Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

HIS BIRTH AND HIS DEATH

His Birth:

Traditionalists and historians know that al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, was born on the seventeen the of Rabi’ al- Awal in the year 80 (A.H.) or in the year 83 (A.H.) Both years are famous for them.

But, we have already mentioned that al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, one time, said to al- Manstir:” Now, I am over seventy years of age.” It was reported on the authority of Mohammed b. al- RabT’, the chamberlain of alMansflr, when he brought him at night to al- Mansür and he said about him:” He was over seventy years of age.” Al- Majlisy, may his grave be fragrant, reported on the authority of Mohammed b. Sa’ id, who said:” He (al- Sâdiq), peace be on him, died at the age of seventy- one.” This report, as you see, does not suit the second report, nor the first one, because they agreed that he was died in the year 148 (A.H.).

So his birth was three years or more before the year 80 (A.H.).

For this reason, there are three reports about his death; the middle of them is the report of 80 years of age. And maybe this report is the first of them.

His Death:

It was said: Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, died on the twenty- fifth of Shawal. And it was said: in the middle of Rajab. The first report is more famous. The historians of the two parties (Sunna and ShVa) agreed that he died in the year 148 (A.H.) as we have already said.

Also the ShT’te writers agreed that al- MansUr assassinated him with poison. It was said that the poison was in the grapes. Also al- Kaf’amy mentioned that in his book ‘al- Musbah.’

Also some Sunni writers have mentioned his death with poison in their books such as Is’âful Raghibin, Nur al- Absâr, Tadhkiratul Khawas, alSwâ’iqul Muhriqa, and so on.

During Death:

When al- Sadiq, peace be on him, was about to die, he ordered some men to bring all his relatives. When they came and sat around him, he opened his eyes and said:” Indeed, our intercession will not include those who scorn the prayers.”[1]

And this shows us that al- Sadiq, peace be on him, gave great importance to prayers. The hours of death did not busy our Imam, peace be on him, from this advice. That is because he was the Imam who paid a great attention to the affairs of the Muslim community to guide it to righteousness till the last breath of his life. And the prayers were the most important thing for which he drew the attention of Muslims.

I think that al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, ordered his relatives to go on praying because people would depend on them in getting righteousness and guidance. So, his will would be stronger on their tongues and because they were the family of the prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. In other Words, he ordered his relatives to go on praying so as not to depend on the intercession of the Prophet because of their nearness from him even if they neglected some rules of the Islamic Law. So, al- Sadiq wanted to draw their attention to the point that their nearness from the Prophet did not avail them unless they carried out the obligations of Allah.

Al- Sâdiq’s wife, Urn Harnida,[2] was astonished at that condition because death did not make him forget this advice. So, she wept when she remembered his condition.[3]

Also during death, al- Sâdiq, peace be on him divided his property among his blood relatives. Moreover, he gave al- Hasan b. al- Aftas seventy dinars. So, his woman slave, Salima said to him:” Why do you give the man who wanted to kilt you with the sword?” He said:” Do you want me not to be among those about whom Allah, the Great and Almighty, said:” And those who join that which Allah has bidden to be joined and have awe of their Lord and fear the evil reckonin.”[4]

“Yes, Salima, Allah has created Paradise and made its smell good, its smell is found from the march of two thousand years, and those who disobey their parents and abandon their blood relatives do not find its smelt.’[5]

Also this guides us to the importance of keeping close relations with our blood relatives after the prayers. Al- Sâdiq explained the dangers of the abandonment of the blood relatives.

Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, not only urged Muslims to keep close relations with their blood relatives but also urged them to keep such relations with those who want to kill them. These are the high, Prophetic ethics.

After Death:

After al- Sadiq, peace be on him, had died, his son al- Kazim, peace be ott him, shrouded him with two garments from Shata,’[6] which he wore when he performed the hajj, with a shirt of his, with a turban belonged to ‘Ali b. al- Husayn (peace be on him), and with a garment which he bought for forty dinars.[7]

al- Kazim ordered a man to tight the house where Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, lived till he was sent to Iraq as Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, had done before in the house where his father al- Bâqir, peace be on him, hived.[8]

When al- Sadiq, peace be on him, was carried on his bed and was taken out of his house to be buried at al- BaqT’ (graveyard), Abu Hurayra[9] said:” I (the author) say: And they already began to carry him on the upper part of their BACKs and the shoulders of his carriers. Do you know what are you carrying to the ground?”

A Rock felt off the lofty top of a hillrise.

