Imam Ja'far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq (a): Difference between revisions

  |cause of martyrdom = by poisoning

Ja'far b. Muhammad b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn b. 'Ali b. Abi Talib (a) was the sixth Imam of [[Shi'a]]<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Ḥayāt-i fikrī sīyāsī-yi imāmān-i Shīʿa'', p. 391.</ref> and the fifth Imam of [[Isma'ilis]].<ref>Ṣābirī, ''Tārīkh-i firaq-i Islāmī'', vol. 2, p. 110, 119.</ref> His father was [[Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a)]]. His mother was Fatima or Qariba who is known by her Kunya [[Umm Farwa bt. al-Qasim|Umm Farwa]]. She was the daughter of [[al-Qasim b. Muhammad b. Abi Bakr|al-Qasim]] son of [[Muhammad b. Abi Bakr]].<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 180.</ref> Imam al-Sadiq (a) is reported to have said, "Abu Bakr begot me twice."{{cn}} Some scholars explain this by saying that it refers to the fact that the Imam's (a) mother was a descendant of Abu Bakr both from her mother's and her father's sides. However, some scholars such as [[Allama Shushtari]] and [[al-Allama al-Majlisi]] do not consider this hadith authentic.<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 29, p. 651-652.</ref>

He was born on [[Rabi' I 17]], [[83]]/[[April 20]], 702 in [[Medina]].<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 180</ref> Some historians and biographers have mentioned his birth in 80/699.<ref>See: Irbilī, ''Kashf al-ghumma'', vol. 2, p. 691.</ref> Twelve years of his life were contemporary with his grandfather and thirty one years of it were contemporary with his father and his [[imamate]] period was thirty four years.<ref>Ṭabrisī, ''Iʿlām al-warā'', vol. 1, p. 514.</ref>

==Kunya and Titles==

His famous [[Kunya]] was Abu 'Abd Allah (because of his second son, [['Abd Allah al-Aftah]]). In some sources, other kunyas such as Abu Isma'il (because of his eldest son, [[Isma'il b. Ja'far al-Sadiq |Isma'il]]) and Abu Musa (because of his son [[Imam Musa al-Kazim (a)|Musa al-Kazim (a)]]) are mentioned.<ref>Pākatchī, "Imam Jaʿfar Ṣādiq (a)", p. 181.</ref>

[[al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] listed 10 children for him:<ref>See: Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 209.</ref>

| [[Fatima bt. al-Husayn b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn b. 'Ali (a)|Fatima]] || daughter of al-Husayn b. 'Ali b. al-Imam al-Husayn (a) || [[Isam'il b. al-Imam al-Sadiq (a)|Isam'il]], [['Abd Allah al-Aftah|'Abd Allah]], [[Umm Farwa bt. Imam al-Sadiq (a)|Umm Farwa]]|| 'Abd Allah claimed imamate after the demise of Imam al-Sadiq (a) and his followers are known as [[Fatahiyya]].<ref>Shahristānī, ''al-Milal wa l-niḥal'', vol. 1, p. 148.</ref> Isma'il died in the lifetime of his father, but a group didn't accept his demise and were named [[Isma'ilis]].<ref>Ashʿarī, ''al-Maqālāt wa l-firaq'', p. 213-214.</ref>

| Concubines || - || [['Abbas b. Ja'far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq (a)|'Abbas]], [['Ali b. Ja'far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq (a)|'Ali]], [[Asma' bt. Ja'far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq (a)|Asma']], Fatima || these children were from different concubines<ref>See: Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 209.</ref>  

The life of Imam al-Sadiq (a) was simultaneous with the reign of the last ten Umayyad caliphs, including [['Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz]] and [[Hisham b. 'Abd al-Malik]], and the reign of the first two Abbasid caliphs, [[al-Saffah]] and [[al-Mansur al-Dawaniqi]].<ref>Shahīdī, ''Zindigānī-yi Imām Ṣādiq Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad (a)'', p. 4.</ref>  

