Today also marks the birth of one of the grandsons of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), Imam Jafar as-Sadiq who had a great impact on the different branches of knowledge. Name: Jafar. Title: as-Sadiq. Agnomen: Abu Abdillah. Fathers name: Muhammad al-Baqir. Mothers name: Umm Farwah. Birth: In Medina, on Monday, 17th Rabi’ul-awwal 83A.H. Death: Died at the age of 65, in Medina on Monday, 25th Shawwal 148 AH; poisoned by al-Mansur ad-Dawaniqi, the `Abbasid caliph. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq was the sixth in the succession of the twelve Apostolic Imams. His epithet was Abu `Abdillah and his famous titles were as-Sadiq, al-Fadil and at-Tahir. He was the son of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, the Fifth Imam, and his mother was the daughter of al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr.Imam Jafar as-Sadiq was brought up by his grandfather, Imam Zaynu1-Abidin in Medina for twelve years and then remained under the sacred patronage of his father Imam Muhammad al-Baqir for a period of nineteen years.After the death of his holy father in 114 AH, he succeeded him as the Sixth Imam, and thus the sacred trust of Islamic mission and spiritual guidance was relayed down to his custody right from the Holy Prophet through the succession of the preceding Imams. The period of his Imamate coincided with the most revolutionary and eventful era of Islamic history which saw the downfall of the Umayyad Empire and the rise of the Abbasid caliphate, which constituted the two principal plots in the drama of Islamic history. This was the most chaotic and revolutionary period when the religious morals of Islam had gone down and the teachings of the Holy Prophet were being neglected, and a state of anarchy was rampant. It was amidst such deadly gloom that the virtuous personage of Imam Jafar as-Sadiq stood like a beacon of light shedding its lustre to illuminate the ocean of sinful darkness around. The world got inclined towards his virtuous and admirable personality. The versatile genius of Imam Jafar as-Sadiq in all branches of knowledge was acclaimed throughout the Islamic world, which attracted students from far-off places towards him till the strength of his disciples had reached four thousand. The scholars and experts in Divine Law have quoted many ahadith (traditions) from Imam Jafar as-Sadiq. His disciples compiled hundred of books on various branches of science and arts. Other than fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), hadith (tradition), tafsir (exegesis of the Holy Quran), etc., the Holy Imam also imparted mathematics and chemistry to some of his disciples. Jabir ibn Hayyan at-Tusi, a famous scholar of mathematics, was one of the Imams disciples who benefited from the Imams knowledge and guidance and was able to write four hundred books on different subjects. It is an undeniable historical truth that all the great scholars of Islam were indebted for their learning to the very presence of the Ahlul-bayt who were the fountain of knowledge and learning for all. al- Allamah ash-Shibli writes in his book Siratun-Nu`man: Abu Hanifah remained for a considerable period in the attendance of Imam Jafar as-Sadiq, acquiring from him a great deal of precious research on fiqh and hadith. Both the sects -Shiah and Sunni - believe that the source of Abu Hanifahs knowledge was mostly derived from his association with Imam Jafar as-Sadiq. The Imam devoted his whole life to the cause of religious preaching and propagation of the teachings of the Holy Prophet and never strove for power. Because of his great knowledge and fine teaching, the people gathered around him, giving devotion and respect that was his due. This excited the envy of the Abbasid ruler al-Mansur ad-Dawaniqi, who fearing the popularity of the Imam, decided to do away with him.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 05:52:21 +0000
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