Al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, was buried at al- Baqi’ (graveyard). He was buried near his father al- Baqir and his grandfathers al- Hasan and Zayn at‘Abidin. He was the last Imam to be buried at al- BaqT’ because his Sons were buried in Iraq except al- Rida, who was buried in Khorasل n.

His Kunya and His Surname:

His Kunya was Abu Abd Allah, Abu Isrna’Tt, and Abu Mflsa. The first Kunya was the most famous one. He was surnamed al- Sâdiq, al- Fâdit, atQâ’lm, al- Kâfit, al- Munjy, and the like. The first surname was the most famous one.

His grandfather Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, surnamed him al- Sadiq. The report about this surname has been mentioned in many books such as al- Kharâ’it Wal- Jarâ’ih, al- Bihâr, vol.11, Kifayatut Athar by ‘Ati b. Mohammed b. ‘Ati al- Khazaz. In the last book, the author has mentioned a tong tradition concerning the surname ‘al-

Sadiq’ on the authority of Abu Hurayra on the authority of the companions of the Prophet, may Allah btess him and his family, who said:” And Altah will bring out the wortd of the truth and the tongue of truthfulness from his BACKbone namely the BACKbone of Mohammed al- Bftqir.” So, b. Mas’fld said to him:” Allah’s Prophet, what is his name?” He (the Prophet) said:” He will be catted Ja’far. He wilt be truthful in his words and actions. Whoever defames him is like him who defames me. And whoever disobeys him isjust like him who disobeys me.”

He (al- Sadiq) was very famous for this surname. So, it became like the name for him. It was enough to mention this surname instead of his real name. People knew him when one called with this surname. For this reason we have made this surname (i.e. al-Sftdiq) the title of our book.

Also his Kunya Abu Abd Allah became as a name for him. It is enough to mention it in stead of his real name and his surname, especially in the traditions.

His Characteristics:

In the book ‘al- Manaqib’, about the characteristics of al- Sadiq, bin ShahrfishUb said:” He (al- Sadiq), peace be on him, was of medium height, of bright face, of black curly hair, of tong nose, of little hair in both sides of the forehead, and of soft skin. There was a black mole on his cheek. And there was redness on his body.

His Visitation:

There is a great reward for the person who visits the believer in Allah whether this believer is living or dead, as many traditions denote that. So, the reward for the person who visits Amir al- Mu’minin is greater. Moreover, to visit the graves of the prophets and of their successors is to commemorate them, to praise their favor, to unite the hearts for them, and to urge people to follow their acts. That is what all the wise of nations hail to commemorate the laudable deeds of the great figures and to renew the memory of their favors and to urge people to follow their example. Besides, to visit the graves of the Prophet and the Imams is to embody the Laws of Allah, the Exalted, which are of the piety of the hearts.

There are two kinds of tradition about the reward which the person gets when he visits his grave: traditions about the visitation of the graves of the Imams in general and traditions about the visitation of the grave of alSadiq in particular.

The first kind of traditions is very many. Some of them are:

Al- RidS, peace be on him, said:” Indeed there is a promiSe between every Imam and his followers. To fulfill this promise is to visit their graves. So, whoever visits their graves with good intention, they will be his intercessors on the Day of Resurrection.”’[10]

Imam ‘Ali, peace be on him, said:” Complete (your hajj) with the visitation of (the grave) of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, when you go to the Scared House, for to leave it is estrangement. And Allah has ordered to do that. And complete (your haaj) with the visitation of the graves which Allah has ordered you to visit and to seek livelihood near them.”[11]

Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said:” Whoever visits the Imam whose obedience is a must and grays four ruk’as near his grave, Allah wilt write hajj and ‘Umra for him.”[12] And there are many traditions of this kind. The writers of the books of the visitations have mentioned many of them.

Also the second kind of tradition is very many. Some of them are:

Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said:” Whoever visits me, Allah wilt forgive him his sins and never dies poor.”[13]

Al- ‘Askary, peace be on him, said:” Whoever visits Ja’far or his father, his eye will never complain (of any illness), no illness will hit him, and wilt not die inflicted.”[14]

HIS CHILDREN

The historians disagreed on the number of his children. But their famous number is what al- Shaykh al- Mufid, may Allah rest him in peace, has mentioned in his book al- Irshftd. In this connection he said:” The children of Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, were ten:

Isma’il, Abd Allah, Urn Farwa. Their mother was Fatima bint (the daughter of) al- Husayn b. al- Hasan b. ‘Au, peace be on Them. MbI (peace be on him), Mohammed, (his mother was Urn Hanild), al- Abbfis, ‘Au, AsmA’, Fatima. They belonged to various mothers.

