Imam Jafar Sadiq

The historical tomb of Al-Baqi' was destroyed in 1926. Ja'far

al-Sadiq was one of four imams buried here.

His name was Ja’far al-Sadiq and his patronymic name

was Abu Mohammed. If we start writing about his
qualities and miracles then it is not easy to cover all of
them. He inherited from Ali Bin Abi Talib (RA) and he is
the real heir of the Prophet. Ja’far al-Sadiq’s greatness is
such that we can call him the king of Muslim ummat
(nation). He was the follower of truth and ascertainment
and also the true follower of the pious persons. He was
great among all the saints and successors of the Prophet.
He was descendant of Ali Bin Abi Talib (RA) and the
Prophet’s family. Due to his greatness, we all praise him.
As already mentioned above that to write the details about
the works and achievements of Prophet, their companions
and members of the Prophet’s family is not easy and will
need many volumes to describe.
After seeking the blessings for writing this book, we are
mentioning here the stories of pious persons who were
passed away after the family members of the Prophet.
Here we are writing about Ja’far al-Sadiq. Ja’far al-Sadiq
was ranked after the companions of the Prophet. He was
member of Prophet’s family, hence many of his teachings
about mystic knowledge and also his other narrations are
available. We are mentioning here some of his sayings
about good felicity. Those who follow his religion, in
other words are following the religion of 12 imams
(religious leaders), as he was the successor of the 12
imams. So it is one that is equal to 12 and also 12 that is
equal to one. If we mention about his works and
achievements then it will be equivalent to mention the
works and achievements of 12 imams. If we mention
about his character, he was master in every kind of
knowledge and wisdom. He was the leader of learned
people and they all had full confidence in him. He was not
only a great leader of mystic persons but he was also the
follower of literary persons and lovers of Allah. He has
written many books and in these books he has explained
the controlling powers of Allah in the best possible
manner. He has also narrated many of the sayings of
Imam Baquer’s. The author explains as follows:
I am surprised to know that a group of persons due to
their poor knowledge thought that Sunnat Jamat
 (followers of the Prophet) has enmity with the family
members of Prophet. But the fact is that the members of
Sunnat Jamat are the followers of the Prophet’s family
members.
So we must remember that every one who has faith in the
Prophet, he should also love and have faith in the
Prophet’s family members. When Imam Al-Shafe’i was
imprisoned on the charge of enmity with the Prophet’s
family members, he uttered some couplets at that time.
The meaning of one of the couplet is as follows: “I am
friend of the holy Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon
him) and his family members so if this is enmity then all
human beings and jins should be witness on this enmity.”
Who is Sunni? In its real meaning Sunni is one who
accepts the greatness of the Prophet’s family members. If
it is not compulsory the rule of faith to know about the
Prophet’s family members and his companions but it is
good for everybody to know about them. As you know
some other things and some unnecessary things.
The importance of companions of the Prophet is very
great because due to their sacrifices and great efforts as
well as due to their Islamic knowledge which they learned
from the Prophet and which helped the Muslims to spread
the religion of Islam throughout the world. They set great
examples of their sacrifices and efforts, which will guide
the Muslims till the day of judgement. If we follow them
then we can achieve real Islamic goal in our lives. So for
you it is good to know about the king of this world and the
world after the death, Prophet Muhammed (peace be
upon) and his companions and their followers.
The Prophet’s family members who made distinguished
services and sacrifices for the Islam and Muslims. With
the help of their teachings we can become a true Muslims.
So for this reason one should respect and love for the
followers of the holy Prophet and his family members.
When some persons asked Abu Hanifa who is superior in
the followers of holy Prophet. He said, “In the older Abu
Bakr Siddiq (RA) and Omar Farouq (RA), in the young
men Osman Bin Affan (RA) and Ali Bin Abi Talib (RA),
in the women Ayesha (RA) and in the girls Fatima (RA).”
One night the caliph Mansur of Baghdad ordered his
minister to bring Ja’far al-Sadiq before him for his killing
so the minister told him, “Why did he want to kill such a
noble and great person who is in loneliness in the house
and busy in the worship of Allah and who left the worldly
life and pleasure so it is against expedience.” Mansur
angry when heard the reply from his minister and told him
it is his duty to obey his orders.
The minister tried his best in this matter but he was not
successful so he went to call him helplessly. The caliph
ordered his slaves to kill him upon his arrival to the palace
at the time when Mansur takes down his crown from his
head. But when he came to his palace Mansur stood
