Imam
Jaffer (as), a brief look into his Life
Name
- Ja'far
Title
-
As-Sadiq
Kunyat
- Abu
Abdullah
Born
- Monday 17th of Rabi-ul-Awwal 83 A.H. in Medina
Father's Name
- Muhammad ibn Ali
Mother's Name
- Umme-e-Farwah
Died
- At the age of 65 years, at Medina, on Monday, 15th Rajab 148 AH.
Poisoned
by Mansur Dawaneeqi the Abbasite
Buried
- Jannat-ul-Baqi .
This is an account of the
Imam who was in charge (al-qai'im) after Abu Ja'far Muhammad b. Ali,
peace be on them, (including) who his mother was, the date of his birth,
evidence for his Imamate, his age, the period of his succession (to the
Imamate), the time of his death, the place of his grave, the number of
his children, and a brief outline of the reports about him.
Al-Sadiq Ja'far b. Muhammad
b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, was out of all his brothers (the
one who was) the successor (khailfa) of his father, Muhammad b. Ali,
peace be on them, his testamentary trustee (was'i), who was in charge of
the Imamate (al- qa'im bi-al-imama) after him. He stood out among their
group for his great merit (fadl); he was the most celebrated, the
greatest in rank and the most illustrious of them in (the eyes) of both
the non-Shia (al-amma) and the Shi'a (al-khassa). The people transmitted
on his authority the religious sciences which travellers carried with
them (around many
countries) and thus his fame
was spread throughout the lands. The learned scholars have transmitted
on the authority of no other member of the House (ahl al-bayt) as much
as they have transmitted on his authority. None of them met as many of
the reporters of traditions (ahl al-athar wa-naqalat al-akhbar) as he
did, nor did the latter transmit on their authority to the same extent
as they transmitted on the authority of Ab-u Abd Allah (Ja'far b.
Muhammad), peace be on him. The specialists in tradition (ashab al-
hadith) have gathered together the names of those who narrated on his
authority, who were reliable despite differences in views and doctrines
and they were four thousand men. The clear evidence for his Imamate,
peace be on him, was such that it overcame (men's) hearts and silenced
(the attempts of) an opponent to denigrate it with doubts.
He was born in Medina in the
year 83 A.H. (702) and he, peace be on him, died in (the month of)
Shawwal in the year 148 A.H. (765) at the age of sixty-five. He was
buried in (the cemetery of) al-Baqi' alongside his father, his
grandfather and his (great-great) uncle, al- Hasan, peace be on them.
His mother was Umm Farwa, the daughter of al-Qasim b. Muhammad b. Abi
Bakr. His Imamate, peace be on him, lasted for thirty-four years. His
father, Abu Jafar (Muhammad b. Ali), peace be on him, clearly gave him
the trusteeship (of the Imamate) and gave him an explicit designation (nass
jali) for the Imamate.
[Muhammad b. Abi Umayr
reported on the authority of Hisham b. Salim on the authority of Abu Abd
Allah, Jafar' b. Muhammad, peace be on them, who said:]'
When my father was near to
death he said: "Jafar I give testamentary enjoinment to you (to treat)
my followers well."
"May I be your ransom," I
replied, "by God, I will make them (know their religion so well) that
any man among them in the country will not (have to) ask anyone (for
advice)."
[Aban b. 'Uthman reported on
the authority of Abu-al-Sabbah al- Kinam, who said:]
Abu Jafar Muhammad, peace be
on him, looked towards his son, Abu Abd Allah Ja'far, peace be on him,
and said (to us): "Do you see that man? He is one of those of whom God,
the Mighty and High, said: We wish to grant a favour to those who have
been humiliated in the land and we will make them Imams and inheritors
[XXVIII 5].
[Hisham b. Salim reported on
the authority of Jabir b. Yazid al Jufi:]
Abu Jafar Muhammad, peace be
on him, was asked about the one who would take charge (al-qa'im) (of the
Imamate) after him. He tapped Abu Abd Allah Jafar, peace be on him, with
his hand and said: "By God, this is the man among the family of
Muhammad, peace be on them, who will take charge (al-qa'im) (of the
Imamate)."
[Ali b. al-Hakam reported on
the authority of Tahir, a follower of Abu Jafar Muhammad, peace be on
him, who said:]
I was with (Abu Jafar
Muhammad), peace be on him, when Jafars peace be on him approached, Abu
Ja'far, peace be on him, said, " Here is the best of creatures."
[Yunus b. Abd al-Rahman
reported on the authority of Abd al-Ala, a retainer of the family of
Sam, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah Jafar, peace be on him, who
said:]
My father, peace be on him,
entrusted to me (everything) which was there. When he was near to death,
he said: "Call witnesses for me." I summoned four men from Quraysh,
among them Nafi', retainer of Abd Allah b. Umar. (My father said:)
"Write this testimony which I bequeath (like) Jacob did to his sons: My
sons, God has chosen the religion foryou. So do not die except as
Muslims. [II 132] Muhammad b. Ali; makes this last testimony to Ja'far
b. Muhammad. He orders him to shroud him in the cloak in which he used
to perform the Friday prayer, to put on him his turban, to make his
grave a square, to raise it the height of four fingers above the ground
and to take his shabby clothes away from him at his burial.