Isma’i1:

Isma’il was the eldest of the children of aI- Sâdiq, peace be on him. AlSâdiq loved him very much, and was very kind to him, and felt pity for him.’[1]

Al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, said to al- Mufaddal b. ‘Amr, one of his reliable companions, at the time when Abu al- Hasan Mtlsa, peace be on him, was still young:” This child, namely, Miisa al- Kazim, is the most blessed one for our followers.” Then he said:” And do not forget Ismâ’il.”[2]

These words indicate that al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, transferred the Imamate from Ismâ’il to Miisa. But when al- Sadiq felt that his words would hurt Ismâ’il’s dignity, he said:” And do not forget Isma’il.”

Also al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said:” Ismâ’il was liable to killing twice. So, I asked Allah, the Glorified to raise it (death) from him (Isma’il) and He (Allah) raised it from him.”[3] Besides, al- Sadiq’s words and actions which indicated his love for Isma’il was great. For this reason, a group ofthe Shra thought that Ismâ’il would be the Imam after his father. That is because his father treated him kindly and took care of him, and because Ismft’fl was the eldest of his brothers. And the priority in age was among the marks of the Imamate But the death of Isma’il during the days of his father removed the idea of the Imamate from the heads of that group of the ShVa.

Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, showed great sadness when Ismâ’i1 died. After he had died and his face had been covered, al- Sftdiq ordered those men who were near him to uncover the face of Ismâ’il white he was laying BACK. Then al- SSdiq kissed his forehead, his chin, and his neck. Then he ordered the men to uncover his face and he did as he did at the first time.

When Isma’Il was washed and shrouded, al- S&liq ordered the men to uncover his face and kissed in those places for the third time. Then atSftdiq recited some verses of the Koran and ordered the men to cover his face.

In other report, al- SSdiq ordered al- Mufaddal b. ‘Amr to collect a group of his companions. Al- Mufaddal collected thirty of them. Among thepi were Abu BasTr, Hamran b. A’yun, and Dawtld al- Raqy. Al- SLliq saida Dawfld:” Dawüd, consider him (Ismâ’Il) carefully, look at him. Is he living or dead?” DawUd said:” He is dead.” Then al- Sâdiq asked 1a companions the same question. So, he said:” Allah, bear witness.” T1a he ordered his companions to wash and shroud Ismi’il. Then he saida” Mufaddal, uncover his face.” al- Mufaddat did. Then he said:” Is he living or dead? Alt of you took at him.” They said:” Our mastera be a dead.” He said:” Have you borne witness? Are you sure of that?” They. said:” Yes.” They were astonished at his continuous question. He said:” Allah, bear witness on them.” Then the companions carried IsmI’Tl to hip grave. When they put him into the grave, al- S&liq said:” Mufadqa uncover his face.” Al- Mufaddat did. Then he said to his companions:” Look at him, is he living or dead?” They said:” Friend of Allah, iaeap a dead.” He said:” Allah, bear witness.” After the companions had buaiqa 3’ Ismâ’il, al- S&liq said to them:” Who is this dead (person) in this grave’ They said:” Ismâ’il, your son.” He said:” Allah, bear witness.”[4]

The person maybecome astonished at the insistence of the Iinnmg asking his companions the same question about the death of Isma’Tl. that to make people know that Isma’Tl had realty died. Then, there w no suspicion or doubt about his death. But, there was no wonder! because the Imam knew that there would be a group of people who believe in his Lmamate because he was the eldest of his brothers an4 they claimed, that he would not die.

In other words, the Imam asked his companions the same question the death of Ismâ’il to make them sure of his death so that they w able to tell people about that. In the meantime the Imam himself, pcaca on him, disclosed the secret after Ismâ’il had been buried and made companions bear witness about his death. In this connection, he said:”a people of falsehood wilt have doubt. They want to put out the 1 Allah.” Then he made a sign to MUsA, peace be on him. Whew companions had buried Ismâ’il, al- Sadiq made them bear witness abo death. Then he took Mflsâ by the hand and said:” He is the truth truth wilt be with him till Allah inherits the earth and whatever on it.[5]

Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, was full of sadness when death o Isma’il. Thus, he knelt with his forehead touching the ground for a long time. Then he raised his head and looked at IsmE’i1 for a short time and looked at his face. Again, he knelt with his forehead touching the ground for a longer time. Then he stood and came into his house and stayed there for an hour. Then he came out of the house with other clothes. His sadness disappeared. After he had washed Isma’It, he ordered one of his companions to bring him the shroud on whose hem they wrote:” Ismâ’il bears witness that there is no god but Allah.”’[6]

The companions were astonished to see sadness disappear from his face. So, one of them asked him: “May I be your ransom, we thought that we would not avail ourselves from you forever when we saw that sadness on your face.” He (al- Sadiq), peace be on him, said:” We, the members of the house, become worried e)ccept when the misfortune comes down. If it comes down, we are patient.”

