Sixth Noor of Qadiriyah Spiritual Chain
Sayyiduna Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq
(Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu)
HIS
POSITION IN THE SILSILA:
Hadrat Sayyiduna Imam Jaafar Saadiq Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu is the Sixth Imam
and Shaykh of the Silsila Aaliyah Qadiriyah Barakatiyah Ridawiyyah Nooriyah.
Much has been said in his praise by many great scholars.
BIRTH: He was born on a Monday, the
7th of Rabi ul Awwal in either 80 or 83 Hijri in Madinah Munawwarah.
[Masaalik as-Saalikeen, Vol.1, Page 217]
HIS NAME: His name was Jaafar bin
Muhammad, and he was also known as Abu Abdullah and Abu Ismaeel. His titles were
Saadiq, Faadil and Taahir.
HIS MOTHER: His mother’s name was
Umm-e-Fardah who was the daughter of Hadrat Qasim Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu, the
grandson of Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddique Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu and Hadrat Qasim’s
Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu mother, A’asma Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu is the daughter
of Hadrat Abdur Rahmaan, the son of Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddique Radi Allahu Ta'ala
Anhu.
HIS FEATURES: He was very handsome and
had a radiant appearance. He had the perfect height, and was tan in complexion.
He encompassed the exemplary qualities his forefathers. Haafiz Abu Nuaim
Isfahani narrates in Khalifatul Abraar on the authority of Umar bin Midqaam,
“When I used to look at Hadrat Imam Jaafar Saadiq Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu then I
used to immediately feel that he was from amongst the descendants of the
Prophets”
EXCELLENCE: He was without doubt the
true successor to the Muslim empire and one of the greatest Imams of his era.
Imam Jaafar Saadiq Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu was a great Aabid and Sufi. Many
secrets of Tasawwuf were explained by him. It is in Tabqaatul Abraar, that he
received the authority of Hadith from his blessed father, from Imam Zuhri and
Naaf'i and ibn Munkadir etc. and Sufyaan Sawri, Ibn Ainiyyah, Shu’ba, Yahya Al
Qataan, Imam Maalik and his son Imam Moosa Kaazim (ridwaanullahi ta aala alaihim
ajmaeen) attained this authority of Hadith from him. Allama Ibn Hajar Makki Radi
Allahu Ta'ala Anhu writes in Sawaa’iq Muhariqa . “The exalted Imams such as
Yahya Bin Saeed, Ibn Jareeh, Imam Maalik ibn Anas, Imam Sufyaan Sawri, Sufyan
bin Ainiyyah, Imam Abu Hanifa and Abu Ayoob Sajistani (ridwaanullahi ta aala
alaihim ajmaeen) took Hadith from him.” [Masaalik
as-Saalikeen]
HIS CHARACTER: He was a very exalted
and pious personality. His inner and outer appearance exuded brightness and
radiance. He addressed the poor and the downtrodden with great love. Once he
called all his servants and said, “Let us give our hands in the hands of one
another and promise that whichever one of us first receives salvation on the day
of Qiyaamah, he will intercede for the rest of us.” On hearing this, they said,
“O Ibn Rasool SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam! For what reason do you need our
intercession, when your beloved forefather Rasoolullah SallAllahu Alaihi wa
Sallam will intercede for the entire creation?” He then said, “I am ashamed to
take my deeds and stand before my forefather, the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi
wa Sallam.”