Then he said to the
witnesses: "Depart, may God have mercy on you.
"Father" I said to him (after
they had gone), "what was in this that there had to be witnesses for
it?"
"My son," he answered, "I was
unwilling for you to be overcome and for it to be said that no testimony
had been made for him. I wanted you to have proof."
Reports with the same meaning
as this account are numerous. The narration of the report of the tablet
(lawh) with the designation of him, peace be upon him, for the Imamate
has already been mentioned. The rational proofs which have been
mentioned earlier that the Imam can only be the most outstanding person
in merit (al- afdal) also indicate his Imamate, peace be on him, because
of the clear demonstration of his outstanding merit in religious
knowledge (ilm), in asceticism, and in practice
above all his brothers, the
members of his uncle's family and the rest of the people of his time.
The evidence for the invalidity of the Imamate of those who were not
protected (from error) like the prophets (were protected) and the clear
demonstration of the lack of protection of those others who claimed the
Imamate during his lifetime, together with their deficiency in
(attaining) complete knowledge of religion, clearly indicates his
Imamate. For there must be an Imam who is protected (from error) at all
times as we have mentioned
before. The people tell of the clear signs from God which were performed
by him, peace be on him, which indicate his Imamate, his true right and
the invalidity of the statements of those who claimed the Imamate on
behalf of others.
Among those is the report
about him which the reporters of history (naqalat al-athar) recount
about him with al-Mansur. Al-Mansur ordered Rabi to bring Abu Abd Allah
Ja'far, peace be on him, to him. He brought him. When al-Mansar saw him,
he said: "May God kill me, if I don't kill you. You are attempting to
harm my authority and you are seeking treachery against me."
"By God, I am not," retorted
Abu Abd Allah (Jafar), peace be on him, "Nor do I want to. If you have
been told so, then it is by a liar. However, even if I had done so, then
Joseph was treated badly and he forgave, Job suffered tribulation and he
was patient, and Solomon received gifts and he gave thanks. These men
were prophets and your lineage goes back to them."
"Indeed," replied al-Mansur,
"Come up here." He went up and then (al-Mansar) continued: "So-and-so
has informed me about what you have been saying."
"Bring him, Commander of the
faithful," he replied,."so that he may confront me with that."
He had the man whom he had
mentioned brought and asked him:
"Did you (really) hear what
you reported about Jaefar, peace be on him?"
"Yes," he replied.
"Make him swear to that,"
said Abu Abd Allah (Jafar), peace be on him.
"Do you swear to that?"
demanded al-Mansur.
"I do," he replied.
"Say: May I be outside God's
power and strength and may I seek refuge in my own power and strength
(if I lie that) Jafars peace be on him, did such and such and said such
and such," said Abu Abd Allah (Jafar), peace be on him.
(The man) paused for a moment
and then made the oath. It was only a moment later that his leg was
struck.
"Drag him by his leg and take
him out, may God curse him," ordered Abu Jafar (al-Mansur).
Al-Rabi reported: When Jafar
b. Muhammad, peace be on them, went in to see al-Mansur, I saw his lips
moving. As he moved them, al- Mansur's anger (gradually) became
quietened, so that when he approached him, he was pleased with him. When
Abu Abd Allah (Jafar) peace be on him, came out from Abu Jafar (al-Mansur)
I followed him and said to him: "This man was the angriest of men
towards you. When you went in, you were moving your lips as you went in
and when you moved them his anger quietened. With what (words) were you
moving them?"
"The prayer of my (great)
grandfather, al-Husayn b. Ali peace be on them," he replied.
"May I be your ransom," I
said, "what is this prayer?"
He told him: "O my Provision
in time of hardship, O my Help in the face of disaster, guard me with
Your Eye Which never sleeps, surround me with Your impenetrable
fortress."
He told him: "O my Provision
in time of hardship, O my Help in the face of disaster, guard me with
Your Eye Which never sleeps, surround me with Your impenetrable
fortress."
(At that time) I said to
Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be on them:
"Why did you stop the
slanderer from (merely) swearing by God?"
"I was reluctant that God
should see him praising His unity and glorifying Him," he answered, "for
then He would show forebearance towards Him and delay his punishment.
Therefore I made him swear in the way you heard and God struck him
fiercely."
It is reported that Dawud b.
Ali b. Abd Allah b. Abbas killed al- Mualla b. Khunays, a retainer of
Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be on them, and took his property. Ja'far,
peace be on him, went to him while he was pulling at his cloak.
"You have killed my retainer
and taken his property," (Jafar) said to him. "Do you know that a man
may sleep when he has suffered the loss of a child but he may not sleep
when he is at war? I will pray to God against you."
"Do you threaten us with your
prayer?" he retorted as if he was ridiculing his words.