Then al- Sfldiq offered his companions good food and invited them to eat and urged them to have food. His companions did not see any mark of sadness on his face. So, they asked him about that. He answered:” Of course, I should be as you see me, for I heard the tradition of the most Truthful of the truthful (i.e. the Prophet), (who said): I wilt die with you.”

But when the companions carried the liiler of Ismâ’it, al- Sâdiq was in front of them bare- footed to show his great sadness. In the mean time he ordered the companions to put the tiiler on the ground and uncover the face of Isma’Tl to make people sure of his death. He did that several times till the companions put Ismâ’il into the grave.[7]

When the companions had buried IsmS’il, al- Sadiq sat down and his companions sat around him. He bowed his head, then he raised it and said:” 0 men, indeed, this world is the house of parting, and the house of the change not the house of stability. But the parting of the familiar (person) has burning which one can not push and pain which one can not turn away. However, people are good or bad according to good patience and the good idea. Whoever does not lose his brother, his brother wilt lose him. And whoever does not advance a child, he will be advanced instead of the child.” Then he gave the following line of Abu Kharash al- Hadbty as an example:

And do not think that I have forgoilen his promise

But my patience, Umaym, is good.[8]

When Ismâ’U had died, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, summoned one of his followers and gave him some dirhams to perform the hajj for him (Ismâ’T1) and said to him (the follower):” Surety, if you perform the haj for him (Ismâ’il), you wilt have nine shares of the reward and IsmS’il will have one.”[9]

Ismâ’il died at al- ‘Arrd.[10] The companions of al- Sfldiq carried him on their shoulders to Medina[11] . His grave is welt- known there. Ibm S’Ud demolished his grave as he demolished the graves of his grandfathers. The S’üdis have not allowed anyone to rebuild the graves of the Imams since then.

The kind acts of al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, toward his son IsmS’Tl show us that he loved him, treated him kindly, and had mercy on him. Meanwhile they show us that Isma’Tl had piety and an outstanding merit. But there are traditions which defame his position and his holiness. However, I do not think that these traditions are as equal as those which praise him. In addition to this there are traditions which unveil the defaming traditions and denote that their owners issued them for unknown purposes. Among such traditions is that which the author of al- Khara’ ij wat iarâ’ ih has reported on the authority of al- Watld b. SâbTh.[12] who said:” A man came to me and said:’ Come to show you the son of your Lord’. I went with him. He brought me to some people who were drinking (wine). Among them was Isma’Tl b. Ja’far. I was full of sadness. So, I went out and came to the black stone. Suddenly, I found Ismâ’il leaning against the walls of the House and weeping. He weiled the walls of the Kaaba with his tears.

I came BACK quickly. I found Ismâ’il siiling with those people (who were drinking wine). I came BACK (to the black stone). It was him leaning against the walls of the Kaaba and weeping biiler tears. He said: “I told Abu Abd Allah, peace be upon, about that.’ He said: “Indeed, my son was afflicted with a Satan who appears in his shape.”’

Of course, this is the best tradition about the righteousness of Isma’Tl. Therefore, it is beiler for us to put aside the traditions that defame Isma’il or we must explain that they have purposes other than the apparent ones. Moreover, if Ismâ’il had been as the defaming traditions describe, then alSâdiq, peace be on him, would have not accompanied him everywhere and every time and would have dismissed him as he dismissed his son Abd Allah.

After Ismâ’It had died, people believed that he was not the Imam after his father. But some people believed in his Imamate again, after the death of his father. Those who believed in his Imamate are called the Ismâ’itites as we have already mentioned.

In his book al- Irshâd, al- Shaykh al- Muffd, may Allah rest him in peace, has mentioned that those who believed in his life were not among the followers of his father nor did they were among his reliable reporters. After the death of al- Sadiq, peace be on him, some of them believed in the Imamate of Musa, peace be on him. And the rest became two parties- one party believed in the death of Ismâ’il and believed in the Imamate of his son Mohammed, for they thought that the Imamate was for his father, so the son is worthier of the Imamate than the brother. The other party has insisted on the life of Ismâ’il. Today they are very few. These two parties are cailed the Isma’Tlites. At the present time, we know only those who claim that the Imamate after Isma’Tl is for his grandsons forever.

