Name. Jaffar

Title: as- Sadiq.

Agrnomen: Abu Abdillah.

Father’s name: Muhammad al- Baqir.

Mother’s name: Umm Farwah.(daughter of al-Qasim bin Muhammad bin Abi bakr)

Birth: In Medina, on Monday, 17^th Rabi-ul-awwal 83 AH.

Death: Martyred at age of 65 ,in Medina on Monday. 25^th Shawwal 148 AH;poisoned by al- Mansur ad- Dawaniqi, the Abbasid caliph.

mam(a.s) was brought up by his grandfather Imam Zaynu’l-Abidin in Medina for 12 years then remained under the sacred patronage of his father Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s)for the period of 19 years. After the death of his father in 114 AH, he succeeded him as the 6^th Imam.

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. Thus Imam(a.s) witnessed the reign of various kings starting from Abu’l-Malik down to the Ummyad ruler Marwan al-Himar. He further survived till the time of Abu’l-Abbas as-Saffah and al-Mansur among the Abbasids. It was due to the political strife between two groups for power that Imam(a.s) was left alone undisturbed to carry out his devotional duties and peacefully carry on his mission to propagate Islam and spreading the teaching of the Holy Prophet.

It was amidst such deadly gloom that the virtuous personage of Imam Jaffar as-Sadiq(a.s)stood like a beacon of light shedding its luster to illuminate the ocean of sinful darkness around. Abu Salamah al-Khallal also offered him the throne of the caliphate but Imam(a.s) keeping up the characteristic tradition of his ancestor flatly declined to accept it, and preferred to content himself with his devotional pursuits and service of Islam. On account of his many debates with priests of rival order like Atheists, Christians, Jews etc.

The versatile genius of Imam(a.s)in all branches of knowledge was acclaimed throughout the Islamic world and strength of his disciples had reached 4000. The scholars and experts in Divine Law have quoted many Ahadith (tradition) from Imam Jaffar as- Sadiq (a.s). his disciples compiled hundred of books of various branches of science and arts other then fiqah, hadith, and tafsir of Quran. Imam(a.s) also imparted mathematics and chemistry to some of his disciples and Jabir bin Hayyan at-Tusi one of famous scholar of mathematics who benefited from Imam’s knowledge and guidance and was able to write 400 books on different subjects. Zurarah bin Ayan,Muhammad bin Muslim, Hisham ibnal-Hakam, Aban bin Taghlib were also prominent disciples of Imam(a.s)

Allama ash-Shibli wrote in his book “Sirtatu’n-Numan” that Abu Hanifah remained for considerable period in the attendance of Imam Jaffar as- Sadiq(a.s) acquiring from him a great deal of precious research on fiqah and hadith. Both the sects- Shia and Sunni- believed that the source of Abu Hanifah’s knowledge was mostly derived from his association with Imam Jaffar as- Sadiq(a.s)

Because of this great knowledge and fine teaching, the people grathered around him, giving devotion and respect that was his due. This excited the envy of the Abbasid ruler al-Mansur ad-Dawanqi, which fearing the popularity of the Imam(a.s),decided to do away with him. On 25^th of Shawwal 148AH the governor of Medina by the order of al-Mansur, got the Imam(a.s) martyred trough poison.

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