before him and ran to receive him and gave him a most
suitable place to sit him and he sat before him with
sincerity and with great respect. The slaves were surprised
when they saw the actions of Mansur.
The caliph asked him if he need any thing from him.
Then he told him that he should not be called again there
to enable him to continue the worship of Allah. Mansur
said good bye to him with great respect and at the same
time Mansur’s body began shivering and became
unconscious and he was in that condition for three days
and some persons told he was in that condition in which
his three prayers were lapsed.
When he was all right then the minister asked him,
“What was the matter with him?” Mansur told him,
“When he entered his palace he saw a big python with
him and his two lips were open and one was on the upper
side and the other was below of the throne.” The python
told him, “If you do any harm to Ja’far al-Sadiq I would
swallow you with your seat.” So when I heard this I was
afraid of python and I could not know what I was telling
to him so I excused him and become unconscious.”
When once Dawood Tai came to see him and asked him,
“Oh! Son of the Prophet, pray for me as my heart become
black.” Then Ja’far al-Sadiq told him, “Oh! Abu
Suleiman, you are also pious person of the time so no
need of my prayers.” Then Dawood Tai told him, “Oh!
Son of the Prophet, Allah gave you a such greatness and it
is obligatory for you to give advice to all Muslims.” He
told, “Oh! Abu Suleiman, I am afraid that on the day of
judgement my grand father will caught me and will ask
me why I have not fulfilled my duties properly and Allah
will not see the inheritance but see the good deeds.”
Then Dawood Tai wept and told, “Oh! Allah, his
inheritance is from the holy Prophet and his habits are
superior and his grand father is the holy Prophet and his
mother is batool (great woman) but he is still worried then
who is Dawood and why he is so proudly on his deeds.”
One day Ja’far al-Sadiq was sitting and he told his slaves
to come and make a promise that on the day of judgement
whoever will be successful then he should recommend the
others. Then they told, “Oh! Son of the Prophet, why did
you need our recommendations as your grandfather will
recommend all the creatures?” Then he told them, “He is
ashamed of his deeds so he is afraid to see the face of his
grandfather.”
Once Sufyan Thauri went to see Ja’far al-Sadiq when he
discontinued going outside of the house and stayed alone
in the house and he told him, “Oh! Son of the Prophet,
people are not getting your grace as you are in the
loneliness of the house.” Then he told him, “I think this is
better for me” and recited these two couplets and the
meaning of them is as follows: “The faithfulness is not
seen as the traveller on the journey will not see again and
people are busy with their thinking and necessities. People
express love for each other but their hearts are full of
poison.”
When the persons saw him wearing a wealthy dress and
they told him, “Oh! Son of the Prophet, it is not suitable
for the Prophet’s family member to wear such a dress.”
Then he caught his hand and took it inside of the dress of
his shoulder and showed him the inside dress which was
made of jute and it scratched his hand. He told him, “This
dress is for the Allah and other is for the mankind.”
 Ja’far al-Sadiq asked Abu Hanifa, “Who is wise?” And
he replied, “One who makes difference between good and
bad.” Then he told him, “The animals could do these
things. As they recognize who beat them and who love
them.” So Abu Hanifa asked him to explain in this matter,
“Who is wise?” He told him, “One who could make
difference between two good things and two bad things
and choose one good thing which is more good from the
two goods things and one bad thing which is less bad from
the two bad things.”
When the persons told him, “You have all qualities of
pious persons and have kindness and coolness of the
family members of the Prophet but you have more
proudness.” So he replied, “I am not proudly but my lord
is great so when I discontinued proudness and greatness
these things entered into me. So upon Allah’s greatness
one can feel proud but one should not be proudly for
greatness of his own.”
Somebody lost his bag of dinars (money) so he caught
Ja’far al-Sadiq and told him, “You have stolen my
dinars,” as that man could not recognize him. He asked
him, “How many dinars have you lost?” The man replied,
“One thousand dinars.” He took that man to his house and
gave him one thousand dinars. Later that man found his
bag of money some where and explained him the whole
event and made apology to him and requested him to take
the money which he brought back for him and he also told
him, “It was his mistake.” He told him, “He would never
take back anything which he gives to anybody.” That man
asked, “Who is this person?” And people told him, “He is
Ja’far al-Sadiq” Then the man was very sorry for his
mistake and went away.
One day he was going on the road lonely and he was
saying ‘Allah, Allah’, and one poor pious person was also
following him and saying ‘Allah, Allah’. When he told,
“Oh! Allah, I do not have trouser and dress with me” and
at the same moment one clean pair of dress was appeared