During Imam al-Sadiq's (a) imamate, the Umayyad rule became weak and eventually fell, and then the Abbasids came to power. The weakness of the rulers created a good opportunity for the Imam (a) to engage in scholarly activities.<ref>Shahīdī, ''Zindigānī-yi Imām Ṣādiq Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad (a)'', p. 47.</ref> This relatively free environment existed only in the third decade of the second/eighth century; the Imam (a) and his followers were under great pressure before that under the Umayyads and also after it because of the revolt of [[Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya]] and his brother [[Ibrahim b. 'Abd Allah|Ibrahim]]. <ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Ḥayāt-i fikrī sīyāsī-yi imāmān-i Shīʿa'', p. 435.</ref>

[[Imamate]] of Imam al-Sadiq (a) was 34 years<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 180.</ref> Imam al-Sadiq (a) was martyred ten years after the beginning of the rule of [[al-Mansur al-Dawaniqi]] by him.<ref>Ṭabrisī, ''Iʿlām al-warā'', vol. 1, p. 514.</ref>

Several people have narrated from [[Imam al-Baqir (a)]] about the [[imamate]] of his son Ja'far among whom are [[Hisham b. Salim]], [[Abu l-Sabah al-Kanani]], [[Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju'fi]] and 'Abd al-A'la mawla Al Sam.<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 180-181.</ref>

Since the Shia were scattered in different parts of the Muslim territories and it was difficult for them to be directly in touch with the Imam (a), Imam al-Sadiq (a) appointed a number of representatives (wakil) for different regions,<ref>Jabbārī, ''Sāzmān-i wikālat-i aʾimma'', vol. 1, p. 47-50.</ref> who were responsible for transferring the [[khums]], [[zakat]], and donations of the Shia to the Imam (a) and also for taking their questions and messages to the Imam (a) and the Imam's (a) response back to them.<ref>Jabbārī, ''Sāzmān-i wikālat-i aʾimma'', vol. 1, p. 280, 320, 322.</ref>  

In Shiite hadith collections, some dialogues or debates between Imam al-Sadiq (a) and scholars from other faith traditions are reported.<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 1, p. 79, 80, 171-173; Mufīd, ''al-Ikhtiṣāṣ'', p. 189, 190.</ref> In some of these debates, the Imam's (a) students debated and the Imam (a) oversaw the debate and sometimes engage in it.<ref>See: Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 1, p. 79, 80, 171-173.</ref> For instance, in a debate with a scholar from Damascus, who had requested to debate with the Imam's (a) students, the Imam (a) asked [[Hisham b. Salim]] to have a debate with him on theology.<ref>See: Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 1, p. 79, 80, 171-173.</ref> In another occasion, the Imam (a) told a person who wanted to debate with him to debate with his students first. The man debated with [[Humran b. A'yan]] about the Quran, with [[Aban b. Taghlib]] about Arabic literature, with [[Zurara]] about jurisprudence, and with [[Mu'min al-Taq]] and Hisham b. Salim about theology and was defeated by all of them.<ref>Kashshī, ''Rijāl'', p. 275-277.</ref>

From the life of Imam al-Sadiq (a), it can be learned that he (a) kept himself away from politics and kept this position in both [[Umayyad]] and [[Abbasid]] times.<ref>Shahīdī, ''Zindigānī-yi Imām Ṣādiq Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad (a)'', p. 4.</ref> However, while Imam (a) kept away from political rivalry, he (a) was very attentive to the society and its destiny, and he (a) advised rulers about justice in the government, consultation with people and caring about their requests.