Abu Abd Allah (Jafar), peace
be on him, went back to his house and spent the whole night standing and
sitting. Then, at dawn he was heard saying in his private prayer: "O
Possessor of mighty strength, O Possessor of fierce enmity, O Possessor
of power before which all Your creatures are humble, give me
satisfaction against this tyrant and take vengeance on him for me." It
was not an hour before voices were raised in screeching (lamentation)
and it was announced that Dawud b. Ali had just died. '—
Abu Basir reported: I visited
Medina and I had a young slave-girl with me. I had intercourse with her
and then I went to the baths. But I met some of our colleagues of the
Shia who were heading towards Jaefar b. Sadiq, peace be on them. I was
afraid that they would get there before me and I would miss visiting him
so I went with them to the house. When I stood before Abu Abd Allah
(Jafar), peace be on him, he looked at me and said: "Abu Basir, don't
you know that the houses of prophets and the children of prophets are
not suitable places to enter for those who are ritually impure?"
I was ashamed and said: "Son
of the Apostle of God, I met out companions and I was afraid that I
would miss visiting you with them. I will never do the same thing
again," and I left.
There are innumerable reports
about him concerning signs and revealing the unknown similar to those
which we have mentioned, which would take too long to recount.
He, peace be on him, used to
say: "Our knowledge is of what will be (ghabir), of what is past (mazbur),
of what is marked in hearts (nakt fi al-qulub), and of what is tapped
into ears (naqr fi al-asma). We have the red case (jafr), the white
case, and the scroll of Fatima, peace be on her, and we have (the
document called) al-jami'a in which is everything the people need."
He was asked to explain these
words and he said: "Ghabir is knowledge of what will be; mazbur is
knowledge of what was; what is marked in the hearts (nakt fi al-qulub)
is inspiration; and what is tapped into the ears (naqr fi al-asma) are
words of angels; we hear their speech but we do not see their forms. The
red case (jafr) is a vessel in which are the weapons of the Apostle of
God, may God bless him and his family. It will never leave us until the
one (destined) among us members of the House, to arise (qa'im), arises.
The white case (jafr) is a vessel in which are the Torah of Moses, the
Gospels of Jesus, the Psalms of David and the (other) Books of God. The
scroll of Fatima, peace be on her, has in it
every event which will take
place and the names of all the rulers until the (last) hour comes. (The
document called) al-jami'a is a scroll seventy yards long which the
Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, dictated from his own
mouth and Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him, wrote in his own
handwriting. By God, in it is everything which people need until the end
of time, including even the blood-wit for wounding, and whether a (full)
flogging or half a flogging (is due).
He, peace be on him, used to
say: "My traditions are my father's traditions; my father's traditions
are my grandfather's traditions; my grandfather's traditions are the
traditions of Ali b. Abi Talib, the Commander of the faithful; the
traditions of Ali the Commander of the faithful are the traditions of
the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family; and the traditions
of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, are the word of
God, the Mighty and High."
[Abu Hamza al-Thumali; has
reported on the authority of Abu 'Abd Allah (Jafar), peace be on him:]
I heard Abu Abd Allah Jafar
say: "We have the tablets of Moses, peace be on him, and we have the rod
of Moses, peace be on him. We are the heirs of prophets."
[Mu'awiya b. Wahb. reported
on the authority of Said al- Simman:]
I was with Abu 'Abd Allah
Ja'far b. Muhammad, peace be on them, when two of the Zaydis visited
him. They asked him: "Is there among you an Imam whom it is a duty to
obey?"
"No," he replied.
"Reliable men have told us on
your authority that you claim to be him," they retorted. They named some
people and said: "These are men of piety and distinction. They are among
those who do not lie."
Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be on
him. became angry and said: "I have not told them that."
When the two men saw the
anger on his face, they left.
"Do you know those two?" he
asked me.
"Yes," I replied, "they are
from the people of our market. They are Zaydis and they claim that Abd
Allah b. al-Hasan has the sword of Apostle of God, may God bless him and
his family."
"They are liars, may God
curse them," he said. "By God, Abd Allah b. al-Hasan has never seen it
either with both his eyes or even with one of them. O God, not even his
father has seen it unless he saw it with Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on
him. If they are truthful, (ask them) what is the sign in the hilt and
what is the mark on its blade. I have the sword of the Apostle of God,
may God bless him and his family. I have the standard of the Apostle of
God, may God bless him and his family, and his breast-plate, his armour
and his helmet. If they are truthful (ask them) what is the mark on the
breast-plate of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and grant him
peace. Indeed the victorious standard of the Apostle of God is with me,
as are the tablets and rod of Moses. I have the ring of Solomon, the son
of David, and the
tray on which Moses used to
offer sacrifice and I have (knowledge) of the (greatest) name (of God)
which when the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, used to
put it between the Muslims and the polytheists no arrow from the
polytheists could reach the Muslims. I have the same as what the angels
brought. We have the weapons in the same way that the Banu Isra'll had
the ark of the covenant. Prophecy was brought to any house in which the
ark of the covenant was present; the Imamate will be brought to which
ever of us receives the weapons. My father dressed in the armour of the
Apostle of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, and it made marks
on the ground. I put it on and it was (like) it was (for my father). The
one (destined to) rise up (qa'im) from among us, will fill it (so that
it fits him exactly) when he puts it on, if God wishes."
['Abd Al-Ala b. Ayan
reported:]
I heard Abu Abd Allah (Jafar)
peace be on him, say: "I have the weapons of the Apostle of God, may God
bless him and his family, but I will never fight with them." Then he
said: "These weapons are protected, for if they were entrusted to the
wickedest of God's creatures, he would become the best of them." Then he
said, "This matter (i.e. the carrying of the Prophet's arms in war)
belongs to the man, for whom (horses') reins will be twisted (as men
ride in support of him). When God wills it, he will be brought out (into
the open). Then people will say: 'Who is this who has appeared?' God
will give him support (to have power) over his subjects."
