Analytical Review of Orientalist's Method on Imam Muhammad Baqir (AS)

Understanding Islam and Shiism in the West is accomplished due to orientalists’ works. Considering the important role and personality of Imam Baqir (AS) and the features of his period, two fundamental issues including his political stances (against the Umayyads and his confrontation with anti-Umayyad movements) and his Imamate are very important among the Shiites. Therefore these two issues are studied in this paper based onorientalists’ methodologies. There are two important methods considered in Oriental studies: historical method (finding the roots of the teachings, events and ideas) and phenomenology (To identify people who believe in the doctrines and history of each religion). Thus, two mentioned issues will be discussed in the paper from the perspective of methodology in the works of people like Ethan Kohlberg, Dwight Donaldson, Heinz Halm, Hollister, Arzina Lalani