Ja'far al-Sadiq 1

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 [1]
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 [1]
• as-Sādiq
(Arabic for Truthful)
[1]
*al-Fādhil
(Arabic for Virtuous)
[1]
*at-Tāhir
(Arabic for Pure)
*Altinci Ali
(Turkish for Sixth Ali)

Spouse(s) [2] [3]

Hamīdah al-Barbariyyah

Father Muhammad al-Bāqir

Mother Umm Farwa (Fatimah bint Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr)

Children Mūsá al-Kādhim (Twelver successor)

Ismā‘īl ibn Ja‘far (Ismaili successor)
Abdullah al-Aftah, Ishaq, 'Ali al-Uraidhi, al-Abbas, Muhammad al-Dibaj, Fatimah, Umm Farwah, Asmaa

Ali · Hasan · Husayn

al-Sajjad · al-Baqir · al-Sadiq
Musa (Twelver) · Ismail (Ismaili)
Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq (Arabic: ‫قداصلا دمحم نب رفعج‬‎) (702-765 C.E. or 17th Rabī‘ al-Awwal 83 AH -
25th Shawwāl 148 AH) is renowned and respected both by Sunni and Shi'a Muslims as a great Islamic personality
Ja'far al-Sadiq 2

and academic. The Shi'a Muslim sect even considers him to be the sixth infallible Imam of Shi'a Muslims, or
spiritual leader and successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.[4] He is the Imam recognized by both Ismaili and
Twelver Shi'a sects and the dispute over who was to succeed him led to a division within Shi'a Islam.[4]
Al-Sadiq was the most celebrated, greatest in rank among his brothers and stood out among their group for his great
merit.[5] He is said to be highly respected by both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims for his great Islamic scholarship, pious
character, and academic contributions. The last name "Jaafari" is highly respected in the Middle East. Although he is
perhaps most famous as the founder of Shia fiqh, known as Ja'fari or Jaafari jurisprudence, he had many other
accomplishments. He was the teacher of many subsequent scholars such as the founders of the Hanafi, Maliki and
Akhbari schools of thought. As well as being considered an Imam on the Shi'a chain, he is also revered by the
Naqshbandi Sunni Sufi chain.[6] 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),[7] [8] and a contemporary of Abū Ḥanīfa,[9] founder of the Hanafi school of Sunni
jurisprudence. In the shia hadith text Kitab Al-Kafi, Abu Abdallah (Imam Jafar) states that Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib
was of the trusted and reliable companions of Imam Zayn al-Abidin, Ali bin Husain. Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib married
the daughter of Abu Hurayrah in order to be closer to him and to learn better the Traditions that he narrated.

Birth and family life

Ja'far al-Sadiq was born in Medina to Umm Farwah bint 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 Shi'as to be the fifth Shi’ah Imam and his mother, Umm Farwa, was the grand daughter of Muhammad
ibn Abi Bakr, who was the son of Caliph Abu Bakr Siddiq, considered by Sunnis to be the first Caliph in Islam.
Ja'far al-Sadiq was 34 years old when his father, Muhammad al-Baqir was poisoned upon which, according to Shi'a
doctrine, he inherited the Imamate.

Marriage and offspring

Jaf'ar married Fatima Al-Hasan, a descendant of Imam 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: ‫ةديمح‬
‫نوتاخ‬‎), 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.

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 Hadith, Sunnah, and the Qur'an. 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 Imam Malik ibn Anas,
who quotes 12 hadiths from Imam Jafar Sadiq in his famous Al-Muwatta.[9]
• Scholars believed to have learned extensively from Ja'far Al-Sadiq:
Ja'far al-Sadiq 3