[Umar b. Aban reported:]
I asked Abu Abd Allah (Jafar)
peace be on him, about what the people were saying that Umm Salama, the
mercy of God be on her, had been handed a sealed scroll. He said: "When
the Apostle of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, died, tAh,
peace be on him, inherited his knowledge, his weapons and what there
was. Then that went to al-Hasan, peace be on him, then to al-Husayn,
peace be on him."
"Did it go to Ali b.
al-Husayn, peace be on them, after that, then to his son and now has it
come to you?" I asked.
"Yes," he replied.
The reports with the same
meaning are numerous. However, those of them which we have given will be
sufficient to indicate what we are trying to show, God willing.
An Extract from the Accounts
of Abu Abd Allah Ja'far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq, Peace be on them, and from
his Words.
I found (this written) in the
handwriting of Abu al-Faraj 'Ali b. al- Husayn b. Muhammad al-Isfahani,
in the text of his book known as Maqatil al-Talibiyin (the Martyrdoms of
(the family of Abu) Talib):
Umar b. Abd Allah al-Atki
informed me
Umar b. Shabba told us: Al-Fadl
b. 'Abd al-Rahman al-Hashim and Ibn Daja told us:
Abu Zayd (Umar b. Shabba)
(also) told me: Abd al-Rahman b. b. Amr b. Jabala told me: Al-Hasan b.
Ayyub, retainer (mawla) of the Banu Numayr told me, on the authority of
Abd al-Ala b. Ayan:
Ibrahlm b. Muhammad b. Abl
al-Kiram al-Jafari told me, on the authority of his father:
Muhammad b. Yahya told me on
the authority of Abd Allah b. Yahya:
Isa b. Abd Allah b. Muhammad
b. Umar b. Ali told me on the authority of his father:
The account of some of them
has been introduced into the account of the rest (as follows):
A group of the Banu Hashim
met at al-Abwa'. Among them were Ibrahim b. Muhammad b. Ali b. Abd Allah
b. Abbas and Abu Jafar al-Mansur, Salih. b. Ali, Abd Allah b. al-Hasan,
with his two sons Muhammad and Ibrahim, and Muhammad b. Abd Allah b. 'Amr
b. 'Uthman.
Salih. b. Ali addressed
(them): "You know that you are the ones towards whom the people turn
their eyes and that God has brought you together in this place.
Therefore give a pledge of allegiance to one from among you, which you
should give to him with (genuine dedication) of yourselves. Bind
yourselves so that God may bring victory, for He is the best bringer of
victory."
'Abd Allah b. al-Hasan
praised and glorified God. Then he said: "You know that this son of mine
is the Mahdi Therefore come, let us pledge allegiance to him."
"Why are you deceiving
yourselves?" demanded Abu- Ja'far. "By God you know that there is no one
else to whom the people would take greater strides nor greater speed to
answer than they would to this man," meaning Muhammad b. Abd Allah.
"True," they said, "this is
he whom we acknowledge." So they all pledged allegiance to Muhammad and
took him by the hand.
[Isa reported:]
Abd Allah b. al-Hasan's
messenger came to my father, saying:
"Come to us. We are gathered
for an (important) affair." He sent (information) about that to Jafar b.
Muhammad, peace be on them.
[Others, not including Isa,
reported:]
Abd Allah b. al-Hasan said to
those present: "You don't want Jafar (here), for we fear that he would
cause dissension among you in your affair."
[Isa b. Abd Allah b. Muhammad
reported:]
My father sent me to see what
they had gathered for. So I went to them. (Ja'far b. Muhammad, peace be
on them, sent Muhammad b. Abd Allah al-Arqat b. Ali b. al-Husayn. We
went to them). Muhammad b. Abd Allah (b. al-Hasan) was praying on a
folded carpet from a saddle.
"My father has sent me to
you," I told them, "to ask you why you have gathered together."
"We have gathered (here), "
Abd Allah b. al-Hasan said,"to pledge allegiance to the Mahdi, Muhammad
b. Abd Allah."
[They (i.e. the other
authorities) reported:]
Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be
on them, arrived and 'Abd Allah b. al-Hasan made room for him beside
him. He repeated what he had said before. However, Ja'far said: "Don't
do it. The time (for the Mahdi) has not yet arrived. If you - meaning
Abd Allah - consider that this son of yours is the Mahdi, he is not, nor
is this the time for him (i.e. the Mahdi). Because you are one of our
most revered elders we will not forsake you in favour of pledging
allegiance to your son, even if you only intend him to rise in anger in
God's cause, to command the good and prohibit the evil."
Abd Allah became angry and
said: "I know that (the facts are) the opposite of what you are saying.
By God, God has not acquainted you with (knowledge of) His unseen world.
Rather it is envy for my son which prompts you to this (attitude)."
"By God, it is not that which
prompts me," replied (Jafar) "but this man, his brothers and his sons."
Then he tapped with his hand on the back of Abu al-Abbas and he tapped
with his hand on the shoulder of Abd Allah b. al-Hasan.
