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Ja‘far al-Sādiq Imam of Twelver Shi'a Islam
A modern depiction by a Shi'a artist
Rank	6th Twelver/Musta‘lī Imām 5th Nizārī Imām
Name	Ja‘far ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Alī
Kunya	Abū ‘Abdillāh[1]
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	as-Sādiq[1] (Arabic which means the Truthful) al-Fādhil[1] (Arabic for Virtuous) at-Tāhir[1] (Arabic for Pure) Altıncı Ali (Turkish for Sixth Ali)
Spouse(s)	Hamīdah al-Barbariyyah[2][3]
Father	Muhammad al-Bāqir
Mother	Umm Farwah (Farwah bint Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr)
Children	Mūsá al-Kādhim (Twelver successor) Ismā‘īl (Ismaili successor) Abdullah al-Aftah (Fathite successor) Ishaq, ʿAli al-Uraidhi, Al-Abbas, Muhammad al-Dibaj, Fātimah, Umm Farwah, Asmaa.
Ali · Hasan · Husayn al-Sajjad · al-Baqir · al-Sadiq al-Kadhim · al-Rida · al-Taqi al-Hadi · al-Askari · al-Mahdi

Quotations related to Jafar Us-Sadiq at Wikiquote

Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq (Arabic: جعفر بن محمد الصادق‎) (702–765 C.E. or 17th Rabī‘ al-Awwal 83 AH – 25th Shawwāl 148 AH) was a descendant of Muhammad and a prominent Muslim jurist. He is revered as an Imam by the adherents of Shi'a Islam and as a renowned Islamic scholar and personality by Sunni Muslims. The Shi'a Muslims consider him to be the sixth Imam or leader and spiritual successor to Muhammad.^[4] The internal dispute over who was to succeed Ja'far as Imam led to schism within Shi'a Islam.^[4] Al-Sadiq was celebrated among his brothers and peers and stood out among them for his great personal merits.^[5] He is highly respected by both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims for his great Islamic scholarship, pious character, and academic contributions.

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.^[6] He was a polymath: an astronomer, alchemist, Imam, Islamic scholar, Islamic theologian, writer, philosopher, physician, physicist and scientist.^{[citation needed]} He was also the teacher of the famous chemist, Jābir ibn Hayyān (Geber),^[7][8] and of Abū Ḥanīfa,^[9] the founder of the Hanafi school of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence.

Birth and family life[link]

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[link]

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.^{[citation needed]} 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." ^[10]

Scholarly attainments[link]

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.^[9]

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.^[11]

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 ^[12] recorded his traditions in their work.^[13]

• Scholars believed to have learned extensively from Ja'far Al-Sadiq:

1. Jābir ibn Hayyān – known in Europe as Geber, a great alchemist.^[14]
2. Isma'il ibn Jafar – his son, the seventh Shi'ah Imam according to the Ismailis.
3. Musa al-Kadhim – his son, the seventh Shi’ah Imam according to the Twelvers
4. Ali al-Uraidhi ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq- his youngest son.
5. 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:

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[link]

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[link]

Ja'far Al-Sadiq lived in violent times.^[15] 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.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]}

Muhammad al-Baqir and his son, Jaffar al-Sadiq, explicitly rejected the idea of armed rebellion.^[16] 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.^[17] 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.^[15]

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.^{[citation needed]} Howsoever they (enemies) abused and teased him he showed patience and forbearance and admonished them. He never cursed or used foul language about them.^{[citation needed]}

Under the Abbasid rulers[link]

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^[17] . Al-Sadiq was watched closely and, occasionally, imprisoned to cut his ties with his followers.^[15][17] 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.^[15] He is buried in Medina, in the famous Jannatul Baqee' cemetery.

