Ja'far al-Sadiq
 Ja‘far al-Sādiq Imams of Shi'a Islam | |
|---|---|
| Rank | Sixth Twelver/Musta‘lī Imām Fifth Nizārī Imām |
| Name | Ja‘far ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Alī |
| Kunya | Abū ‘Abdillāh |
| Birth | 17th Rabī‘ al-Awwal 83 AH ≈ 20 April 702 C.E. |
| Death | 15th Shawwāl 148 AH ≈ 14 December 765 C.E. |
| Birthplace | Medina |
| Buried | Jannatul Baqī‘, Medina |
| Life Duration | Before Imāmate: 31 years (83 – 114 AH) - 12 years with his grandfather Imām as-Sajjād - 19 years with his father Imām al-Bāqir Imāmate: 34 years (114 – 148 AH) |
| Titles |
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| Spouse(s) | Hamīdah al-Barbariyyah |
| Father | Muhammad al-Bāqir |
| Mother | Umm Farwah (Farwah bint Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr) |
| Children |
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Ali · Hasan · Husayn al-Sajjad · al-Baqir · al-Sadiq Musa (Twelver) · Ismail (Ismaili) | |
Although he is perhaps most famous as the founder of Shi'a Islamic fiqh, known as Ja'fari jurisprudence, he had many other accomplishments. He was the teacher of many subsequent Muslim scholars such as the founders of both Sunni and Shi'a Islamic schools of jurisprudence. As well as being considered an Imam of the Shi'a, he is revered by the Naqshbandi Sunni Sufi chain. He was a polymath: an astronomer, alchemist, Imam, Islamic scholar, Islamic theologian, writer, philosopher, physician, physicist and scientist. He was also the teacher of the famous chemist, Jābir ibn Hayyān (Geber), and of Abū Ḥanīfa, the founder of the Hanafi school of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence.
Birth and family life
Ja'far al-Sadiq was born in Medina to Umm Farwah bint Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr on 20 April 702 AD (17 Rabi' al-Awwal, 83 Anno Hegirae)
Ja'far Al-Sadiq has three titles; they are As-Sadiq, Al-Fadil, and At-Tahir. His father, Muhammad al-Baqir is considered by the Shi'a to be the fifth Shi’a Imam. His mother, Umm Farwah, was the grand-daughter of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, who was the son of Abu Bakr Siddiq, the first Rashidun Caliph in Islam as considered by Sunnis.
Ja'far al-Sadiq was 34 years old when his father was poisoned upon which, according to Shi'a tradition, he inherited the position of Imam.
Marriage and offspring
Jaf'ar married Fatima Al-Hasan, a descendant of Hasan ibn Ali, who bore him two sons Isma'il ibn Jafar (the Ismaili Imām-designate) and Abdullah al-Aftah.Following his wife's death Al-Sadiq purchased a slave of Berber origin named Hamidah Khātūn (Arabic: حميدة خاتون), freed her, trained her as an Islamic scholar, and then married her. She bore Mūsá al-Kāżim (the seventh Shi’ah Imam) and Muhammad al-Dibaj and was revered by the Shī‘ah, especially by women, for her wisdom. She was known as Hamidah the Pure. Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq used to send women to learn the tenets of Islam from her, and used to remark about her, "Hamidah is pure from every impurity like the ingot of pure gold."
Scholarly attainments
As a child, Ja'far Al-Sadiq studied under his grandfather, Zayn al-Abidin. After his grandfather's death, he studied under and accompanied his father, Muhammad al-Baqir, until Muhammad al-Baqir died in 733.Ja'far Al-Sadiq became well versed in Islamic sciences, including Qur'an and Hadith. In addition to his knowledge of Islamic sciences, Ja'far Al-Sadiq was also an adept in natural sciences, mathematics, philosophy, astronomy, anatomy, alchemy and other subjects.