"By God, it (i.e. the
caliphate) is not for you nor for your two sons," (Jafar) told him, "but
it is for them (i.e. the Abbasids). Your two sons will be killed." He
got up and leaning on the arm of Abd al-Aziz b. Imran al-Zuhri, he
continued, "Do you see the owner of the yellow cloak?" - meaning Abu
Ja'far (al-Mansar).
"Yes," he replied.
"By God," he said, "we have a
foreboding that he (Abu Jafar) will kill him (Muhammad b. Abd Allah)."
"Will he kill Muhammad?" Abd
al-Aziz asked him.
"Yes," he replied.
[Abd al-Aziz reported:]
I said to myself, "By the
Lord of the Kaba, he is envious of him." But then, by God, I had not
left this world before I saw him (Abu Jafar) kill both of them.
When Jafar said that, the
people arose and separated. Abd al- Samad and Abu Jafar followed him and
asked him, "Abu- Abd Allah, do you really say this?"
"Yes," he replied, "by God I
say it and I know it."
[Abu al-Faraj reported: Ali
b. al-Abbas al-Maqani told me: Bakkar b. Ahmad informed us: al-Hasan b.
al-Husayn, on the authority of Anbasa b. Bijad' al-Abid told us:]
Whenever Jafar b. Muhammad,
peace be on them, saw Muhammad b. Abd Allah b. al-Hasan, his eyes would
flow with tears and then he would say: "(I would sacrifice) my life for
him. The people say that (he is the Mahdl while) he is to be killed. He
is not in the Book of Ali, peace be on him, as one of the caliphs of
this community."
This (second report) is a
famous report just like the one before it. The historians do not differ
on the accuracy of both of them. They both (clearly) give evidence for
the Imamate of Abu 'Abd Allah al- Sadiq, peace be on him. Indeed
miracles were performed by him in order that he might make known things
which were unknown and show the existence of things before they came to
be, just as prophets, peace be on them, used to make (such things)
known. That was one of their signs and indications
of their prophethood, and
their truthfulness (in speaking) about their Lord, the Mighty and
Exalted.
[Abu al-Qasim Ja'far b.
Muhammad b. Qulawayh told me on the authority of Muhammad b. Ya'qub al-Kulayni,
on the authority of 'Ali b. Ibrahim b. Hashim, on the authority of his
father, on the authority of a group of his men (i.e. teachers), on the
authority of Yunus b. Yaqub, who said:]
I was with Abu Abd Allah (Ja'far),
peace be on him, when a Syrian came to him. He said: "I am a scholar
(sahib) of theology, jurisprudence, and the laws of inheritance. I have
come to dispute with your followers."
"Is your theology from the
Apostle of God, may god bless him and his family, or from yourself?" Abu
'Abd Allah (Ja'far), peace be on him, asked.
"Partly from the Apostle of
God, may God bless him and his family, and partly from myself," replied
(the other man).
"Then are you a partner of
the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family?" enquired Abu 'Abd
Allah (Ja'far).
"No," he answered.
"Have you heard inspiration (wahy)
(direct) from God?"
"No," he replied.
"Is obedience to you required
as is obedience to the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his
family?"
"No," was the answer.
Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be on
him, turned to me and said: "Yunus b. Ya'qub, this man has contradicted
himself before he has begun (the real business) of discussing." Then he
said: "Yunus. if you were good at theology, you should speak to him."
[Yunus remarked:]
How sad it was, for I said to
him: "May I be your ransom, I have heard you forbid (taking part in)
theology and say: Woe to the theologians who say that this follows and
that this does not follow; that this is entailed and that this is not
entailed; that this we accept as rational and this we do not accept as
rational."
"I only said," Abu 'Abd
Allah, peace be on him remarked, "woe to them, if they abandon what I
say and adopt their own wishes." Then he told me: "Go out to the door
and look for any of the theologians you can see, and bring them in." I
went out and found Humran b. A'yan who was good at theology, and
Muhammad b. al-Numan al-Ahwal, who was a theologian, and Hisham b. Salim
and Qays b. al-Masir, both theologians. I brought them (all) in to him.
After he had settled us in the assembly - we were in the tent of Abu Abd
Allah at the top of a mountain on the edge of the sanctuary (of Mecca) (haram)
and that was (a few) days
before the days of the pilgrimage, Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, put
his head out of the tent. There appeared at that moment a camel dashing
along. He cried out: "Hisham, by the Lord of the Kaba!"
We thought that it was Hisham,
one of the sons of Aqil, who loved him greatly. But behold, it was
Hisham b. al-Hakam who came. He still only had the first traces of his
beard on his face. All of us there were older than him. Abu Abd Allah,
peace be on him, made room for him and said: "(Here is) one who helps us
with his heart, his tongue and his hand."
He told Humran: "Debate with
the man" - meaning the Syrian. Humran debated with him and overcame him.
Then (Abu Abd Allah) said: "O my Taq, debate with him." So Muhammad b.
al-Numan debated with him and overcame him. Next he said: "Hisham b.
Salim, debate with him." So they both argued together. He then told Qays
b. Masir to debate with him and he did so. Abu Abd Allah, peace be on
him, began to smile at their discussion as the Syrian sought to escape
in front of him. He told the Syrian:
"Debate with this lad" -
meaning Hisham b. al-Hakam.
