَّهِ صُحُفُ نُوحٍ وَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ حَقّاً وَ مَا أُسْقِطَ مِنْهَا وَ بُدِّلَ وَ حُرِّفَ مِنْهَا هَذِهِ وَ اَللَّهِ اَلتَّوْرَاةُ اَلْجَامِعَةُ وَ اَلزَّبُورُ اَلتَّامُّ وَ اَلْإِنْجِيلُ اَلْكَامِلُ وَ إِنَّهَا أَضْعَافُ مَا قَرَأْنَا مِنْهَا
The above content indicates that God Almighty preserved an Imam and a leader to guide humanity and did not leave people without a guardian. Imam Mahdi (May Allah hasten his return) is like sun behind clouds until the time that his reappearance comes. At that time, he will establish justice on earth and guide mankind to monotheism, and inform the people of the world about news of the past and the future, and open the gate of knowledge. Due to the blessings of Imam Mahdi, the intellects ctof people will be perfected and their morals will attain completion.
References
- Ibn Mashhadī, al-Mazār al-kabīr, p. 526.
- Muntahi al-Amal, vol. 2, p. 757 – Ibn Sabbagh al-Maliki, Al-Fusul al-muhimma fi ma’rifat al-a’imma, vol. 2, p. 1133 – 1135, Dar al-Hadith publication.
- Bihar al-anwar, vol. 53, p. 9.
- Al-kafi, vol. 1, p. 527- al-Nu’mani, Al-Ghayba, p. 29 – ‘Uyun akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 41 – Al-Ihtijaj, vol. 1, p. 67.
- Al-kafi, vol. 1, p. 232.
- Bihar al-anwar, vol. 52, p. 317.
- Bihar al-anwar, vol. 53, p. 9.
