AlMujtaba Islamic Articles > Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq (AS)
 

Birthday of Imam Sadiq (p.b.u.h.)
 
When sixth Imam “Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.)” has been martyred and also what the jurisprudents of Ahle-sunnat said about him along with few stores.
Jafar Sadiq is the sixth Imam of the Shias.
He was born on the 17th of Rabiul-awal on the year 83 Hijra. His name is jafar, yet he is often known as Sadiq. He is also referred to by the nickname Abā Aabdullah. He is also called Sabir (Patient), Fazil (learned), Taher (pure), and Sadiq (truthful). All names refer to his beautiful character and attributes.
Jafar Sadiq succeeded his father Imam Muhammad Baqir after his death, and became Imam in the year 114 Hijra when he was 31 years old. In those days constant revolts and uprising by sympathizers of Imam Ali and his offspring and by the Abbasid family had shaken the foundations of the Ummayid government and its institution. Eventually the government was toppled in the year 132 hijri, and paved the way for ascension of the Abbasids.
The downfall of the one and the ascendancy of the other to power led to what is known as the period of interval, and served as an opportunity for distribution of Islamic sciences among the people.
Imam Sadiq took the best possible advantage of the prevailing situation to attract several hundreds of students to him. They in turn benefited from being taught by the Imam into compeytent scholars.
It was from that time that there emerged true Islam in its real phase.
Imam Sadiq was not only an oracle in religious sciences, but he was also a great specialist in the science of medicine.
The famous chemist of those times, Jaber bin Hayyan refers in his writing to the Imam as his teacher and his lord!
Imam Sadiq gained fame as a teacher of Islamic science. Great scholars of later days were his students. As the role of a scholar consist of the promoting of human prosperity and fostering the human civilization, we can rightly regard Imam Sadiq, apart from his high station of Imamhood, as a great personality who has ever appeared in the world of knowledge.
Since it was Imam Sadiq who expanded the scope of Islamic law and explained, interpreted, and expounded its legal codes, and many other issues Shiite came to be named after him, as the Jafari religion. Shiism hence came to occupy a unique and original place, derived from the teachings and traditions of the Imam.
The Shia belief, therefore, remained safe from corruption and no influences from outside could interveneixt. Imam Sadiq lived during a very critical period and had to grapple with theological issues and questions, which he did prudently and courageously.
Preoccupied fully with disseminating of divine knowledge, the Imam was not unmindful of his social obligations. Revolts and uprising against the Abbasids were frequent at the time, and though he did not involve himself openly, he could not remain indifferent to what was going on around him.
Of the many uprisings one stands out and deserves mention; this was the uprising of Zaid, the grandson of Imam Hussain who headed a particularly bloody rebellion.
All those uprisings, revolts and rebellions were directed against the tyrants of that time and fierily courageous attempts to be rid of tyranny.
The followers of the Household of the prophet prepared to kill and be killed.
Imam Sadiq used to encourage the commemoration of the 10th of Moharram (Ashura), which was the day of martyrdom of his great grandfather Imam Hussain (p.b.u.h.) and his followers on the plain of Karbala. To the Imam this ceremony signified the reenactment and revival of the mission of Hussain.
Poets and orators were urged to recall and recount this passionate episode, and were rewarded by the Imam for their efforts. What all this served to do was to create a feeling against tyrants and tyranny, a spirit that blew over in waves across society.
The cruel and wicked Ummayid and Abbasid caliphs had long endeavored to train and build around them a coterie of jurisprudents, who would be partial to them, and endorse and promote whatever they proposed to do, and shield their actions in plans perpetuated by them whatever their nature.
In short, these jurisprudents were expected to support religiously all the deeds and actions of the Caliphs.
This trend was a matter of anxiety to the Imam, and in order to encounter it there was only one way out; to train pious, and sincere jurisprudents, who were versed in Islamic law, who would oppose their deeds which ran against Islam.
The Imam chose the qualified persons and trained them.
As a result, a group of the talented jurisprudents emerged from the Imam’s school, who fanned out throughout the cities and towns of the region, mingled with the people, and awakened and educated them on day-to-day issues, as well as, in Islamic legal codes.
The presence of these pious scholars among the people led to their being freed from ignorance to a great extent and a large number of them became true Muslims. The knowledge on Islamic codes disseminated by the students trained by Imam Sadiq proved to be very efficient. Many issues dealt with by Sunni theological too were inspired by these movements took a right direction. The decrees (Fatwas) which the holy Imam issued were circulated among scholars who studied their basis and implications.
On questions of Islamic law (jurisprudence) Imam Sadiq was a reputable authority in his time. His knowledge was so extensive that Abu Haniffa, approached the Imam as his student.
What the Imam took as a framework for his view was this: “purity of the body is as necessary as purity of soul. Morality and the need to propagate the religion was important, but there should be an eye to eternity and eternal value without misinterpretation of Islamic instruction. Worship should not be made an instrument to deceive or cheat people.”
The campaign that Imam Sadiq undertook that front was difficult and sensitive, but he accomplished it with the greatest prudence.
As a result of this high call to piety, the mystics tried to seek the Imam’s guidance, just in order to claim being among his students and to have close links with Imam, as others sought Imam Sadiq.
Imam Sadiq paid very special attention to matters of health. Islam has recommendation on this, and Imam urged people to take up outdoor activities such as archery and horse- riding, which were in vogue at the time.
The Imam used to relate the story of how the prophet competed with Usama bin zaid in horse riding wasā’el Shia-vol. 3, p. 327).
According to Ibn Abi Omair, the Imam used to take part in archery and horse-riding contests. (wasā’el Shia-vol 13, p.327)
Imam Jafar Sadiq had a constant and consistent struggle against the ignorant people. He protected Islam and Islamic culture from influence and trespasses across its boundaries.
He suffered greatly from the caliphs who had restricted in order to make life unbearable for him. Therefore, when he died, it was not a natural death. He was cruelly poisoned by Mansoor dawaniqi on the 25th of Shawwal in 148 hijri, when he was only 65 years old.
He was buried in the Baqee cemetery, in southeastern sector of Medina, close to the graves of Imam Hassan, Imam Zainul Abidin, and Imam Muhammad Baqir (p.b.u.t.). Throughout the ages poets, writers, and scholars have admired the high literary and scientific accomplishments of Imam Sadiq.
We end with an extract from a eulogy from the famous scholar and historian, Ibn Khaldoon, that runs as follows:
“Miracles narrated from Imam Jafar Sadiq, are not beyond belief and are acceptable; no matter whether they were performed by Imam Sadiq himself, or by other members of his family.”
It is narrated that Imam Sadiq had correctly foretold near or far future events when strange things are attributed to others, why not to him?”
What they did was never strange in the ordinary sense, since they were the heirs and blessed repositories of the prophet. God has a very special regard for them and they are close to God. Their knowledge is a divine gift. They are the members of the household of the prophet (Ibn Khaldoon, Moqaddama. P. 277 and 280; Egypt, Azharia, 1348 Hijri)
 

Source: http://www.nabacultural.org