Abd Allah al- Aftah:

Abd Allah al- Aftah was the eldest son of al- Sadiq, peace be on him, after Isma’il. For this reason a group of people believed in his Imamate, but they forgot that the eldest son should have no defect, white Abd Allah was broad- legged (aftah al- rijlayn). So, people called him al- Aftah (i.e. broad-legged) and those who believed in his Imamate were called the Aftahiya.

Some people accused him of disagreement with his father on some beliefs. They said that he associated the Hashawiya and inclined to the doctrine of the Murajea. So, his father al- Sadiq did not take care of him as he did with his other sons.[13]

His father al- Sadiq admonished him, blamed him and preached him, but admonishment, his blame, and his preachment were alt in vain. One day, al- Sadiq said to him: “What has prevented you from becoming like your brother. By Allah I see the light on his face.” Abd Allah said: “Why? Is not my father and his father one? Is not my mother and his mother one?” Al- Sadiq, peace be oل him, said to him:” He is of my self and you are my son.[14]

I think that al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, meant Isma’il not Mflsa, for Ismâ’il and Abd Allah belonged to the same parents. For this reason, Abd Allah answered him:” Isn’t my father and his father one? Isn’t my mother and his mother one?”

This tradition is enough to show us that Ismft’It had an outstanding merit and lofty position with Allah and his father and that Abd Allah had ignorance and tow position with Allah and his father.

Abd Allah claimed that he was the Imam after his father, for he was the oldest of his brothers. al- Sadiq had told his son al- Kfizim, peace be on him, that Abd Allah would claim the Imamate after him. So, he had ordered him not to dispute with Abd Allah. All these things took place as al- Sadiq predicted.”’[15]

When Abd Allah claimed the Imamate, a group of the followers of aISadiq, peace be on him, followed him. Most of them refused him and believed in the Imainate of MOsa al- Kazim, peace be on him, when they knew that he had a weak proof for his Imamate white Abu al- Hasan, peace be on him, had a strong proof for it.[16]

Hushâm b. Salim and Mu’min al- Taq came to Abd Allah to ask him about the rate of Zakat while there were some people gathering around him. They asked:” What is the rate of Zakat?” He answered:” five per two hundred (Dirahms).” They asked:” What about one hundred (Dirahms)?” he answered:” Two and a half Dirahms.” They said to him:” By Allah, this is what the Murjea says.” Abd Allah raised his hands towards the sky and said:” No, by Allah, I do not know what the Murjea says.” So, they knew that he had no knowledge of Zakat. They left him white they were bewildered. They did not know were to go. Thus they sat at a lane of Medina, wept, and said:” We do not know where to go. Shall we go to the Murjea, to the Qadariya (the Fatalists), to the Zaydis, to the Mu’tazytis, or to the Kharijites?” While they were raising such questions, Husâm saw an old man whom he did not know. The old man beckoned Hushâm to follow him. But Husham was afraid of him because he thought that the old man might be among the spies whom al- Mansflr spread throughout Medina to discover the followers of Ja’far aI- Sadiq, peace be on him, to behead them. So, Husham said to Mu’min al- Tâq:” Go away from me, because I have fear for you and for my own self. He (the old man) wants me, he does not want you. Go away from me so as not to help them to kill you.” Abü Ja’far (Mu’min al- Tâq) went not far away. Husham followed the old man. He was still following him. The old man ted Hushâm to the door of Abu alHasan (lmam Mflsa), peace be on him. He left him there and went away. There was a servant at the door. The servant said to Husham:” Come in, may Allah have mercy on you.” When Husham came in, Abtl al- Hasan, peace be on •him, said to him:” To me! To me! To me! Not to the Murjea, not to the Qadaria, not to the Zaydis, not to the Mu’tazlis, and not to the Kharijites.’ ‘

Husham left al- Kazim, peace be on him. He met Abü Ja’far (Mu’min ailhq). Mu’min al- Taq said to Husham:” What is behind you?” “The guidance,” said Hushâm. Then he told him about the story. Then Hushâm met al- Mufaddat and Abtl BasTr. They alt went to Mtisa, greeted him, heard his words and believed in his Imamate. Then Hushâm met people in groups. All these groups visited MUsâ, peace be on him, except one group such as ‘Ammar al- Sabaty and his companions. So, very few people visited Abd Allah. When Abd Allah knew that Husham prevented people from visiting him, he ordered some people to hit him (Husham) in Medina.’’[17]

Nevertheless, Abd Allah claimed that he was the Imam after his father tilt he died. His days after his father were only seventy. When he had died, the rest of his followers believed in the Imamate of AbU al- Hasan, peace be on him, except very few persons of them.[18] It is they who were cailed the Aftahiya. Theyavere called so because they believed in the Imamate of Abd Allah al- Aftah (i.e. broad- legged or broad- headed).[19] This sect finished after that time in a few years. The last of them were banu (the Sons) of Fudal.

