Hawzah News Agency - Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq is the sixth Imam of the Shia Muslims and trained and educated many ‎companions. ‎

Imam al-Sadiq is the sixth Imam of the Sha Muslims and trained and educated many ‎companions. ‎

On this occasion, we will have a brief look at the life of the Imam.‎

‎ ‎Name: Ja’far

Title: al-Sadiq

Kunyah: Abu Abdullah; Abu Musa

Father: Muhammad ibn Ali (peace be upon him)‎

Mother: Umm al-Farwah

Born: 17th of Rabi’ al-Awwal, 83 AH/702 CE in Madinah, Hijaz region of the Arabian Peninsula

Died: 25th of Shawwal, 148 AH/765 CE, after being poisoned by the Abbasid Caliph al-Mansur

Age at Martyrdom: 63‎

Period of Imamate: 32 years

Buried: al-Baqi’ Cemetery, Madinah, Hijaz region of the Arabian Peninsula

The Truthful One

Imam al-Baqir, the fifth Imam, once said:‎

‎“…This is your Imam after me, so follow his example and benefit from his knowledge. By ‎God, he is al-Sadiq (the Truthful One) – the one whom the Messenger of God (Prophet ‎Muhammad) described to us (in prophecy). Indeed, his followers are aided (by God) in this ‎world and in the Hereafter…” [i]‎

Imam al-Baqir was referring to the sixth immaculate Imam – Ja’far al-Sadiq. Under this ‎Imam’s guidance, the Shi’ah school became widely-known. Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq also taught ‎the teachers of various schools of thought which developed in later generations.‎

Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq lived in the transition period between the corrupt ‘Umayyad and the ‎tyrannical Abbasid governments. The unique political circumstances at that time helped limit ‎the extent of persecution which the Imam and his followers were subjected to. Thus, Imam ‎al-Sadiq instructed the Shi’ah to take advantage of the situation by increasing their ‎educational and academic activities throughout the Muslim world. [ii]‎

It was in recognition of this infallible Imam that the term Ja’fari refers to the Shi’ah school of ‎thought. Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq used to tell his companions, “When the man among you is ‎conscious in regard to his faith, is honest in his words, delivers the trusts (to their rightful ‎owners), perfects his manners with people, it will be said, ‘He is Ja’fari (a follower of Ja’far),’ ‎and that would bring joy to me. But if (the man among you) is (in a condition) other than ‎this, his ordeal and disgrace would (falsely) become attributed to me, when it is said that, ‎‎‘these are the manners of Ja’far…’” [iii]‎

The Sixth Imam

During the sixth Imam’s time, various ideologies emerged. While some of these schools ‎remained within the folds of Islam, others were blatantly at odds with core principles of the ‎Islamic faith. But each school had the freedom to make its case and defend its ideas.‎

The Islamic university that had been developing during the fifth Imam’s days was now ‎coming to complete fruition with Imam al-Sadiq’s guidance. This great school quickly became ‎the hub of academic discourse for over four thousand students whose thirst for knowledge ‎was quenched by none other than Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq. The sixth Imam’s lessons ranged ‎from the sciences of Qur’an and Prophetic tradition to chemistry, as witnessed by his student ‎and renowned chemist Jabir ibn Hayyan. [iv], [v]‎

The famous Abu Hanifah, head of the Hanafi School in jurisprudence, used to say,‎

‎“I have not seen (anyone) more knowledgeable than Ja’far, son of Muhammad.” [vi]‎

As another example, Malik, head of the Maliki School in jurisprudence once said:‎

‎“I used to frequent Ja’far, son of Muhammad, for a while – indeed, I did not see him except ‎in one of (these) three conditions: either praying, fasting, or reciting Qur’an. I never saw him ‎narrating on behalf of God’s Messenger (Prophet Muhammad) except in a state of (ritual) ‎purity. He did not speak of that which did not concern him…No eye had seen, nor ear had ‎heard, and no heart of mankind had thought of (someone) more virtuous than Ja’far, son of ‎Muhammad, in knowledge, worship, and piety.” [vii]‎

Proof of the Creator

At one point, a man asked Imam al-Sadiq, “What is the proof that you have a Creator?” ‎Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq responded with the following:‎