Succession[link]

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"^{[citation needed]} would be heir to the Imamate, as well as those that state Musa al-Kadhim^[3][18] 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.^{[citation needed]}

In contrast, Twelvers don't believe that Isma'il ibn Jafar was ever given the nass ("designation of the Imamate"),^[19][20] but they acknowledge that this was the popular belief among the people at the time.^[21] Both Shaykh Tusi^[19] and Shaykh al-Sadūq^[20] 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 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.^[22]

Anecdotes[link]

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[link]

See also[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Ja'far al-Sadiq

• Husayn ibn Ali
• Ali al-Rida
• Muhammad al-Taqi
• Ali al-Hadi
• Hasan al-Askari
• Muhammad al-Mahdi
• Al-Abbas ibn Ali
• Qasim ibn Hasan
• Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah
• Aban ibn abi-Ayyash
• Waqifite Shia

References[link]

Notes[link]

• 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[link]

• Ja'far ibn Muhammad, an article of Encyclopædia Britannica Online
• Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq's life according to a Sunni Sufi source (Naqshbandiya Mujaddidiya Khalidiya Haqqaniya Tariqa of Sufism)
• Imam al-Sadiq by Shaykh Mohammed al-Husayn al-Muzaffar
• Tawheed al-Mufadhdhal – as dictated by Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq to Al-Mufadhdhal
• The Sixth Imam
• Biography of the Sixth Imam by Sheikh al-Mufid

Part of a series on
Sunni Islam
Beliefs
Monotheism Prophethood / Messengership Holy Books · Angels Judgement Day · Predestination
Five Pillars
Declaration of Faith · Prayer Charity · Fasting · Pilgrimage
Rightly guided Caliphs
Abu Bakr · Umar ibn al-Khattab Uthman ibn Affan · Ali ibn Abi Talib
Schools of Law (Shariah)
Hanafi · Maliki · Shafi'i · Hanbali Zahiri · Awza'i · Laythi
Schools of Theology
Ash'ari · Athari · Maturidi
Movements
Salafi · Barelvi · Deobandi · Sufi
Hadith collections
Sahih al-Bukhari · Sahih Muslim Al-Sunan al-Sughra Sunan Abu Dawood Sunan al-Tirmidhi Sunan ibn Majah · Al-Muwatta Sunan al-Darimi
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Mālik ibn Anas ibn Mālik ibn Abī 'Āmir al-Asbahī (Arabic مالك بن أنس) (c. 711 – 795) (93 AH – 179 AH ) is known as "Imam Malik," the "Sheikh of Islam", the "Proof of the Community," and "Imam of the Abode of Emigration." ^[1] He was one of the most highly respected scholars of fiqh in Sunni Islam. Imam Shafi`i, who was one of Malik's students for nine years and a scholarly giant in his own right, stated, "when scholars are mentioned, Malik is the star."^[2] The Maliki Madhab, named after Malik, is one of the four schools of jurisprudence that are followed by Sunni Muslims to this day.

Biography[link]

His full name was Abu Abdullah Mālik ibn Anas ibn Mālik Ibn Abī 'Āmir Ibn 'Amr Ibnul-Hārith Ibn Ghaimān Ibn Khuthail Ibn 'Amr Ibnul-Haarith.

Malik was born the son of Anas ibn Malik (not the Sahabi) and Aaliyah bint Shurayk al-Azdiyya in Medina circa 711. His family was originally from the al-Asbahi tribe of Yemen, but his great grandfather Abu 'Amir relocated the family to Medina after converting to Islam in the second year after hijra (623). According to Al-Muwatta, he was tall, heavyset, imposing of stature, very fair, with white hair and beard but bald, with a huge beard and blue eyes.^[1]

Teachers[link]

Living in Medina gave Malik access to some of the most learned minds of early Islam. He memorized the Quran in his youth, learning recitation from Imam Abu Suhail Nafi' ibn 'Abd ar-Rahman, from whom he also received his Sanad, or certification and permission to teach others. He studied under various famed scholars including Hisham ibn Urwah, Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri, and—along with Imam Abu Hanifa, the founder of the Hanafi Sunni Madh'hab-- and under the household of the prophets lineage, Imam Jafar al Sadiq^[3] This fact may explain the mutual respect and relative peace that has often existed between the Hanafi and Maliki Sunnis, on one hand, and the Shias on the other.