Ishaq:

Ishâq was good, righteous, pious. He was aaurisprudent. People reported traditions from him. Concerning him, b. Kâsib[20] said:” The reliable (person) al- Rady Ishâq believed in the. Imamate of his brother MUsa, peace be on him. He reported the textual nomination about his brother Mflsa, peace be on him, from his father. Also he reported this nomination from his brother ‘Ali b. Ja’far, who was virtuous and pious.[21]

Ishaq was among those who ailended the textual nomination which alKazim peace be on him, made for his son al- Rida, peace be on him, which proves that he was virtuous and pious. When al- Kazim, peace be on him, had died, the sons of al- Kazim brought their brother al- Rida before the judge. al- Abbas b. Mtisa, peace be on him, said:” May Allah make you righteous and enjoin us with you, indeed, below the wilt, there is a treasure and jewels, he wants to hide them and take them instead of us, and our father, may Allah have mercy on him, has given him every thing and left us dependent. Were it not for that I control my self, I would tell you something openly.” Ibrahim b. Mohammed[22] said to him: “Therefore, by Allah, you tell what we do not accept from you and do not believe you about, then you are blamable and defeated with us. We know that you were a liar when you were a child and when you are a grown- up. Your father knew you more than you know yourself if you have good, even though your father knew you outside and inside. He was not ready to trust you even if about two dates. Then his uncle Ishâq b. Ja’far said to him:” Surely, you are shameless, weak, and foolish, I add this (ailitude) to what is sued from yesterday (i.e. to your past ailitudes). Alt people (there) helped him (against Abd Allah).[23]

Apart from b. Kâsib and b. ‘Ayun, other people reported from Ishâq. Some of them were Bark b. Mohammed a1- Azdy, Yaqflb b. Ja’fary, Abd Allah b. Ibrahim al- Ja’fary, al- Washa,[24] and the like.

Mohammed:

Mohammed was generous and brave. He fasted on alternate days. His wife, KhadTja bint (the daughter of) Abd Allah b. al- Hasan.[25] said:” Mohammed never left us on any day with a cloak without coming BACK after havina put it (on someone else). Every day he slaughtered a ram for his guests.[26] He was called al- dibâja (face/visage) because he was handsome.[27]

Mohammed adopted the idea of Zaydis, which urge people to revolt against rulers with the sword. So, he revolted a6gainst al- Ma’mfln in Mecca, in 199 (A.H.) The Jartidi Zaydis followed him.[28]

When people recognized Mohammed as caliph, called him Amirul Mu’minln, and when he summoned them to support him, al- Ridâ, peace be on him, came to him and said:” Uncle, do not let people accuse your father and your brother of lying, for this mailer (the caliphate) wilt not last. Soon, ‘Isa al- Jalfldy came out to fight Mohammed. Mohammed met aI- JalUdy. But al- JalUdy was able to defeat him. So, Mohammed asked him for safety. Then he wore black clothes,[29] went up the pulpit, tendered his resignation, and said:” This mailer (i.e. the caliphate) is for al- Ma’mtln and I have no right in it.”’[30]

When Mohammed wanted to join the army of al- Jatudy, al- Rida summoned his servant MusEfir and said to him:” Say to him (Mohammed):’ Do not come out tomorrow. If you come out tomorrow, you will be defeated and your companions will be kill.

When he says to you: From where have you known that? Say: I have seen it in sleeping.”’ When he (MusAfir) came and prevented him (Mohammed) from going out. Mohammed asked him:” From where have you known that?” Musafir said:” I have seen it in sleeping.” Mohammed said:” The slave slept and did not wash his anus). So, Mohammed faced what MusAfir told him from the Imam.[31]

When Mohammed tendered his resignation, al- Jaludy sent him to atM’mfln: When he came to him, al- M’mUn honored him, made friends with him, bestowed upon him, and gave him a good reward. Mohammed resided with al- M’mfln in Khorasan. He and a group of the sons of his uncle visited him. Al- M’mün suffered from him what no ruler had suffered from his subjects before.

