This work concentrates on the role and achievements of one of the founders of early Shi'i thought. Through an analysis of these and other contemporary records the book brings out the contributions of Imam Mohammed al-Baqir to the development of Islamic thought, in diverse areas such as Qur'anic exegesis, the study of hadith, theology and law, as well as the seminal influence of his ideas on the articulation of Shi'i doctrines.