The Sultan of the Chosen Religion, the Proof of the Prophetic Argument, the True Worker of the Muhammadan Nation, the Scholar of Reality, the Heir of the Best of Creation, the Gnostic Lover, the Master of the Sufis.
Name
Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Zayn al-Abidin ibn al-Husayn al-Shahid ibn Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon them all).
Title
Al-Sadiq (The Truthful).
Kunya (Honorary Title)
Abu Abdullah
Birth
He was born In the House of Prophethood and Revelation on the 8th of Ramadan in the year 80 AH in Madinah, though some say it was In 83 AH.
Children
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) had ten children: seven sons and three daughters. (Isma’il, Abdullah, Umm Farwah – their mother was Fatimah bint al-Husayn ibn Ali Ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib). (Musa, Muhammad al-Dibaj, Ishaq, Fatimah al-Kubra – their mother was Hamidah al-Barbariyyah). (Al-Abbas, Ali al-A’ridi, Fatimah al-Sughra – from different mothers).
Tariqa (Spiritual Path)
He received it from his father al-Baqir, who received it from Imam Ali Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him), who received it from al-Husayn al-Sibt, who received it from Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Gate of Knowledge, who received it from the Noble Prophet ﷺ.
Schools Established
Imam al-Sadiq resided in Madinah for some time, where he established the Hadith School in the Prophet’s Mosque. Later, he traveled to Iraq, where he established the School of Opinion with the imams Malik and Abu Hanifa, who studied under him. Malik and Abu Hanifa later founded the Maliki and Hanafi legal schools, respectively. He also founded a spiritual school that emphasized asceticism, piety, and worship, offering a comprehensive guide for reforming and advancing life in all fields.
Contemporaries
Al-Habib al-Ajami, Dawud al-Ta’I, Abu Hanifa, Ibrahim ibn Adham, Sufyan al-Thawri, Jabir ibn Hayyan, and others.
Life
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) would feed others, leaving nothing for his family. He was generous, forgiving, patient, and sincere, embodying the qualities of Prophetic lineage. These virtues were deeply rooted in him, Inherited from his noble ancestors.
He exhibited unwavering patience and faith, remaining steadfast in the path of Allah and devoted to His Messenger. He was a seeker of truth, guiding others to a noble path. Sufyan al-Thawri once narrated, “I entered upon Ja’far al-Sadiq and found him dressed in fine garments. I looked at him, astonished.” I said, “O son of the Messenger of Allah, this is not the attire of your forefathers.” Imam al-Sadiq replied, “O Thawri, that was a time of austerity. Times have now changed, and with this change, we wear garments according to the age we live In. What is for Allah remains concealed, and what is for the people Is shown openly.”
Miracles
Numerous miraculous events and signs have been attributed to Imam al-Sadiq. He was known to have his prayers answered immediately, and it was said that when he needed something, he would say, “O my Lord, I am in need of such-and-such,” and before his prayer was completed, that thing would appear beside him.
Al-Sharani narrates:
He was once accused before al-Mansur during Hajj. Al-Mansur called forth his accuser and demanded he swear an oath by saying, “I swear, I renounce the power of Allah and rely solely on my own strength and power, that Ja’far did such-and-such.” The man refused, but upon swearing, he immediately fell dead.
A rebellious person killed one of his followers. Imam al-Sadiq spent the night in prayer and called upon Allah during the pre-dawn hours. The killer’s death cries were soon heard.
When al-Hakam ibn al-Abbas al-Kalbi made derogatory remarks about Imam’s uncle Zayd, saying:
“We crucified your Zayd on the palm trunk
And we did not see a Mahdi crucified.”
Imam al-Sadiq responded, “O Allah, let a beast of Yours take vengeance upon him,” and soon afterward, a lion devoured him.
Imam al-Sadiq’s insight extended beyond the physical world. He warned the Hashemites that the caliphate would eventually fall to the one wearing the yellow garment, referring to al-Mansur, who was present at that gathering and wore a yellow cloak.
Lyth ibn Sa’d narrates: “I performed Hajj in 113 AH and, after ‘Asr, saw a man seated on Mount Abu Qubais, supplicating earnestly. He said, ‘O Lord!’ until he was out of breath. Then he prayed, ‘O Allah, I crave grapes; feed me grapes. My garment has worn out; clothe me.’ As soon as he finished, a basket of grapes appeared, though none were in season, along with two new cloaks. I requested to join him and ate the seedless grapes, and the basket did not diminish. The man, who was none other than Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, then gave me one of the cloaks and another to a man who requested it, saying, “The Lord clothed me, and I pass it to you.”
Writings
Imam al-Sadiq left behind numerous works, including:
– *The Sufi Interpretation of the Holy Qur’an*
– *Kitab al-Ihlilja fi al-Tawhid* (Book on Monotheism)
– *Al-Hikam al-Ja’fariyya* (Wisdom of Ja’far)
– A collection of letters to his followers and scholars.
– *Nashr al-Durar* (collection of short wisdoms).
– *Kitab al-Haft wal-Azillah* (Book on Darkness and Shadows).
– His advice and debates with heretics and atheists.
– *Misbah al-Shari’a wa Miftah al-Haqiqa* (Lamp of the Shari’ah and Key to Truth).
– *The Epistles of Jaber ibn Hayyan* (500 letters, totaling 1000 pages), recorded by his student, the chemist Jabir Ibn Hayyan.
Passing
Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) entered the presence of Divine Truth in the year 148 AH. He was buried In al-Baqi’ Cemetery, alongside his father and grandfather, at the age of 65.
Sources:
– Al-Mas’udi – *Muruj al-Dhahab* – Vol. 6, p. 165.
– Yusuf al-Nabahani – *Jami’ Karamat al-Awliya* – pp. 379–380.
– Hussein al-Amin – *Encyclopedia of Islamic Knowledge* – Vol. 1, pp. 71–77.
– Ibn al-Jawzi – *Sifat al-Safwah* – p. 114.
– Adil Khayr al-Din – *The Intellectual World of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq* – p. 13.
– Al-Manufi – *Jamhara al-Awliya* – Vol. 2, p. 76.
– Ibn Khallikan – *Wafayat al-A’yan* – Vol. 2, p. 291.
– Abdul Qadir Mahmoud – *Philosophy of Sufism In Islam* – p. 152.
– Adil Khayr al-Din – *The Intellectual World of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq* – pp. 13–24.