Once Hadrat Dawood Taa’ee Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu came to Hadrat Jaafar Saadiq
Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu and said, “Beloved descendant of the Prophet SallAllahu
Alaihi wa Sallam please give some advice, as my heart has become dark.” Hadrat
Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu said, “O Abu Sulaiman! You are great Zaahid of
your era. What need do you have for my advice?” Hadrat Dawood Taa’ee Radi Allahu
Ta'ala Anhu said, “O descendant of the Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam, You
have been blessed with excellence amongst people and to advise everyone is
compulsory upon you.” He then said, “O Abu Sulaiman! I fear that on the day of
Qiyaamah, my forefather Muhammadur Rasoolullah SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam will
hold me by my collar and ask, ‘Why were you slow in fulfilling your right to
submission?’ What will I say then? Thus, this deed (of advice) does not depend
on ones stature or family lineage, but it deals with good deeds which are done
in the Court of Allah.” Hadrat Dawood Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu heard this and
began to weep. He then said, “O Allah! When such a great personality, who is the
descendant of a Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam, and whose reality is filled
with light and wisdom, and whose great grandmother is Bibi Faatima, is so afraid
of his future and condition, then what right does Dawood Taa’ee have do be proud
of his deeds?” [Masaalik as-Saalikeen]
HIS IBAADAT: He was well known for his ibaadat, and his striving in the Court of Allah. Hadrat Imam Malik Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu says, “I spent a very long time serving him, and I always found him in one of three Ibaadats. Either he was in namaaz, or engrossed in recitation of the Quran, or he would be fasting.” He never narrated any Hadith Shareef without wudhu. [Tazkirat al-Awliya]
HIS
DUA: He
was without doubt a faithful servant of Allah, and he always attained everything
that he asked for from the Court of Allah. Abul Qasim Tabri narrates from Wahab,
that he heard Laith bin Sa’ad Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu saying, “I was on my way
to Hajj by foot in 113 Hijri and I reached Makkah Muazammah. I reached Jabl Abu
Qais close to the time of Asr Salaah. There, I saw a pious man sitting (in
seclusion), making dua. He was saying ‘Ya Rabbi Ya Rabbi’ so many times, that
breathing became difficult. Then in the same way, he said ‘Ya Hayy Ya Hayy’ then
‘Ya Rab’bahu Ya Rab’bahu, then in the same say, he said ‘Ya Allah Ya Allah’ in
one breath continuously. He then said ‘Ya Rahmaanu Ya Rahmaanu, Ya Raheemu Ya
Raheemu’ and then he went on to say ‘Ya Arhamar Raahimeen’. He then said, “O
Allah I desire to eat grapes. Please bless me with some, and my clothes have
become old and tattered Please give me new ones.”
Hadrat Laith says, “By Allah, he was still competing his dua, when I saw a
basket of grapes kept before him, whereas it was not event the grape season and
I did not see an grapes near him before his dua. I also saw that there were two
pieces of cloth kept near the grapes. I have never seen such beautiful material
before. He then sat down to eat the grapes. I went up to him and said, Huzoor!
May I also have a part in this?, and he asked how this was so, so I said, I was
saying Aameen as you made the dua. He said, ‘Well then, step forward and join
me.’ I also began to partake in the grapes. They were so tasty, that never have
I eaten such delicious grapes. I ate until I was satisfied, but the basket still
remained as it was before, full of grapes. He then offered on piece of cloth to
me, and I said that I had no need for it, so he tied one around his waist, and
he draped the other over his shoulder. He then descended from the mountain and I
followed him. As he drew close to Saffa and Marwa, a beggar called out to him
and said, ‘O Descendant of the Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam! Give these
clothes to me and Allah will dress you in the clothes of Jannat.” He immediately
gave the two pieces of cloth to the beggar. (On seeing this), I enquired about
the identity of this pious man from the beggar, who informed me that he was
Hadrat Jaafar Saadiq Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu. I then looked for him so that I
may listen to some words of wisdom from him and attain his blessings, but he had
disappeared from my sight.” [Tazkirat al-Awliya,
Page 12]
Once, some people saw that Hadrat Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu was wearing a
very expensive robe. One of them walked up to him and said, “Huzoor! It is not
good for the Ahle Bait to wear such expensive clothing.” He caught hold of the
man’s hand and thrust it into his sleeves. The man was amazed when he found that
a Hadrat was wearing clothes make from sacks under his robe. Hadrat Jaafar Radi
Allahu Ta'ala Anhu then said, “The one inside is for my Creator and the one on
top is for the creation.”
A man once lost his purse which contained one thousand dinaars. Imam Jaafar Radi
Allahu Ta'ala Anhu was walking close to him, so he held the hand of the Imam and
accused him of stealing his money. Hadrat Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
asked how much he had in his money bag, and the man said that he had one
thousand dinaars. Hadrat took him home and gave him one thousand dinaars from
his wealth. The next day, the man found his money bag, and came rushing to
Hadrat Imam Jaafar Saadiq Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu to return the money he had
taken from him. Hadrat Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu said, “We do not take
back what we have already given.” The man then asked some people who this person
was, and he was told that it was Hadrat Imam Jaafar Saadiq Radi Allahu Ta'ala
Anhu. When he heard this, he became very sad and regretted his behavior.