One day, al- M’mün was astonished to see Mohammed and a group of the Talibiyln came to visit him because such a group revolted against him in the year 200 (A.H.). So, the decree came to them and said:” Do not ride with Mohammed b. Ja’far. Ride with Abd Allah b. al- Husayn. However, they refused to ride and stayed in their house. For this reason the decree came:” Ride with whomever you like.” So, when they rode to al- Ma’mUn, they rode with Mohammed b. Ja’far and then they departed when he did.[32]

When Mohammed revolted against al- M’mUn, al- Ridâ, peace be on him turned away from him and said:” I have decided that he and I do not sit under the roof of a house.” ‘Amr b. Zayd, who was on a visit to Abti atHasan (peace be on him), said:” I said to myself:’ This is (i.e. al- Ridâ) orders (people to conform to) charity and relation, and he said these (words) to his uncle.”’ He looked at me and said:” This is of charity and of the relation. When he comes to me, people believe him. If he does not come to me, and I do not go to him, people do not accept his words.”[32]

Among IJie miracles of Abfl al- Hasan (i.e. al- Rida), peace be an him, concerning Mohammed was that Mohammed became ill. Some people told al- Ridâ, peace be on him that Mohammed had tied his chin. So, al- Ridâ and a group of his companions went to him. They saw him tying his chin.

Also they saw Ishaq, Mohammed’s brother, his sons, and a group of the family of Abü Tâlib weeping. AbU al- llasan sat by his head. He looked at his face and smiled. So, those who were siiling became displeased with Abü al- Hasan. Some of them said:” He (Abtl al- Hasan) smiled to express his rejoice at the misfortune of Mohammed. When AbO al- Hasan went out to pray in mosque, his companions said to him:” May we be your ransom, when you smiled, we heard those people saying some words which we hate to hear about you.” Abu al- Hasan, peace be on him, said:” I was astonished to see Ishaq weeping. By Allah, he will die before Mohammed. And Mohammed will weep over him.” Then Mohammed recovered and Ishaq died.’[34]

Although Mohammed lived in Khorasan, he did not surrender to the Owner of the Crown (i.e. al- M’mfln). One day, some people came and told him that the servants of Dhutri ‘âsatayn[35] (the man with two offices) hit his servants to take their wood which they had bought. Mohammed wrapped himself in two cloaks. Then he went out carrying a baton in his hand. He was saying:” Death is beiler for you than living in abasement.” A group of people followed him. He hit the servant of Dhulri’asatayn and took the wood away from them. Some, people told aI- M’mUn about the story. AlM’mfln sent for Dhulri’âsatayn and said to him:” Go to Mohammed b. Ja’ far, apologize to him for that, and give him power to decide what to do against your servants.” Dhulri’Asatayn went to Mohammed. Some people said to Mohammed:” Dhulri ‘asatayn has come.” He said:” He shall not sit but on the ground.” Mohammed had a mat and a cushion in his house. He put the mat aside and left the cushion. When Dhulri’asatayn came into Mohammed’s house, Mohammed asked him to sit on the cushion, but he refused to sit on it and sat on the ground. Then he apologized to Mohammed for that and gave him power to decide what to do with his servant.

Mohammed died in Khorasan. So, al- M’mtin went there to take part in his funeral. When he arrived at his house, he saw some people carrying the liiler of Mohammed. He got down and walked till he entered between the two poles of the liiler. He was stilt walking between the two poles tilt the liiler of Mohammed was put on the ground. He went forward to say the prayer over him. Then he helped people carry the liiler till they reached the grave. Then he entered the grave till people built it. Then he went out of the grave and stood till the companions buried Mohammed. So, Abd Allah b. al- Husayn said to him:” Today, you have become tired, wouldn’t you prefer to ride (your horse).” Al- M’man said:” Indeed, these are bonds of kinship which we have cut for two hundred years.

Mohammed borrowed a tot of money from people. So, Ismâ’it b. Mohammed wanted to seize this opportunity to ask al- M’mUn to pay Mohammed’s debts. While al- M’mfin was standing at the grave, Ismâ’it said to his brother, who was standing beside him:” Let’s ask him (atM’mfln) about the debts of Shaykh (Mohammed).” Before they could uiler a word, al- M’mfln said:” How much debt did MOhammed leave?” Ismâ’il said to him:” Twenty- five thousand dinars.” Al- M’mfln said to Ismft’tl:” May Allah relieve his debts, to whom did he make his will?.” Ismâ’il said to him:” To his son called Yahya in Medina.” Al- M’mün said:” He is not in Medina; he is in Egypt.’[36]

We are aware of him being there. However, we are unwilling to let him know about (our knowledge) of his departure from Medina so that we should not harm him as a result of his knowledge of our dislike of his departure from there.”