"Yes," replied the Syrian and
said, "lad, ask me about the Imamate of this man" - meaning Abu Abd
Allah, peace be on him.
Hisham was so angry that he
trembled but then he said: "Fellow, does your Lord look after His
creatures or do they look after themselves?"
"Indeed," replied the Syrian,
"my Lord looks atter His creatures."
"What does He do to look
after their religion for them?"
"He gives them duties and
provides them with proof (hujja) and evidence for the things which He
has required of them. He removes any weaknesses they might have about
that."
"What is the evidence which
He has established for them?" Hisham asked him.
"It is the Apostle of God,
may God bless him and his family," the Syrian answered.
"What after the Apostle of
God?" enquired Hisham.
"The Book and the Sunna."
"Do the Book and the Sunna
benefit us today in our differences so that the differences are removed
from us and we are able to agree?" asked Hisham.
"Yes," replied the Syrian.
"Then do we differ from you,"
retorted Hisham, "so that you have come to us from Syria to dispute with
us? You claim that personal judgement (ra'y) is the method (of
establishing the practices) of religion while you acknowledge that
personal judgement does not bring people who differ together in one
doctrine."
The Syrian was silent as if
he was thinking. So Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, asked him: "Why
aren't you debating?"
"If I say: We do not differ,"
he answered, "I would be (merely) being obstinate. If I say: the Book
and the sunna remove our differences, I would be wrong because the two
bear (different) interpretations. However, I could use the same argument
against him."
"Ask him, then," Abu Abd
Allah, peace be on him, told him.
"You will find him
competent."
So the Syrian asked Hisham:
"Who looks after His creatures, their Lord or themselves?"
"Indeed their Lord looks
after them," replied Hisham.
"Does He establish for them
someone who will harmonise their doctrine, remove their differences and
explain the true from the false to them?" demanded the Syrian.
"Yes," replied Hisham.
"Who is that?" asked the
Syrian.
"At the beginning of the
sharia, it was the Apostle of God but after the Prophet, blessings and
peace be on him, it was someone else."
"Who is it other than the
Prophet, may God bless him and his family, who takes his place (al-qa'im
maqamahu) in being His (i.e. God's) proof?" the Syrian asked.
"Now or before?" Hisham
responded.
"At the present time,"
answered the Syrian.
"This man who is sitting
here," said Hisham - meaning Abu 'Abd Allah. "He is the one to whom you
travelled; he is the one who tells us about heaven and is the inheritor
from father and grandfather."
"How would I have knowledge
of (the truth of) that?" asked the Syrian.
"Ask him about anything which
occurs to you," Hisham told him.
"You have stopped (any)
excuse of mine but I do have a question," the Syrian declared.
"I will dispense with your
questioning," Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, told him. "I will tell you
about your travel and your journey. You left on such and such a day.
Your road was such and such. You passed so and so and such and such (a
man) passed you."
Every time he told him
anything about his affair, the Syrian would say: "True, by God." Then
the Syrian said to him: "At this moment I have submitted (aslamtu) to
God."
"Rather at this moment you
have faith famanta) in God," said Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him. "Islam
(submission to God) is before lman (faith in God). On the basis of the
former (Islam) they arrange inheritance and marriage: on the basis of
faith (iman) men are rewarded."
"True," replied the Syrian,
"at this moment I testify that there is no god but God, that Muhammad is
the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, and that you are
the (present) trustee (wasz) (of God) among the trustees (appointed by
God)."
Abu Abd Allah approached
Humran and said: "Humran, conduct theology on the basis of traditional
knowledge (athar) and you will be correct." He turned to Hisham b. Salim
and said: "You want to use traditional knowledge but you don't know it"
Then he turned to al-Ahwal and said: "You are a man who uses qiyas and
is evasive, a man who refutes falsehood with falsehood, even though your
false argument is stronger." Then he turned to Qays b. Masir and said:
"When you debate, the nearer you are to truth and traditions (khabar) on
the authority of the Prophet, the further you are from it: you mix up
the truth with what is false. A little truth suffices for much which is
false. You and al-Ahwal are skilful (verbal) gymnasts."
[Yunus b. Ya'qub remarked:]
By God, I thought he would say to Hisham something close to what he had
said to them.
Then he said: "Hisham, you
are hardly likely to fall, for you tuck in your legs (like a bird): when
you are about to fall to the earth, you fly. Therefore a person like you
should debate with the people. Guard against slipping and intercession
will be behind you."
[Abu al-Qasim Jafar b.
Muhammad al-Qummi informed me on the authority of Muhammad b. Yaqub al-Kulayni,
on the authority of Ali b. Ibrahim b. Hashim, on the authority of his
father on the authority of 'Abbas Amr al-Faqimi:]
Ibn Abi al-Awja', Ibn Talut,
Ibn al-Ama and Ibn al-Muqaffa with a group of Zindiqs were gathered in
the Sacred Mosque during the season of the pilgrimage. Abu Abd Allah
Jacfar b. Muhammad, peace be on them, was there giving legal decisions
to the people, explaining the Qur'an to them and answering their
questions with arguments and proofs. Th e group said to Ibn Ab,al-Awja':
"Can you induce this man sitting here to make a mistake and question him
about what would disgrace him in front of those who are gathered around
him? For you can see the fascination of the people for him; he is
(supposed to be) the great scholar of his time."