[Tazkirat al-Awliya]
DEBATE WITH AN ATHEIST: Hadrat Jaafar
Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu spent a lot of his time spreading the word of Allah and
His Rasool SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. He always spoke against those who did
not believe in Allah. An atheist from Egypt came to Hadrat Jaafar Saadiq Radi
Allahu Ta'ala Anhu whilst he was in Makkah. Hadrat Jaafar Saadiq Radi Allahu
Ta'ala Anhu asked his name and he said that his name was Abdul Malik and he was
also known as Abdullah. On hearing this Hadrat said, “Malik, whose servant you
are, is he from the Kingdom of the Skies or the Kingdom of the earth, the Lord
that is the Lord of your son, is he the Lord of the skies or the Lord of the
Earths?” The atheist could not answer this question. Hadrat then said, “Did you
ever journey under the earth? Do you know what is beyond it?” He replied in the
negative and said, “I think there is nothing beyond it.” Hadrat then said to
him, “Thinking is not sufficient! However, have you ever flown into the skies
and journeyed beyond the skies?” Again he replied in the negative. Hadrat said,
“Did you ever travel the entire East and West and did you realise anything about
the future from this?” Again he answered in the negative. Hadrat said, “I am
amazed, that you are not aware of the earth and what is beneath it, and the sky
and what is beyond it, and in this state of ignorance, you still have the
arrogance to reject the existence of Allah. O Ignorant man! There is no argument
for one who is naive about that which is a reality. The sun, the moon, the night
and day, are all in a specific pattern. Verily they are within some divine
control. If they were free, then they would move as they willed and would
sometimes go to an appointed spot and not return. Why is it that the night does
not take the place of day and the day does not take the place of night? Do you
not ponder upon the reality of the skies and the earth? Why does the sky not
come to the earth and why is it that the earth is not flattened by the sky?
There is definitely ONE, who has all this in His Divine Control. It is He
(Allah) who is All Powerful. It is He, who is our and their Lord.” When the
atheist heard this, he immediately accepted Islam and had faith in the existence
of Allah.
HADRAT BAYAZEED BUSTAAMI:
Hadrat Ba Yazeed Bustaami Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu used to distribute water in
the Darbaar of Hadrat Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu. Hadrat placed his
saintly sight on Hadrat Bayazeed Bustaami Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu once, and he
became one of the greatest mystics of his time. He then served in the Court of
Hadrat Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu and became one of the greatest Awliya.
IMAM-E-AZAM ABU HANIFA: Hadrat Imam
Azam Abu Hanifa Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu attained great blessings from Hadrat
Imam Jaafar Saadiq Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu. It is narrated that once he asked
Imam Abu Hanifa Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu concerning who is an intelligent person.
Hadrat Imam Abu Hanifa Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu said, “He who can differentiate
between good and evil is an intelligent man.” Hadrat Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu
Ta'ala Anhu said, “Even animals have the ability to differentiate. It can
differentiate between those who love them, beat them or instill fear in them?”
Imam Abu Hanifa Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu then said, “O Hadrat! Would you please
explain who is truly intelligent?” Hadrat Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
said, “An intelligent person, is one who can differentiate between two good
things and two evils, so that he may choose the better of two good things and
that he may be able to repel the worse of two evils.”
SHAYKH-E-TARIQAT: He was the mureed
and Khalifa of Hadrat Sayyiduna Imam Baaqir Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu and attained
great blessings from his beloved father.
BOOKS AND TREATIES: Hadrat has also written books on numerous topics, as mentioned by scholars like Imam Kamaaludeen etc.
KARAAMATS:
Hadrat Imam Jaafar Saadiq Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu is an example for Muslims in
every way. His greatest Karaamat was his firmness on the Shariat. His every step
was in accordance with the Sunnat of the Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. A
few of his Karaamats are being quoted below.