1. Jābir ibn Hayyān - known in Europe as Geber, a great alchemist.

2. Musa al-Kadhim - his son, the seventh Shi’ah Imam according to the Twelvers
3. Isma'il ibn Jafar - his son according to both the Ithnā‘ashariyyah (Twelvers) and the Ismailis, but the seventh
Shi'ah Imam only according to the Ismailis.
4. Ali al-Uraidhi ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq- his youngest son.
• Sunni scholars who either attended Ja'far Al-Sadiq's lectures or learnt from him:
1. Abū Ḥanīfa - founder of the Hanafi school of thought.
2. Malik ibn Anas - founder of the Maliki school of thought.
• Others that attended lectures by Ja'far Al-Sadiq:
1. 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 '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.
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. 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, whom many considered to have a better claim to
the caliphate. Ja'far 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.
 Ja'far al-Sadiq 4

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[3] [10] 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")[11]
[12]
, but they acknowledge that this was the popular belief among the people at the time[13] . Both Shaykh Tusi[11]
and Shaykh al-Sadūq[12] 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 sect 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 sect claimed that al-Sadiq's eldest surviving son Abdullah al-Aftah was the Imam to succeed his father.
This sect was known as the Aftahiyya/Fathiyya/Fathites.

Table of Imams along with Caliphate

Table showing all shia imam with earlier islam along with caliphate of time and present follower,making clear the
various succession :

Abdul Mutallib + Fatema(wife ABU BANU [ABDUL

QUHAFAH AFFAN UMAYYAH MUTALLIB+
MUTAYATA(WIFE)]

ABU TALIB ABDULLAH

MOHAMMAD 632 ABU SUFYAN AL ABBAS

<SHIA I- -M- -A- -MA- -T-> <CHALI- -F- -A- -T>

Ali (Imamat + wife Fatima ABU

632-661, BAKAR
Caliphate-656-661) 632–634

^ OMMAR

^ USMAN
644–656

HASAN(only IMAM , Caliphate taken away by Muawia with agreement) MUAWWIYAH

(Damascus)
UMAYYAD

HUSAYN 669–680 ^
 Ja'far al-Sadiq 5

ALI ZAYNUL ABIDIN MARWAN -I

684–685

MUHAMMAD AL-BAQIR Zayd ibn ^

Ali
(Zaidi/Fiver,
separated
from
brother
Baqir) ]

JA'FAR AL-SADIQ 731–765 ^

ISMAIL MUSA AL ^ MARWAN-II SAFFAH

KAZIM , 744–750 750–754,ABBASID
[ Ismaili Imam ]
separated BAGHDAD
from
brother
Ismail

MOHAMMAD ^ Harun-al-
SEVENER(follow TWELVER Rashid(d.809)
upto Ismail, than IMAM
separated)

ABDULLAH ^ ^ ^ MA'MUN (d.833)

AHMAD ^ ^ ^ MU'TASIM (d.842)

HUSAYN ^ ^ ^ MUTAWAKIL
847–861, Mutadid,
Muktafi (Muqtadar
d.908)

Imamat+FatimidChaliphat ^ ^ ^ ^

ABDULLAH 909– 934 (ifriqiya) ^ ^ ^ ^

AL QAIM (d.946) ^ ^ ^ ^

AL MANSUR ^ ^ ^ ^

AL-MU'IZ (EGYPT) (d.975) ^ ^ ^ ^

AL-AZIZ ^ ^ ^ ^

AL-HAAKIM ^ ^ ^ ^

AL-ZAHIR ^ ^ ^ ^
Druze

AL-MUSTANSIR (d.1094) ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

[MUSTALI NIZAR, ^ ^ ^ ^
(d.1101) separated
from
brother
Mustali ]

AMIR- (d.1130) ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
 Ja'far al-Sadiq 6

TAYYIB, Hurrat ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ HAFIZ- AL-ZAHIR ,Al

al-Malaika / 1130,Cairo Mutasim
Dai-al-Mutlaq separated from 1258,Abbasid
,Yemen Tayyib ], Baghdad
SALAHUDDIN
AYYUBID- 1170

Dai-al-Mutlaq ^ ^ ^ ^ Zaydi EGYPTIAN

,Yemen (Imam ABBASID
+Caliphate (Mustansir
), Yemen 1261,...Mutawakil
III 1517)