Golden Chain of Narration[link]

Imam Malik's chain of narrators was considered the most authentic and called Silsilat ul-Zhahab or "The Golden Chain of Narrators" by notable hadith scholars including Imam Bukhari.^[4] The 'Golden Chain' of narration (i.e., that considered by the scholars of Hadith to be the most authentic) consists of Malik, who narrated from Nafi', who narrated from ibn Umar, who narrated from Muhammad.

Views[link]

Reluctance in rendering religious verdicts[link]

Malik took advantage of the fact that he was contemporary to many of the Tabi‘in to formulate his school of thought, which gave precedence to the acts of the people of Medina over the Hadith if they were in conflict. This was done due to the sizeable amount of scholars, and companions of Muhammad residing in the city where Malik's reputation grew immensely. Malik nevertheless showed hesitancy in issuing religious verdicts explaining in one of his more famous statements that:

The shield of the scholar is, 'I do not know,' so if he neglects it, his statement is attacked.^[5]

Textualist interpretation of hadith on God's attributes[link]

Malik adhered to a textual interpretation of hadith in relation to God's attributes. Al-Daraqutni relates that Malik was asked about the attributes of Allah, to which Malik answered, "Pass them on as they come."^[6] Furthermore, Qadi Iyad relates that Malik was asked whether people would be looking toward Allah given the narration, "And some faces shall be shining and radiant upon that day, looking at their Lord." Malik ensuingly answered, "Yes, with these two eyes of his," though his student replied, "there are a people who say he will not be looking at Allah, that 'looking' means a reward" to which Malik answered, "They lied, rather they will look at Allah."

Opposition to bid'ah or innovation in beliefs[link]

Malik was vehemently opposed to bid'ah and even directed others not to extend the Islamic greeting of Salam to the people of bidah, stating, "how evil are the People of Innuendo, we do not give them felicitations."^[7] Malik explained that "he who establishes an innovation in Islam regarding it as something good, has claimed that Muhammad has betrayed his trust to deliver the message as God says, 'this day have I perfected for you your religion'. And whatsoever was not part of the religion then, is not part of the religion today."^[8]

Prohibiting Kalam[link]

Malik sternly prohibited theological rhetoric and philosophical speech, frequently referred to as kalam.^[9] Malik believed that Kalam was rooted in heretical doctrines taken up and followed by controversial theologians such as Jahm bin Safwan.^[10] When asked about an individual who delved into Kalam, Malik answered, "He establishes his innuendo with kalaam, and if kalaam had been knowledge, the Companions and the tabi'in would have spoken about it, just as they spoke about the rules and regulations.^[11]

Death[link]

Imam Malik died at the age of 86 in Medina in 795 and is buried in the famous Jannat ul-Baqi cemetery across from the Masjid al Nabawi. Malik's last words were related by one Isma'il Ibn Abi Uways who said, "Malik became sick, so I asked some of our people about what he said at the time of his death. They said, `He recited the shahadah (testification of faith), then he recited:

Their affair is for Allah, before and after.^[12]

Works[link]

Imam Malik wrote Al-Muwatta, "The Approved," which was said to have been regarded by Imam Shafi'i to be the soundest book on Earth after the Qur'an.

• Al-Muwatta
• Al-Mudawwana al-Kubra

Quotes[link]

"The reform of the later generations of this Ummah will take place in the same way as reformed its earlier generations." taken from Islahi Khutbat (Discourse on Islamic Way of Life)

See also[link]

• Taba Taba'een
• Salaf
• The Seven Fuqaha of Medina

References[link]

External links[link]

Arabic Wikisource has original text related to this article: Malik ibn Anas

• Life of Imam Malik
• Biography of Imam Malik
• A comprehensive Biography of Imam Malik
• Al-Muwatta' of Imam Malik
• Muslims of Norwich A Maliki community
• (French) The lifestyle of Imâm Mâlik Ibn Anas (at-tawhid.net)