‘Ali:

‘All b. Ja’far was great and virtuous. al- Sftdiq trusted him very much. ‘Ati reported many traditions from his brother al- Kazim. Concerning him, in al- irshad, Shaykh al- Mufid, may Allah rest his soul in peace, said:” And ‘Au b. Ja’far was an important reporter of traditions, correct in method with intense piety, and great outstanding merit. He stayed close to his brother Mtisa, peace be on him, and reported many traditions on his authority. He believed in his textual nomination. He cleaved to him strongly. He devoted himself to him. And dedicated himself to him to learn the religious rules from him. He (‘Ati) has famous mailers. He learned them from him (his brother Müsa). He has some answers (for some questions). He heard them from him.

Because of his intense piety, ‘Ati recognized those Imams who came after his brother al- Kazim peace bon him. In spite of his advanced age, his great power, and his famous outstanding merit, he admiiled the truth and conform to it.

One day a man asked ‘Ati about his brother al- Klizim. ‘Ali said to the man:” He (al- Kazim) died:” The man said:” How did you know that? ‘All answered:” His properties have been divided. His women have been married. And his deputar has replaced him.” The man asked:” Who was the deputy after him?” ‘Ali answered:” His son.” The man asked:” What did he do?” ‘Au answered:” He died.” The man asked:” How did you know that he died?” ‘Ati answered:” His properties have been divided. His woman have been married. And his deputy has replaced.” The man asked:” Who is the deputy after him?” ‘Au answered:” His son Abu Ja’far.” The man said to him:” You are an old man, you have a high social rank, and your father was Ja’far b. Mohammed, peace be on them. Why have you believed in this boy?” ‘Ati said to him:” I do not see you but a Satan!” Then ‘Au took his beard and raised it towards the sky and said:” I have no power, for Allah has regarded him as worthier of this position than this white hair.”’[37]

By Allah, this is the piety itself, the submission of the self to the truth, and non- deception by the affairs of the outstanding merit, advanced age, and greatness, which may deceive the soul which incites man to evil.

‘Ali's behavior with AbU Ja’far was as the behavior of the person who knew the position of the Imam. That ‘Au was the uncle of the father of Abu Ja’far did not prevent him from adopting that behavior for him. Moreover, he was ready to sacrifice himself for him. One day Abfl Ja’far wanted to have his vein opened. The doctor approached him to open the vein. So, ‘Au b. Ja’far stood and said:” Would that this piece of iron had opened my vein before yours!” Then when Abfl Ja’far, peace be on him wanted to go, ‘Ali b. Ja’far prepared his shoes to put them on.[38]

One day Abü Ja’far, peace be on him, entered the Mosque of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. When ‘Au b. Ja’far saw him, he ran bare- footed towards him. Then he kissed his hand. So, Abfl Ja’far said to him:” Uncle, sit down, may Allah have mercy upon you!” ‘Ati said:” My master, how can I sit down and you are standing?” When AbO Ja’far came BACK, the companions of ‘Au began blaming him (‘Au) and saying to him:” You are the uncle of his father, white you received him in such a manner!” ‘Au said:” Keep silent! Allah, the Great and Almighty, has regarded him as worthier of this position than this white hair. Allah save me from what you are saying. I am his servant.”[39]

This is the holy soul which knew the truth and followed it. The soul which obeyed the righteous rules of Allah.

‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, was called al- ‘ArTdy, namely he was ailributed to al- ‘Arid, a place near Medina, where ‘Ati lived and where Ismâ’il died. ‘Au’s children were called al- ‘Andy, too.

Al- Abbas:

In his book al- Irshâd, Shaykh al- Mufid, may Allah have mercy on him, said:” Al- Abbas b. Ja’far, may Allah have mercy on him, was virtuous and noble.”’[40] I (the author) said: “I have found nothing about al- Abbâs’s life except this note wriilen by Shaykh al- Mufid, my Allah rest his soul in peace.”

Müsa al- Kizim, peace be on him:

He was the Imam after his father al- Sadiq, peace be on him, according to the idea of the Imamis. May Allah help us to write the biography of Mflsa al- Kazim. Surely, He is the Giver of help and success.