Hisham b. Salim al-Jawaliqi: Difference between revisions

Hisham b. Salim al-Jawaliqi al-Ju’fi, a student and companion of Imam al-Sadiq (a) and Imam al-Kazim (a). His expertise in theology was more than in jurisprudence.  

Certain unorthodox beliefs are attributed to Hisham, but Shi’a scholars, including Ayatollah Khoei, consider him a reliable hadith transmitter.  

Hisham was a mawla of Bishr b. Marwan and among the captives of Jawzjan. Al-Shaykh al-Tusi mentions him by the teknonym Abu Muhammad and the epithet al-Ju’fi. He was also called by the epithets al-Jawaliqi and al-‘Allaf.  

According to a report, when ‘Abd Allah al-Aftah claimed to be the imam after the martyrdom of Imam al-Sadiq (a), Hisham and Mu’min al-Taq asked him some questions regarding zakat. His inadequate answer made them realize that ‘Abd Allah was not the imam. After a short time of confusion, Hisham met Imam al-Kazim (a) and realized that he was the true imam. Then he started to promote the imamate of Imam al-Kazim (a) among those companions of Imam al-Sadiq (a) who had not been guided to the imamate of Imam al-Kazim (a) by then, which resulted in ‘Abd Allah al-Aftah losing many of his followers. Consequently, the latter had some people beat Hisham because of that.  

Hisham quoted hadiths from Imam al-Sadiq (a) and Imam al-Kazim (a). His name appears in 663 hadiths in Shia hadith collections. He quoted hadiths from hadith transmitters such as Abu Basir, Abu Hamza al-Thumali, Abu Khalid al-Kabuli, Ibn Abi Ya’fur, Aban b. Taghlib, Aban b. ‘Uthman, and Zurara.  

Traditionists such as Ibn Abi ‘Umayr, Ibn Mahbub, Ibn Muskan, al-Bazanti, Hammad b. ‘Uthman, and Safwan b. Yahya quoted hadiths from him.  

Sum’ani and Abu l-Hasan al-Ash’ari regard Hisham as the leader of a certain sect called Hishamiyya. They claim that Hisham believed that God had the five senses and a luminous human-like from. These beliefs are attributed to Hisham in some hadiths as well.  

Some reports indicate a difference of opinion between Hisham b. Salim and Hisham b. al-Hakam on the topic of tawhid and divine attributes. Some scholars maintain that Hisham b. Salim’s belief in God having a form is a position he took against Hisham b. al-Hakam who allegedly believed in God’s corporeality.  

On the issue of [[istita’a]], Abu l-Hasan al-Ash’ari reports that Hisham b. Salim held that istita’a was before the action, corporeal, and a part of human beings.