A MANSION IN JANNAH: Once, a man came
to Hadrat Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu before journeying for Hajj. He gave
Hadrat 10,000 dirhams, and asked him to purchase a mansion for him before he
returned. Instead of purchasing a mansion, Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
distributed the entire 10,000 dirhams in the way of Allah. After the man
returned from Hajj, he went to meet Hadrat Imam Jaafar Saadiq Radi Allahu Ta'ala
Anhu. Hadrat Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu told him that he had purchased his
mansion and then handed the title deed over to him. The title deed read as
follows : “One wall of the house is adjoined to the house of the Prophet
SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam, the other wall is adjoined to the house of Hadrat
Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu, the third wall is adjoined to the house of Imam
Hassan Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu and the fourth wall is adjoined to the house of
Imam Hussain Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu.” The man took this title deed, and asked
his family members to place it in his grave when he passed away. After his
demise, his family members found the title deed on the top of his grave and on
the rear of the title deed the following words were written,
“Hadrat Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu was honest and loyal in what he said.” [Masaalik as-Saalikeen, Vol.1, Page 220]
AMAZING INCIDENT: Once, he was on his
way to Hajj, when he stopped to rest under a date tree which was completely
dried out. At the time of Chasht, he asked the tree to present him with some
dates. Immediately, the tree became green and lush and full of dates. Hadrat
Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu then ate from it. A villager was passing by
and saw this. He saw this great karaamat and said that it was magic. Hadrat Imam
Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu said,
“This is not magic. Almighty Allah has blessed me with such a quality, that he accepts all my duas. If I make dua, even you can be transformed into a dog.” Hadrat had not yet completed what he was saying, when the villager began to resemble a dog. He quickly repented and asked Hadrat Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu to forgive him. Hadrat made dua for him, and he was transformed to his normal self. [Masaalik as-Saalikeen, Vol.1, Page 223]
KHALIFA MANSOOR: Khalifa Mansoor once
sent one of his ministers to summon Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu to his
Court. He informed his servants that when Imam Jaafar arrived, they should wait
for him (Mansoor) to remove his crown. The moment he did this, they should
martyr Hadrat Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu. When the minister heard this,
he was not pleased and thus tried to explain to Mansoor, how wrong it was to
kill a pious person, who is also a Sayyid. The Khalifa did not take heed and had
Hadrat Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu summoned. When Hadrat Imam Jaafar
Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu arrived, the servants waited for their cue, so that they
may martyr Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu. Instead, Mansoor woke up from
his throne and rushed towards the Imam. He brought him towards his throne and
allowed him to sit on it with great respect, whilst he sat on the ground in
front of the great Imam. The servants and ministers were surprised to see this
sudden change in plan. Mansoor then asked the Imam if he had any requests. Imam
Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu said,"In future you should not summon me to your
court, as I wish to remain engrossed in Ibaadat."
When he heard these words, his body began to tremble and he allowed the Imam to
leave with respect. When the Imam left, the minister asked about the sudden
change in plan and Mansoor said, "When Imam Jaafar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
entered my court, I saw a huge python with him. The python had its one lip over
my throne and one under my throne, and it spoke to me and said that if I tried
to ever harm the Imam, then he would consume me with my throne, and that is why
I behaved in the manner which I did."
HIS CHILDREN: He was blessed with six
sons and one daughter. Their names are :
1. Hadrat Ismaeel
2. Hadrat
Muhammad
3. Hadrat Ali
4. Hadrat
Abdullah
5. Hadrat
Ishaaq
6. Hadrat
Moosa Kaazim
7. Bibi
Umm-e-Fardah (Ridwaanullahi Ta'ala Alaihim Ajma'een)
HIS KHULAFA: If one studies the books
of history, then one will learn about his Khulafa, and how exalted each one of
them was and how they had attained his blessings. Some of them are:
1. Hadrat Imam Moosa
Kaazim Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
2. Hadrat
Imam Azam Abu Hanifa Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
3. Hadrat
Sultaan Bayazeed Bustaami Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
WISAAL: He passed away during the rule
of the second Abbasi Khalifa Abu Jaafar Mansoor bin Abul Abbas As Safah on a
Friday, the 15th of Rajab or 24 Shawwal 148 Hijri at the age of 68 in Madinatul
Munawwarah. [Masaalik as-Saalikeen, Vol.1, Page 217]
MAZAAR SHAREEF: His Mazaar Shareef is
in Jannat al-Baqi in Madinatul Munawwarah.
— —
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Extracted from
Tadhkira Mashaikh-e-Qadiriyah Barakatiya Ridawiyah
Urdu: Mawlana Abdul Mujtaba Ridawi | English:
Mawlana Aftab Qasim