Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr
Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr (Arabic: محمد باقر الصدر, romanized: Muḥammad Bāqir al-Ṣadr; 1 March 1935 – 9 April 1980), also known as al-Shahid al-Khamis (Arabic: الشهيد الخامس, romanized: al-Shahīd al-Khāmis, lit. 'the fifth martyr'), was an Iraqi Islamic scholar, philosopher, and the ideological founder of the Islamic Dawa Party, born in al-Kadhimiya, Iraq. He was father-in-law to Muqtada al-Sadr, a cousin of Muhammad Sadeq al-Sadr and Imam Musa as-Sadr. His father Haydar al-Sadr was a well-respected high-ranking Shi'a cleric. His lineage can be traced back to Muhammad through the seventh Shia Imam Musa al-Kazim. Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr was executed in 1980 by the regime of Saddam Hussein along with his sister, Amina Sadr bint al-Huda.
Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr
1 March 1935
9 April 1980 (aged 45)
Iraqi
Iraq
Biography[edit]
Early life and education[edit]
Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr was born in al-Kazimiya, Iraq to the prominent Sadr family, which originated from Jabal Amel in Lebanon. His father died in 1937, leaving the family destitute. In 1945, the family moved to the holy city of Najaf, where al-Sadr would spend the rest of his life. He was a child prodigy who, at 10, was delivering lectures on Islamic history. At eleven, he was a student of logic. He wrote a book criticizing materialist philosophy when he was 24.[1] Al-Sadr completed his religious studies at religious seminaries under al-Khoei and Muhsin al-Hakim, and began teaching at the age of 25.
Struggle against Saddam Hussein[edit]
Al-Sadr's works attracted the ire of the Baath Party, leading to repeated imprisonment where he was often tortured. Despite this, he continued his work after being released.[2] When the Ba'athists arrested Al-Sadr in 1977, his sister Amina Sadr bint al-Huda made a speech in the Imam Ali mosque in Najaf inviting the people to demonstrate. Many demonstrations were held, forcing the Ba'athists to release Al-Sadr who was placed under house arrest.
In 1979–1980, anti-Ba'ath riots arose in Iraq's Shia areas by groups who were working toward an Islamic revolution in their country.[3] Hussein and his deputies believed that the riots had been inspired by the Iranian Revolution and instigated by Iran's government.[4] In the aftermath of Iran's revolution, Iraq's Shia community called on Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr to be their "Iraqi Ayatollah Khomeini", leading a revolt against the Ba'ath regime.[5][6] Community leaders, tribal heads, and hundreds of ordinary members of the public paid their allegiance to al-Sadr.[5] Protests then erupted in Baghdad and the predominantly Shia provinces of the south in May 1979.[5] For nine days, protests against the regime unfolded, but were suppressed by the regime.[5] The cleric's imprisonment led to another wave of protests in June after a seminal, powerful appeal from al-Sadr's sister, Bint al-Huda. Further clashes unfolded between the security forces and protestors. Najaf was put under siege and thousands were tortured and executed.[5] Al-Sadr issued a fatwa prohibiting membership in the ruling Ba'ath party. Called upon by the government to retract it he refused.[7]
Execution[edit]
Baqir al-Sadr was arrested on April 5, 1980, with his sister, Sayyidah bint al-Huda.[8] They had formed a powerful militant movement in opposition to Saddam Hussein's regime.[9]
On April 9, 1980, Al-Sadr and his sister were killed after being severely tortured by their captors.[2] Signs of torture could be seen on the bodies.[9][10][11]
An iron nail was hammered into Al-Sadr's head and he was then set on fire in Najaf.[2][8] It has been reported that Saddam Hussein himself killed them.[9] The Baathists delivered the bodies of Baqir al-Sadr and Bint al-Huda to their cousin Sayyid Mohammad al-Sadr.[9]
They were buried in the Wadi-us-Salaam graveyard in the holy city of Najaf the same night.[8] His execution raised no criticism from Western countries because Al-Sadr had openly supported Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran.[10]