"Yes," replied Ibn Abi al-Awja'.
He went forward and the people moved aside. He said: "Abu Abd Allah,
gatherings for discussion are things to be taken care of. Everyone who
has a cough must cough, so will you permit me to ask a question?"
"Ask, if you want to," Abu
Abd Allah, peace be on him, answered him.
The Ibn Abi al-Awja' asked
him: "For how long will you tread on this threshing-floor and go round
this stone? For how long will you worship this house made of bricks and
mud and amble around it like a camel when it is scared? Whoever thinks
about this and considers it, realises that it is the action of an
unintelligent and unthinking man, so explain (it) as you are the
principal exponent (lit. head and hump) of this affair, and your father
was its founder and suppport."
"Those whom God leads astray
and whose hearts He blinds find the truth unwholesome and will never
taste its sweetness," retorted al-Sadiq, peace be on him. "The devil is
the friend and lord of such a man. He will lead him to the watering
places of destruction and never let him come from them. This is a house
where God's creatures seek to worship Him in order that their obedience
in coming to it may be well known. Therefore He has urged them to
magnify it and to visit it and He has made it the place of His prophets
and the direcw prayer for those who pray to Him. It is a part of
Paradise and a path which leads to His forgiveness. It is set up at the
seat of perfection and at the meeting point of majesty and glory. God
created it over two thousand years before the earth was laid out. The
most worthy to be obeyed in what He orders and to have His prohibitions
refrained from is God the Creator of souls and forms."
"You have only spoken and
referred (me) to someone who is not present, Abu Abd Allah," retorted
Ibn Abi al-Awja.
"Shame on you," retorted
al-Sadiq, peace be on him. "How could One Who is present with His
creatures and closer to them than a vein in the neck, Who hears their
words and knows their secrets, be someone who is not present."
"Is He in every place or
isn't He?" asked Ibn Abl al-CAwja'. "If He is in Heaven, how can He be
on earth? And if He is on earth, how can He be in Heaven?"
"You described something
which is created," retorted Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, "which when
it moves from one place, and when another place is occupied by it, and
when (the former) place is without it, then, in the place which it has
come to, it does not know what happens in the place in which it was. As
for God, the Mighty, the Dignified, the Ruler, the Judge,) there is no
place without Him and no place occupied by Him. He is not nearer to one
place than He is to another. In that way the traces of Himself (which He
gives) bear witness to Him and His actions give evidence for Him. He
whom He has sent with precise signs and clear proofs, Muhammad, may God
bless him and his family, has brought us this (form of) worship. If you
have any doubts about any of His commandments, ask about it and I will
explain it to you."
Ibn Abi al-Awja' became
stupified and did not know what to say. He left his presence and said to
his companions: "I asked you to find me some wine (to enjoy myself with)
and you threw me on to a burning coal."
"Shut up," they told him.
"You have disgraced us by your bewilderment. We saw no one today more
humiliated than you in his discussion."
"Are you saying this to me?"
he replied. "He is (only) the son of a man who shaved the heads of those
whom you see." He indicated with his hand towards the people gathered
for the pilgrimage.
[It is reported:]
One day Abu Shakir al-Daysam
stood in a discussion group of Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, and said:
"You are one of the shining stars, your fathers were wonderful full
moons and your mothers were graceful discreet women. Your lineage is the
most noble of lineages. When learned men are mentioned, it is for you
that the little finger is bent (i.e. he is the first to be counted). So
tell me, O bountiful sea, what is the evidence for the creation of the
world?"
"The easiest evidence for
that is what I will show you (now)," answered Abu- Abd Allah, peace be
on him. Then he called for an egg and put it in the palm of his hand.
"This is a compact protective container; inside it is the thin
(substance of an) egg which is surrounded by what could be compared with
fluid silver and melted gold. Do you doubt that?"
"There can be no doubt about
that," replied Abu Shakir.
"Then it splits open showing
a form like (for example) a peacock," continued Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be
on him. "Has anything entered into it other than what you knew (to be
there already)?"
"No," he replied.
"This is the evidence for the
creation of the world."
"You have explained, Abu Abd
Allah," he said, "and you have made it clear. You have spoken and
brought improvement. You have described it and spoken concisely. You
knew that we would not accept anything which we could not realise with
our eyes, or hear with our ears, or taste with our mouths, or smell with
our noses, or touch with our skin."
"You have mentioned the five
senses," said Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, "but they will not bring
any benefit in rational deduction except as evidence, just as darkness
cannot be removed without light."
He, peace be on him, means by
that that the senses without reason will never lead to the understanding
of things which are not present, and that what he had shown with regard
to the creation of the form was a concept whose recognition (ilm) was
based on sense- perception.
(The following is an example)
of what has been recorded on his authority, peace be on him, concerning
the necessity of knowing God the Most High and His religion.
He said: "I have found the
knowledge of all the people (encompassed) by four things:
1.You should know your
Lord;
2.You should know what He
has done for you;
3.You should know what He
wants from you;
4.You should know what
would make you abandon your religion.