The foremost Islamic alchemist, Abu Musa Jabir ibn Hayyan, known in Europe as Geber, was Ja'far Al-Sadiq's most prominent student. Ja'far Al-Sadiq was known for his liberal views on learning, and was keen to have discourse with Scholars of other views.
Abū Ḥanīfa was an Islamic scholar and Jurist. He was a student of Ja'far Al-Sadiq, as was Malik ibn Anas, who quotes 12 hadiths from Jafar Sadiq in his famous Al-Muwatta.
Allamah ash-shibli writes in his book Siratu'n- Nu'man: "Abu Hanifah remained for a considerable period in the attendance of Ja'far as-Sadiq, acquiring from him a great deal of precious research on fiqh and hadith. Both the sects – Shi'ah and Sunni – believe that the source of Abu Hanifah's knowledge was mostly derived from his association with Ja'far as-Sadiq." He devoted his whole life to the cause of religious preaching and propagation of the teachings of Muhammed and never strove for power.
Ja'far Al-Sadiq is also cited in a wide range of historical sources, including al-Tabari, al-Yaqubi and Al-Masudi. Al-Dhahabi recognizes his contribution to Sunni tradition and Isma’ili scholars such as Qadi al-Nu'man recorded his traditions in their work.
- Scholars believed to have learned extensively from Ja'far Al-Sadiq:
- Jābir ibn Hayyān – known in Europe as Geber, a great alchemist.
- Isma'il ibn Jafar – his son, the seventh Shi'ah Imam according to the Ismailis.
- Musa al-Kadhim – his son, the seventh Shi’ah Imam according to the Twelvers
- Ali al-Uraidhi ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq- his youngest son.
- Mufadhal ibn Amr- his Gate keeper and a prominent student.
- Sunni scholars who either attended Ja'far Al-Sadiq's lectures or learnt from him:
- Abū Ḥanīfa – founder of the Hanafi school of thought.
- Malik ibn Anas – founder of the Maliki school of thought.
- Others that attended lectures by Ja'far Al-Sadiq:
- Wasil ibn Ata – founder of the Mu'tazili school of thought.
Jurisprudence
Ja'far al-Sadiq developed Ja'fari jurisprudence at about the same time its Sunni legal fiqh counterparts were being codified. It was distinguished from Sunni law "on matters regarding inheritance, religious taxes, commerce, and personal status."Under the Umayyad rulers
Ja'far Al-Sadiq lived in violent times. Ja'far Al-Sadiq was considered by many Shia (follower) of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib to be the sixth Shi'a imam, however, the Shi'ahs were considered heretics and rebels by the Umayyad caliphs. Many of Ja'far Al-Sadiq's relatives had died at the hands of the Umayyad. Shortly after his father's death, Ja'far Al-Sadiq's uncle, Zayd ibn Ali led a rebellion against the Umayyads. Ja'far Al-Sadiq did not participate, but many of his kinsmen, including his uncle, were killed, and others were punished by the Umayyad caliph. There were other rebellions during these last years of the Umayyad, before the Abbasids succeeded in grasping the caliphate and establishing the Abbasid dynasty in 750 CE, when Ja'far Al-Sadiq was 48 years old.Muhammad al-Baqir and his son, Jaffar al-Sadiq, explicitly rejected the idea of armed rebellion. Many rebel factions tried to convince Ja'far al-Sadiq to support their claims. Ja'far Al-Sadiq evaded their requests without explicitly advancing his own claims. Al-Sadiq declared that even though he, as the designated imam, was the true leader of the ummah, he would not press his claim to the caliphate . He is said to burned their letters (letters promising him the caliphate) commenting, "This man is not from me and cannot give me what is in the province of Allah". Ja'far Al-Sadiq's prudent silence on his true views is said to have established Taqiyya as a Shi'a doctrine. Taqiyya says that it is acceptable to hide one's true opinions if by revealing them, one put oneself or others in danger.