Dai-al-Mutlaq, ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Bohra ,India

Bohras / Dawoodi Shia Imami Druze Sevener (almost Ithna ashari Zaydi/Fiver Hafizi (no
Bohra Ismaili extinct) / Twelwer trace,extincted)
Nizari
(Current
Imam :
Karim
Al-Hussaini
Aga Khan
IV)

Anecdotes
Someone once asked Ja'far Al-Sadiq to show him God. The Imam 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 CE Died: 25th Shawwāl 148 AH ≈ 14 December 765 CE
Ja'far al-Sadiq 7

Notes
[1] A Brief History of The Fourteen Infallibles. Qum: Ansariyan Publications. 2004. pp. 123. ISBN 964-438-127-0.
[2] A Brief History of The Fourteen Infallibles. Qum: Ansariyan Publications. 2004. pp. 131. ISBN 964-438-127-0.
[3] Shaykh al-Mufid. "The Infallibles - Taken from Kitab al Irshad" (http:/ / www. al-islam. org/ masoom/ bios/ 7thimam. html). . Retrieved
2009-05-25.
[4] "Ja'far ibn Muhammad." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
[5] Sheikh al Mufid. Kitab al-Irshad. pp. 408–430.
[6] Golden Chain (http:/ / www. naksibendi. org/ grandshaykhs. html)
[7] Glick, Thomas; Eds (2005). Medieval science, technology, and medicine : an encyclopedia (http:/ / books. google. com/
?id=SaJlbWK_-FcC& pg=PA279& vq=geber). New York: Routledge. pp. 279. ISBN 0415969301.
[8] Haq, Syed N. (1994). Names, Natures and Things. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science, Volume 158/
Kluwar Academic Publishers. pp. 14–20. ISBN 0-7923-3254-7.
[9] Jafar as-Sadiq (http:/ / lexicorient. com/ e. o/ 6thimam. htm)
[10] an-Nu'mani, Ibn Abu Zaynab (2003). "24 - entire chapter". al-Ghayba Occultation. Ansariyan Publications.
[11] al-Tusi, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan (2003). Kitab al-ghaybah. Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyah. pp. 264.
[12] al-Qummi, Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Babawayh. al-Imamah wa al-Tabsirah min al-Hayrah. pp. 149–150.
[13] al-Tusi, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan (2003). Kitab al-ghaybah. Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyah. pp. 56,121.

References
• Muhammed Al-Husain Al-Mudaffar, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq.
• Sayyid Mahdi as-Sadr, THE AHLUL-BAYT Ethical Role-Models.
• Mohammad Hussein il Adeeb, The Brief History of the Fourteen Infallibales.

External links
• Ja'far ibn Muhammad (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9043231/Jafar-ibn-Muhammad), an article of
Encyclopedia Britanica Online
• Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq's life according to a Sunni Sufi source (Naqshbandiya Mujaddidiya Khalidiya Haqqaniya
Tariqa of Sufism) (http://naqshbandi.org/chain/5.htm)
• Imam al-Sadiq by Shaykh Mohammed al-Husayn al-Muzaffar (http://maaref-foundation.com/english/library/
pro_ahl/imam06_sadiq/imam_sadiq/index.htm)
• Tawheed al-Mufadhdhal - as dictated by Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq to Al-Mufadhdhal (http://maaref-foundation.com/
english/library/beliefs/tawheed_al-mufadhdhal/index.htm)
• The Sixth Imam (http://www.al-islam.org/kaaba14/9.htm)
• Biography of the Sixth Imam (http://al-islam.org/masoom/bios/6thimam.html) by Sheikh al-Mufid
Article Sources and Contributors 8

Article Sources and Contributors

Ja'far al-Sadiq  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=398085626  Contributors: AA, AAA765, AS Arabic, Abbasgadhia, Acather96, Adamcaliph, Adaywijaya, Afghana,
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