These four divisions include
(all) the requirement of things which should be known because the first
thing that a man should do is to know his Lord, may His Majesty be
exalted. When he knows that he has a Lord, it is necessary that he must
know what He has done for him. When he knows what He has done for him,
he knows of His blessings. When he knows of His blessings,it is
necessary that he should thank Him. When he wants to carry out his
thanks, he must know what He wants so that he may obey
Him in his actions. Since
obedience to Him is necessary, it will be necessary for him to know what
would cause him to abandon his religion so that he might avoid it, and
in that way keep pure his obedience to his Lord and his thanks for His
blessings.
(This is an example) of what
was recorded on his authority peace be on him, concerning the unity of
God and the denial of anthropomorphism.
He said to Hisham b. al-Hakam:
"God, the Exalted, should not be compared to anything, nor should
anything be compared to Him. Whatever comes to the imagination is other
than God."
(The following is an example)
of what was recorded on his authority, peace be on him, concerning his
words on justice: He said to Zurara b. Ayan: "Zurara, shall I give you a
summary of (the doctrine of) decree (qada) and destiny (qadar)?"
"Yes, may I be your ransom,"
replied Zurara.
"When it is the Day of
Resurrection and God has gathered His creatures together, He will ask
them about what He enjoined upon them but He will not ask them about
what He had decreed for them."
(This is an example) of what
was recorded on his authority concerning wisdom and exhortation.
He said: "Not everyone who
intends something is able to do it. Not everyone who is able to do
something will be granted success in it. Not everyone who is granted
success in something will do it in the right place. When intention,
ability, success and correctness come together, there happiness is
perfected."
(This is an example) of what
has been recorded of him, peace be upon him, urging consideration of
God's religion and the acquisition of knowledge about the friends (awliya)
of God.
He said: "Give close
consideration to things which you cannot afford to ignore, be true to
yourselves and fight against your (inclinations) so that you may find
out those things which it is inexcusable not to know. These are the
basic elements of God's religion. If a man ignores them, he will gain no
benefit (no matter) how intense is his striving in pursuit of the
outward form of worship. On the other hand, no harm will come to a man
who knows them and abides by them with moderation (in his behaviour).
There is no way for anyone except through the help of God, the Mighty
and High."
(The following is an example)
of what has been recorded on his authority, peace be on him, urging
repentance:
He said: "To delay repentance
is to be heedless; to lengthen the time of putting off (religious
duties) is (to create) confusion (in one's mind); to attempt to justify
oneself before God is (to bring about one's own) destruction; persisting
in sin makes (a person) feel secure from God's devising. Only people who
are lost feel secure from God's devising. [VII 99]"
The reports about what has
been recorded on his authority, peace be on him, concerning knowledge,
wisdom, asceticism, exhortation and all the branches of learning are too
numerous to be enumerated in one speech or to be included in one book.
What we have set out is enough for the purpose of what we intended. God
is the bringer of success for what is right.
(The poet) al-Sayyid Ismail
b. Muhammad al-Himyari, may God have mercy on him, withdrew from the
doctrine of the Kaysaniyya which he had professed, when he was informed
of Abu CAbd Allah's peace be on him, denial of this doctrine and of his
prayers for him and he (returned) to the system of the Imamate. He said
of him, peace be on him:
O (you) who ride a tall,
strong camel to Medina, on which (you) cross every broad land,
If God guides you, you
will look to Jaffer. So speak to the friend (wali) of God, the son of
the man who was well-educated (in the learning of God):
Friend of God and son of
the friend of God, I repent before the Merciful and then I return
To you from the wrong
which I used to hold while I was constantly striving against all who
obviously expressed (the truth).
Yet my words concerning
the son of Khawla were not meant to be rebellious against the offspring
of the celebrated one.
Rather they were spoken
on the authority of the trustee (wasi) of Muhammad - and he was not a
liar when we said
That the master of the
affair (wali al-amr) would disappear without being seen for years like a
man afraid.
The possessions of the
missing man will be distributed as if his concealment were in the high
heaven.
Say, "No," and the truth
is what you say, and what you say is final without me adding any
fanaticism.
I testify to my Lord
that your words are a proof (hujja) to all creatures, whether obedient
or sinful,
That the master of the
affair (wali al-amr) and the one who will arise (al-qa'im) whom my soul
(now) looks towards and who excites it to joy,
That He will have
concealment (Ghayba) where it is inevitable that he will conceal
himself. May God bless him as one who will be concealed.
He will delay for a time
then his authority will come to dominate and he will fill all (the
lands) from East to West with Justice.
In this poetry there is clear
evidence for the withdrawal of al-Sayyid, may God have mercy on him,
from the beliefs of the Kaysaniyya, and for his holding the doctrine of
the Imamate of al-Sadiq, peace be on him. (There is also evidence) for
the existence of a clear call on the part of the Shia during the time of
Abu 'Abd Allah to (accept) his Imamate and to hold the doctrine of the
concealment of the leader (for the rest) of time (saihib al-zaman), the
blessings and peace of God be on him. This (poem) is a clear indication
of (al-Sayyid's belief) and it is a clear statement of (the doctrine of)
the Twelver-Imamites
(Imamiyya Ithna Ashariyya).
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