The incidents and difficulties, which come into human life can, measure and find out the extent of his energy and faith. The difficulties, which cropped up in the life of Ja'far Al-Sadiq and the patience and forbearance, which, he showed towards them, illuminated his personality and worth. Howsoever they (enemies) abused and teased him he showed patience and forbearance and admonished them. He never cursed or used foul language about them.
Under the Abbasid rulers
The new Abbasid rulers, who had risen to power on the basis of their claim to descent from Muhammad's uncle ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, were extremely suspicious of Ja'far al-Sadiq, whom many considered to have a better claim to the caliphate. Many followers of Zayd ibn Ali were ready to listen to al-Sadiq after being prosecuted ruthlessly by the Abbasids . Al-Sadiq was watched closely and, occasionally, imprisoned to cut his ties with his followers. Ja'far endured the persecution patiently and continued his study and writing wherever he found himself.He died on 14 December 765. He was poisoned by Al-Mansur. He is buried in Medina, in the famous Jannatul Baqee' cemetery.
Succession
After Ja'far al-Sadiq's death during the reign of the ‘Abbāsids, various Shī‘ī groups organised in secret opposition to their rule. Among them were the supporters of the proto-Ismā‘īlī community, of whom the most prominent group were called the "Mubārakiyyah".There are hadīth which state that Ismā‘īl ibn Ja‘far "al-Mubārak" would be heir to the Imamate, as well as those that state Musa al-Kadhim was to be the heir. However, Ismā‘īl predeceased his father.
Some of the Shī‘ah claimed Ismā‘īl had not died, but rather gone into hiding, but the proto-Ismā‘īlī group accepted his death and therefore that his eldest son, Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl, was now Imām. Muḥammad remained in contact with this "Mubārakiyyah" group, most of whom resided in Kūfah.
In contrast, Twelvers don't believe that Isma'il ibn Jafar was ever given the nass ("designation of the Imamate"), but they acknowledge that this was the popular belief among the people at the time. Both Shaykh Tusi and Shaykh al-Sadūq did not believe that the divine designation was changed (called Bada'), arguing that if matters as important as Imāmate were subject to change, then the basic fundamentals of belief should also be subject to change. Thus Twelvers accept that Mūsá al-Kāżim was the only son who was ever designated for Imāmate.
This is the initial point of divergence between the proto-Twelvers and the proto-Ismā‘īlī. This disagreement over the proper heir to Ja‘far has been a point of contention between the two groups ever since. The split among the Mubārakiyyah came with Muḥammad's death. The majority of the group denied his death; they recognised him as the Mahdi. The minority believed in his death and would eventually emerge in later times as the Fāṭimid Ismā‘īlī, ancestors to all modern groups.
Another Shia branch that emerged around the figure of Ja'far al-Sadiq was the Tawussite Shia. Following the death of al-Sadiq, the Tawussite's denied that he died and instead believed in his Mahdism.
Another Shia branch claimed that al-Sadiq's eldest surviving son Abdullah al-Aftah was the Imam to succeed his father. This branch was known as the Fathites. There is little evidence of them surviving beyond al-Aftah’s death, since he is commonly believed to have left no descendants.
Anecdotes
Someone once asked Ja'far Al-Sadiq to show him God. Ja'far Al-Sadiq replied, "Look at the sun." The man replied that he could not look at the sun because it was too bright.Ja'far Al-Sadiq replied: "If you cannot see the created, how can you expect to see the creator?"
Timeline
Ja'far al-Sadiq
of the Ahl al-Bayt
Banu Hashim
Clan of the Quraysh
Born: 17 Rabī‘ al-Awwal 83 AH ≈ 20 April 702 CEDied: 25th Shawwāl 148 AH ≈ 14 December 765 CE | ||
| Shī‘a Islam titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Muhammad al-Baqir | 6th Imam of Shia Islam 743–765 | Succeeded by Musa al-Kadhim Twelver successor |
| Succeeded by Isma'il ibn Jafar Ismaili successor | ||
| Succeeded by Abdullah al-Aftah Fathite successor | ||
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