Abd Allah al-Aftah: Difference between revisions

p. {{about|'''a son of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a)'''|other people named ''''Abd Allah b. Jafar'''|'Abd Allah b. Ja'far (disambiguation)}}

'Abd Allah was the second son of [[Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a)]] (after [[Isma'il b. ja'far|Isma'il]]).<ref>Shaykh al-Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', vol. 2, p. 210.</ref> His mother was daughter of Husayn b. Husayn b. [[al-Hasan b. Ali (a)]].<ref>Shahristani, ''al-Milal wa al-nihal'', vol. 1, p. 196.</ref> He was known as 'Abd Allah Aftah because of having wide toes.<ref>Shaykh al-Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', vol. 2, p. 211.</ref>

According to [[al-Shaykh al-Mufid]], the position of 'Abd Allah before his father was not like his other brothers because he was against his father in beliefs. He also associated with [[Hashwiyya]] and tended toward [[Murji'a]].<ref>Shaykh al-Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', vol. 2, p. 211.</ref>

'Abd Allah had no children,<ref>Ibn Hazm , ''Jamhara 'ansab al-'arab'', p. 59.</ref> but in some [[Isma'iliyya|Isma'ili]] and other sources,<ref>See: Hmidani,9-12; Ibn Hazm, ''Jamhara 'ansab al-'arab'', p. 59.</ref> it has been said that instead of Isma'il, [[Fatimid]] caliphs introduced his brother, 'Abd Allah Aftah as their imam and their ancestor, but later changed their manner and introduced Isma'il as their imam.

'Abd Allah died 70 days after the martyrdom of Imam al-Sadiq (a).<ref>Qadi al-Nu'man , ''Sharh al-'akhbar'', vol. 3, p. 310. </ref>

Upon the martyrdom of Imam al-Sadiq (a), 'Abd Allah was his eldest son. With this justification that [[imamate]] reaches the eldest son of Imam, claimed imamate and soon some [[Shia]] followed him. It is narrated that before his martyrdom, Imam al-Sadiq (a) foresaw about claiming imamate by 'Abd Allah and advised [[Imam al-Kazim (a)]] to leave 'Abd Allah, because he would die soon afterwards.<ref>Mas'udi, ''Ithbat al-wasiyya'', p. 198. </ref>

It is mentioned that Shia and [[List of Companions of Imam al-Sadiq (a)|companions]] of Imam al-Sadiq (a) asked 'Abd Allah some questions to ensure about his claim, but he could not give proper answers and thus many Shia left him. These questions have been mentioned in different sources, for example Some Shia from [[Khurasan]] came to [[Medina]] after the martyrdom of Imam al-Sadiq (a) and asked some questions from 'Abd Allah but he could not answer them.<ref>Nuri, ''Mustadrak al-wasa'il'', vol. 15, p. 467.</ref>

[[Hisham b. Salim]] and [[Mu'min al-Taq]] asked him about [[Zakat]] of 100 Dirhams. He answered two dirhams.<ref>Nabati al-Bayadi, ''al-Sirat al-mustaqim'',vol.2, p. 191. </ref>

It is reported that he was asked, "if someone tell his wife, without having a witness, 'I have divorced from you by as many times as the number of stars in the sky', would it be correct?" He answered, "the divorce is correct."<ref>Nabati al-Bayadi, ''al-Sirat al-mustaqim'',vol.2, p. 192. </ref>

When 'Abd Allah claimed imamate, some Shia followed him and were known as Fatahiyya.<ref>Subhani, ''Buhuth fi al-milal wa al-nihal'', vol. 8, p. 78.</ref> At the time of Imam al-Sadiq (a), it was commonly said among Shias that the eldest son reaches the position of imamate. Accordingly, some who did not hear about Imam al-Sadiq's (a) declaration of Imam al-Kazim's imamate, followed 'Abd Allah who was the elder brother and had claimed imamate. When he died 70 days after the martyrdom of Imam al-Sadiq (a), the rest of his followers returned to Imam al-Kazim (a).<ref>Shahristani, ''Al-Milal wa al-nihal'', vol. 1, 148. </ref>