there and he wore the same. Then the poor pious person
asked him, “Oh! Great man, I was also reciting ‘Allah,
Allah’ behind you so please give me your old dress.” So
he liked his idea and gave him his old dress. A man came
to Ja’far al-Sadiq asked him, “He wanted to see Allah.”
He told that man, “Have you not heard what Allah told
Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) that you did not able
to see him.” The man told, “Yes.” But this is ummat
(followers) of Prophet Muhammed (peac be upon him)
and among the followers of the Prophet in whom one
person said, “His heart was seen Allah and other person is
crying that he will not worship Allah until he could see
Allah.” So he asked the persons to tie him with rope and
throw him in the river Tigris. When he was thrown in the
water and he was gone inside water but water brought him
to the surface level and he called, “Oh! Son of the
Prophet, help me, help me.”
But he told the water, “Oh! Water, take him and hide
him” and water took him inside. So that man was gone
inside of the water many times and came on the water
surface many times but he was crying for the help of
Ja’far al-Sadiq. When he was tired and gone inside of the
water and lost hope for the help from the mankind and at
that time water brought him to the upper level of surface
as he called, “Oh! Allah, help me, help me.” Then he told
the persons to take him out from the water and he was
taken out from the water. He sat for some time and he
became normal. He asked him, “Have you seen Allah?”
He replied, “When I was calling others then there was a
veil but when I called Allah for his help with eagerness
then I saw Allah in the window which opened in my heart.
If there was no eagerness and passion then Allah will be
not there.” Allah says, “Is somebody there who will reply
the needy person’s call?” Ja’far al-Sadiq told him, “When
he was calling others for His help then he was false and
advice him to take care of the window in the heart.”
Ja’far al-Sadiq told, “One who says, ‘Allah is on the
things or Allah is from things’ and so for this saying he
will become unbeliever.” And further he told, “One who
commits sin with fear and seek Allah’s repentance and
then he will become closer to Allah. When one who 27
worships in the beginning for himself and in the last for
the show and proud for this he will be kept him away from
Allah. One who is proud for his worship then he will
become a sinner. Sincere is one who will repent for his
sins.”
When persons asked Ja’far al-Sadiq, “Who is better
either sincere pious person or wealthy person?” He said,
“Pious person is better than other one because wealthy
person always looks for the bags of money but pious
person is always with Allah.” He further continued, “The
worship is not right without repentance because Allah
preferred repentance than worship. As Allah said,
‘Repentance seekers are worshipers.’ ” Refer to Qur’anic
teaching in which it is clear that repentance is superior to
the worship.
The real remembrance of Allah is that in which one
should forget all things because Allah is found for such
things. He explained one verse of the Holy Qur’an in
which Allah says, “He bestow His mercy on any one
whom he likes.” So all sources are kept away as Allah’s
blessing is given without any source. Ja’far al-Sadiq said,
“The faithful is one who stands against nafs-i-ammara
(inordinate appetites) and the pious is one who stands in
the worship of Allah.”
He said, “One who fight against nafs-i-ammara for the
sake of himself then he will become the man of miracles.”
He also said, “One who fights with nafs-i-ammara for the
sake of Allah then he finds Allah.” He said, “Ilham
(revelation) is a sign of Allah’s blessing for His accepted
persons but when this matter is proved that it is nothing by
logic and this is the work of unbelievers.” He said, “Allah
is more hidden in the man than the movements of the
black ants on the black mountains during the night. The
love of Allah is neither good nor bad. The secret which I
come to know when I became mad. It is good for a man if
he has wise enemy.” Ja’far al-Sadiq said to keep away
from the friendship of the following five persons:
1. Liar who will always deceive you.
 2. Foolish who always wish for your good but the
result will be bad which he does not know.
3. The miser who will spoil your time.
4. Coward who will leave you when you are in
danger.
5. Sinful who will sell you for the sake of a morsel and
also for his greed he will put you in the trouble for his
gain which even it will 28 be less than a morsel.
Ja’far al-Sadiq said, “Allah’s heaven and hell are also
in this world. When there are no worries it is heaven and
when there are worries it is hell. It is heaven when we
should approach Allah for all our works. It is hell when
we surrender all our works to nafs-i-ammara.” If there
will be effect of enemies on Allah’s men then there was
effect on Asiya from the Pharaoh and if there was effect
of Allah’s man on the enemies of Allah then there was
benefit for the Lut’s wife and Noah’s wife.
His sayings are too many but we have written the
above some of them only.

Translated by
Mohammed abdul Hafeez
Email : hafeezanwar@yahoo.com