Baqir

Baqir is an Arabic given name and a title with religious and scholarly connotations. It is derived from the root B-Q-R, and the form conveys the sense of one who explains, reveals, or penetrates to the truth. In Islamic usage, al-Baqir (the Baqir) is an honorific associated with deep knowledge and interpretation.

In Shia Islam, al-Baqir is most famously used as the title of Muhammad al-Baqir (c. 676–743 CE), the fifth Imam. He was the son of Zayn al-Abidin and the father of Ja'far as-Sadiq, transmitting and elaborating religious knowledge, jurisprudence, and hadith. His epithet “al-Baqir” signifies his reputed ability to open or explain knowledge. The title and its associated legacy have influenced later Shia scholarship and theology, and the name is sometimes used as an honorific or given name in his honor.

As a given name, Baqir is used across the Muslim world, especially in Arab, Persian, and South Asian communities, and in diaspora populations. It is transliterated in several ways, including Baqir, Baqeer, and Baakir, among others, reflecting differences in language and pronunciation.

Notable people bearing the name include Muhammad al-Baqir, the fifth Shia Imam, and Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr (1935–1980), an Iraqi Shia cleric and philosopher who played a central role in 20th-century Iraqi and Shia thought. The name continues to be used widely as a male given name in various Muslim-majority regions.