Toward the end of the rule of Umayyads, some of [[Banu Hashim]] including [['Abd Allah al-Mahd]] and his sons and also [[al-Saffah]] and [[al-Mansur]] gathered in [[Abwa']] to give allegiance to a person among themselves. In that session, 'Abd Allah introduced his son as "al-Mahdi" and asked others to give allegiance to him. When Imam al-Sadiq (a) was informed about their intention, told 'Abd Allah, 'If you think your son is al-Mahdi, [you are wrong] he is not al-Mahdi, and it is not the time for the coming of al-Mahdi (a) yet." 'Abd Allah became angry and accused him of envy. Imam al-Sadiq (a) swore that his words were not out of envy and foretold that the rule will be for al-Saffah and al-Mansur and 'Abd Allah and his sons will be killed.<ref>Abū l-Faraj al-Iṣfahānī, ''Maqātil al-ṭālibīyyīn'', p. 185-186.</ref>

Although Imam al-Sadiq (a) refused to revolt against the caliphs of his time, he did not have a good relationship with them. In one occasion, when the Imam (a) was on pilgrimage, he proclaimed Ahl al-Bayt (a) as God's chosen servants and mentioned the hostility of the caliph [[Hisham b. Abd al-Malik]] towards [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]].<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 46, p. 306.</ref>  

In response to the Abbasid caliph [[al-Mansur al-Dawaniqi]], who had asked Imam al-Sadiq (a) to visit him like other people do, the Imam (a) wrote, "We do not have something to fear you for, you do not have anything of the hereafter for which we should have hopes in you, you are not in a blessing to congratulate you for, and you do not think that you are in affliction to send you our condolences. So why should we be around you?!"<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 47, p. 184.</ref>

Except the third decade of the second century (fifth decade of the eighth century AC), which coincided with the fall of the Umayyad caliphate, both the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphs kept the activities of the Imam (a) under watch. Political pressure on the Imam (a) reached its peak towards the end of the Imam's (a) life.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Ḥayāt-i fikrī sīyāsī-yi imāmān-i Shīʿa'', p. 435.</ref> According to some reports, al-Mansur's agents would persecute those Shiites who were in touch with the Imam (a) and even execute them. Because of these persecutions, the Imam (a) and his companions had to use [[taqiyya]]. <ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Ḥayāt-i fikrī sīyāsī-yi imāmān-i Shīʿa'', p. 435.</ref>

It is reported that the Imam (a) gave four hundred dirhams to a beggar, and when he thanked the Imam (a), he (a) gave him his ring which was worth 10,000 dirhams.<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 47, p. 61.</ref> According to another report, the Imam would put some bread, meat, and money in a bag and would take it to the houses of the poor and divide it between them, without letting them know who he was.<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 8.</ref> Abu Ja'far al-Khath'ami reports that Imam al-Sadiq (a) gave him a bag of money and asked him to give it to someone from Banu Hashim without telling him from where the money was coming. When Abu Ja'far gave the money to that man, he prayed for the sender and told him that this person always sends him money, but Imam al-Sadiq (a) never sends him anything even though he is rich!<ref>Ibn Shahrāshūb, ''Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib'', vol. 4, p. 273.</ref>

In his ''[[Al-Rijal (al-Tusi) (book)|Rijal]]'', [[al-Shaykh al-Tusi]] mentioned the name of 3200 people as the transmitters of [[hadiths]] from Imam al-Sadiq (a).<ref>Ṭūsī, ''Ikhtīyār maʿrifat al-rijāl'', vol. 2, p. 419-679.</ref> [[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] in ''[[al-Irshad]]'' extended the count of his transmitters to 4000.<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 254.</ref> It is said that [[Ibn 'Uqda]], have mentioned names of 4000 transmitters in a book about the students of Imam al-Sadiq (a).<ref>Qummī, ''al-Kinā wa l-alqāb'', vol. 1, p. 358.</ref>

Some of the well-known hadiths of Imam al-Sadiq (a) are the following:  

In some sources, a number of letters and treatises are attributed to Imam al-Sadiq (a). The authenticity of some of these works cannot be ascertained, but some of them are reported in sources such as ''al-Kafi'' and therefore can be regarded as authentic with high probability. The following are among these works:

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