‎“I found myself subject to one of two options: either I created myself or something other ‎than myself created me. If I created myself, I am also subject to one of two options: either ‎I created my self while my self already existed – but then I would not need to create it since ‎it already existed – or I created my self while I was nonexistent, but you already know that ‎the nonexistent cannot bring about anything. Therefore, the third meaning is proven – that I ‎have a Creator, Who is Lord of the Worlds.” [viii]‎

This argument leaves no other possible option if one assumes that being created is a given. ‎Another man challenged that thought, however, and told the Imam, “I am not a created ‎‎(being).”‎

Imam al-Sadiq said, “Then describe for me – if you were a created (being) – how would you ‎be (what qualities describe a created being)?” The man thought for a while, and then paid ‎attention to a piece of wood that was near him. “Long, wide, deep, short, moving, ‎stationary…all of these are qualities of being created.”‎

Imam al-Sadiq then said:‎

‎“If you do not know (how to differentiate) qualities of the created (being) as opposed to the ‎not (created being), then consider yourself created due to these things which you see ‎coming about in your own self.” [ix]‎

In other words, the descriptions of length after being short, of changing width and depth, of ‎motion after stillness, all point to different states of being. Humans are subject to these ‎changes all the time. The next state exists only after the previous one. Since change is taking ‎place at every moment, all changing things are essentially being created continuously. Every ‎instant, there is a new proof of us being created. [iv]‎

With the Corrupt Ruler

Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq had a number of bold confrontations with the corrupt rulers of his day. ‎The Imam stood up and spoke the words of truth without fear or hesitation. One day, the ‎Abbasid ruler Mansur was in the presence of Imam al-Sadiq. Mansur had been shooing away ‎a fly which kept bothering him. As the corrupt ruler became annoyed he asked the Imam, ‎‎“…Why did God create the fly?” Imam al-Sadiq replied, “To humiliate the arrogant ones.”‎

Mansur remained silent because he knew that, had he spoken, Imam al-Sadiq would have ‎responded with an even more critical statement. But this same ruler chose to write to Imam ‎al-Sadiq one day asking, “Why don’t you approach us as the people approach us?” The Holy ‎Imam answered:‎

‎“There is nothing for which we fear you, nor do you have anything of the Hereafter that we ‎would seek you for. Neither are you in a blessing such that we should congratulate you, nor ‎do you see it as a burden such that we should send you our condolences. So what would we ‎do at your place?”‎

Mansur wrote back, “You would accompany us to advise us.” Imam al-Sadiq’s response was ‎decisive, “The one who wants this world would not advise you, and the one who wants the ‎hereafter would not accompany you.” [x]‎

Mansur soon sought to relieve his worrisome thoughts about Imam al-Sadiq once and for all. ‎The tyrant had the immaculate Imam poisoned in Madinah. On his deathbed, Imam al-Sadiq ‎reminded his followers of an essential duty. The sixth Imam opened his eyes and looked into ‎the faces of those around him saying,‎

‎“Indeed, our intercession does not extend to one who takes the prayers lightly.” With these ‎words, Imam al-Sadiq emphasized the significance of prayer and its relation to the ‎intercession of Divine Mercy. The sixth holy Imam was buried in the Baqi’ cemetery of ‎Madinah. [xi]‎

Bibliography:

‎[i] Page 15, Volume 47 of Bihar al-Anwar by ‘Allamah Majlisi

‎[ii] Page 311 of Sirat al-A’immah by Shaykh Ja’far Sobhani

‎[iii] Page 187, Volume 1 of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq by Shaykh Mudhaffar

‎[iv] Page 313 of Sirat al-A’immah by Shaykh Ja’far Sobhani

‎[v] Page 180, Volume 1 of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq by Shaykh Mudhaffar

‎[vi] Page 308 of Sirat al-A’immah by Shaykh Ja’far Sobhani

‎[vii] Page 309 of Sirat al-A’immah by Shaykh Ja’far Sobhani

‎[viii] Page 169, Volume 1 of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq by Shaykh Mudhaffar

‎[ix] Page 170, Volume 1 of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq by Shaykh Mudhaffar

‎[x] Page 115, Volume 1 of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq by Shaykh Mudhaffar

‎[xi] Page 102, Volume 1 of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq by Shaykh Mudhaffar