Birth of Imam Jaafar al-Sadiq (a.s.)
His Birth and Lineage: He is Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Baqir ibn Ali al-Sajjad ibn al-Hussein ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.). His mother was Umm Farwah bint al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr.
He was born on the 17th of Rabi' al-Awwal, in the year 83 AH, in the city of Medina. He lived with his father, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.), for nineteen years, and with his grandfather, Imam Zein al-Abidin (a.s.), for twelve years. His Imamate after his father lasted thirty-four years, making his total age sixty-five years.
His Kunyah and Titles: As for his patronymics (kunyah), among them are "Abu Abdullah"—which is the most famous—"Abu Isma'il," and "Abu Musa". As for his titles, they include: al-Sadiq (the Truthful), al-Fadil (the Virtuous), al-Tahir (the Pure), al-Sabir (the Patient), al-Kafil (the Guarantor), and others.
His Era: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) lived through part of the ruling of Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, then al-Walid ibn Yazid, Yazid ibn al-Walid, Ibrahim ibn al-Walid, and Marwan ibn Muhammad. After them, he lived through the ruling of two Abbasid caliphs: Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah and Abu Ja'far al-Mansur.
His era was marked by the flourishing of knowledge. The Imam took advantage of the rulers' preoccupation with consolidating their power to spread the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.). He engaged in debates and discussions with scholars, followers of various religions, sects, and atheists. During his time, there was little fear of the rulers' oppression, and a kind of intellectual and spiritual freedom prevailed in the late Umayyad and early Abbasid periods. As a result, the Shia became associated with Imam al-Sadiq and came to be known as the Ja'fari Shia, due to his distinguished scholarly standing in the entire Islamic world. He reached the pinnacle of knowledge, noble character, asceticism, patience, and humility.
It is reported that hundreds of scholars, students, and jurists attended his classes. Four thousand teachers narrated from him, among them Malik ibn Anas, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Sufyan al-Thawri, and Abu Hanifa—who was one of his students—and many others. Prominent Sufis and leading figures of jurisprudence and asceticism took pride in narrating from him, including al-Shafi'i, Ibn Jurayj al-Bastami, Ibrahim ibn Adham, Malik ibn Dinar, and others.
His Children: He had eleven children—seven sons and four daughters.
His Departure: He returned to his Lord on the 25th of Shawwal, in the year 148 AH, at the age of sixty-five. He was buried next to his father, Imam al-Baqir, his grandfather, Imam Zein al-Abidin, and his great-uncle, Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (a.s.), in the cemetery of Baqi' al-Gharqad in Medina.
Birth of Imam Jaafar al-Sadiq (a.s.)
His Birth and Lineage: He is Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Baqir ibn Ali al-Sajjad ibn al-Hussein ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.). His mother was Umm Farwah bint al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr.
He was born on the 17th of Rabi' al-Awwal, in the year 83 AH, in the city of Medina. He lived with his father, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.), for nineteen years, and with his grandfather, Imam Zein al-Abidin (a.s.), for twelve years. His Imamate after his father lasted thirty-four years, making his total age sixty-five years.
His Kunyah and Titles: As for his patronymics (kunyah), among them are "Abu Abdullah"—which is the most famous—"Abu Isma'il," and "Abu Musa". As for his titles, they include: al-Sadiq (the Truthful), al-Fadil (the Virtuous), al-Tahir (the Pure), al-Sabir (the Patient), al-Kafil (the Guarantor), and others.
His Era: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) lived through part of the ruling of Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, then al-Walid ibn Yazid, Yazid ibn al-Walid, Ibrahim ibn al-Walid, and Marwan ibn Muhammad. After them, he lived through the ruling of two Abbasid caliphs: Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah and Abu Ja'far al-Mansur.
His era was marked by the flourishing of knowledge. The Imam took advantage of the rulers' preoccupation with consolidating their power to spread the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.). He engaged in debates and discussions with scholars, followers of various religions, sects, and atheists. During his time, there was little fear of the rulers' oppression, and a kind of intellectual and spiritual freedom prevailed in the late Umayyad and early Abbasid periods. As a result, the Shia became associated with Imam al-Sadiq and came to be known as the Ja'fari Shia, due to his distinguished scholarly standing in the entire Islamic world. He reached the pinnacle of knowledge, noble character, asceticism, patience, and humility.
It is reported that hundreds of scholars, students, and jurists attended his classes. Four thousand teachers narrated from him, among them Malik ibn Anas, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Sufyan al-Thawri, and Abu Hanifa—who was one of his students—and many others. Prominent Sufis and leading figures of jurisprudence and asceticism took pride in narrating from him, including al-Shafi'i, Ibn Jurayj al-Bastami, Ibrahim ibn Adham, Malik ibn Dinar, and others.
His Children: He had eleven children—seven sons and four daughters.
His Departure: He returned to his Lord on the 25th of Shawwal, in the year 148 AH, at the age of sixty-five. He was buried next to his father, Imam al-Baqir, his grandfather, Imam Zein al-Abidin, and his great-uncle, Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (a.s.), in the cemetery of Baqi' al-Gharqad in Medina.