6th Imam of the Ahlul Bayt (as)
| Name | Hazrat Ja'far Ibn Muhammad (as) |
| Father | Imam Baqir (as) |
| Mother | Fatimah (Umme Farwah) (s.a.) |
| Date of Birth | 17th Rabiul Awwal, 83 A.H. |
| Place of Birth | Madinah Munawwarah |
| Kuniyyat | Abu Abdillah |
| Titles | Sadiq, Saabir, Faazil, Taahir, etc. |
| Age | 65 years |
| Martyrdom | 15th Rajab, 148 A.H. |
| Buried | Jannatul Baqi, Madinah Munawwarah |
On Friday, the 17th of Rabiul Awwal, 83 A.H., in the house of Imam Muhammad Baqir (as), from his wife Fatimah (Umme Farwah), a son was born who was named Ja'far. Much before his birth, the Almighty Allah had informed His Prophet:
"It is My true saying (promise) that I will make honourable the position of Ja'far and will make him glad with regard to his followers, companions and friends. Those who carry doubt about Ja'far would be destroyed. He who does not accept him, it is as if he has not accepted Me."
— Hadees-e-Lauh, Al-Kaafi, vol. 1, p. 528Imam (as.) passed his childhood during the period of his father and magnanimous grandfather. With the martyrdom of Imam Baqir (as.) in 114 A.H., he ascended to the Imamate and divine caliphate at the age of 31 years.
The period of Imam Sadiq (as.) closely resembled that of his father Baqir (as.) because the revolutionary activities against the Umayyad rule had intensified. Imam Sadiq (as.) was contemporary to five Umayyad caliphs — Hisham Ibn Abdul Malik, Walid Ibn Yazid Ibn Abdul Malik, Yazid Ibn Walid, Ibrahim Ibn Walid and Marwan Ibn Muhammad (the last notorious in history as Marwane Himaar) — and two Abbasid caliphs: Saffaah and Mansoor Dawaneqi.
Imam Sadiq (as.) continued the precedent set by his father in the spread of Islamic teachings and culture. According to most historians, this progressed to an extent where 4,000 pupils participated in his classes in Madinah for learning diversified sciences.
Among his students were world famous personalities like Zurarah, Muhammad Ibn Muslim, Hisham Ibn Hakam, Abaan Ibn Taghlib and Jabir Ibn Hayyaan. Even some of the top Sunni leaders were among those who had gained knowledge in this school, including Abu Hanifa (spiritual head of the Hanafi sect), Sufyaan Soori, Qazi Sukooni and Qazi Abul Bakhtari. Abu Hanifa said:
"If those two years (referring to the time when he obtained training from Imam Sadiq (as.)) had not been there, No'man would have been destroyed."
— Siratul A'immatil Ithna Ashara, vol. 2, p. 248In Shia history, the manners and methods of these two Imams (as.) resemble each other so much that this era is called the Baqirain period or the Sadiqain period. The compilation of narrations recorded in our books from these two Imams exceeds the sum total of all the traditions from the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and the other Imams (as.).
The term 'Shia' has its roots from the era of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). Regarding the Qur'anic verse "Surely those who believe and do good, they are the best of men" (Surah Bayyinah 98:7), Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) addressed Imam Ali (as.) and remarked: "You and your Shias will be happy and satisfied on the Day of Judgement." The reason for our sect to be called Ja'fari is that during the era of Imam Baqir and Imam Sadiq (as.), political conditions allowed easy propagation of the fundamentals of Islamic culture — hence the name Ja'fari. This is entirely different from saying that Shias came into being during the Imamate of Imam Sadiq (as.).
Imam Sadiq (as.), like his forefathers, was a mine of excellences. Maalik Ibn Anas, Imam of the Malikis, says: "I would generally observe him in one of these three conditions: Either offering prayers (namaz), observing fast or reciting the holy Qur'an." On his deathbed, while breathing his last, he called in his near ones and addressed them:
"Surely, he will not reach our intercession, the one who takes namaz lightly."
— Al-Kaafi, vol. 3, p. 270He was the possessor of untold reservoirs of patience. When his beloved son Ismail passed away due to illness, his followers observed that Imam (as.) did not suffer from excessive sadness. When the reason was asked, he replied: "Surely I will die and so will you all."
Like his predecessors, he always aided the needy. In disguise, he would carry a heavy load of bread, meat and money on his back and deliver it to the poor of Madinah. It is enough exposition of his boundless knowledge that hundreds of treatises and scripts exist even today in many areas of scientific research from some of his students like Jabir Ibn Hayyaan, who would begin his chapters with: "Ja'far (as.) told me — narrated for me my master Ja'far (as.) — I took this knowledge from my master, Ja'far Ibn Muhammad (as.), the master of people of his time."
Among the important works of Imam (as.) was the training of a number of his experienced students for discussion and debate with the leaders of different sects and religions. At the top of the list was his famous young companion Hisham Ibn Hakam. The Imam (as.) would discuss and debate with different groups such as unbelievers, polytheists, atheists, fatalists and the Tafwizi — depending on their interest and talent, students would each specialize in a particular field.
Imam (as.) was martyred by the poison given by Muhammad Ibn Sulaiman, Mansoor's governor in Madinah on 15th Rajab in the year 148 Hijri at the age of 65 years. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of Baqi besides the other three Imams (as.).
During his 34 years of Imamate, he made the Shia Islam so rich with the basics and established such scientific and cultural roots that 14 centuries of attacks against this religion with the Shias in minority and all the restrictions upon its leaders have not been able to eradicate it. Rather, day by day, these circumstances themselves have been effective in the exaltation of Islam and Shiaism.