At the time of Imam Sadiq (PBUH), the\ncity of Medina had a different look. The general massacre of its residents by\nthe soldiers of Muslim ibn Uqbah left the survivors with a feeling of\nhopelessness, to the extent that those with weak faith turned to musical\nperformance to overcome this feeling. In fact, Medina became a center for\nexporting professional singers between the years 65 and 80 AH. However, as time\npassed, this situation changed, people turned to religious matters once again,\nand the narrators of Hadith and religious jurists came into power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, the weakening and\noverthrowing of the government of the Umayyads not only brought political\nfreedoms which leaded to religious uprisings against the government throughout\nthe Islamic nation, but also created an open floor for religious discussions in\nvarious branches. Therefore, a bit of relief occurred in the era of Imam Baqir\n(PBUH), and the era of Imam Sadiq (PBUH) (114-148 AH) was the era of spread of\nthe Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) of the Progeny of Prophet Muhammad\n(PBUH&HP), or in other words, the era of teaching and learning the Ja\u2019ffari\nschool. This relief, which occurred in the beginning of the third decade of the\nsecond century after Hijra, let the people refer to Imam Sadiq (PBUH) freely,\nand they asked him to solve their juristic and non-juristic problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hence, as the author of Kashf\nal-Ghummah states, the scholars have narrated Hadiths from none of the Ahl\nal-Bayt (PBUT) as much as they have narrated from Imam Sadiq (PBUH). Also, none\nof the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) has had students as much as Imam Sadiq (PBUH) had,\nand the number of Hadiths narrated from none of them is comparable to those\nnarrated from Imam Sadiq (PBUH). The scholars have mentioned the number of the\nnarrators of Hadith from Imam Sadiq (PBUH) to be four thousands. These evident\nsigns of his Imamate are astonishing, and they prevent the opponents from any\ndoubts or reproaches (1). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this basis, the status of Imam\nSadiq (PBUH) in terms of knowledge is evident even to the eminent Sunni\nscholars. Ibn Hajar has stated the following in regards to Imam Sadiq (PBUH),\n\u201dThe people have narrated about his knowledge so much that its fame has reached\nall the cities. Great people such as Yahya bin Sa\u2019eed, Ibn Jurayh, Maalik,\nSufyan bin Uyaynah, Sufyan Thouri, Abu Hanifah, Shu\u2019bah, and Ayyub Sakhtiaani\nhave narrated Hadiths from him (2)\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maalik ibn Anas, who is the founder of\none of the four Sunni schools, has said about Imam Sadiq (PBUH), \u201dI have not\nseen anyone greater than him in grace, knowledge, and piety (3)\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Abu Hanifah, the founder of another\nSunni school, respected Imam Sadiq (PBUH), even though he considered himself a\ngreat jurist. Thus, Dhahabi has narrated from Abu Hanifah that, \u201dI have not\nseen anyone more knowledgeable than Ja\u2019far ibn Muhammad (4)\u201d. Moreover, Ibn\nShahr Ashub has narrated from Hassan ibn Zyiad that once Abu Hanifah was asked,\n\u201dWho is the most knowledgeable person you have met?\u201d He replied:\u201d Ja\u2019far ibn\nMuhammad. When Mansur (the Abbasid caliph) sent for him (Ja\u2019far ibn Muhammad),\nhe sent me the message that \u201cPeople have become attracted to Ja\u2019far ibn\nMuhammad. Prepare some complicated questions to ask him\u201d. I prepared forty\nquestions. Mansur ordered Ja\u2019far ibn Muhammad, who was in Hirah (a city near\nKufah) at that time, to be brought to his place. Then, I entered to Mansur and\nfound Ja\u2019far sitting to his right. I felt reverence towards him more than\nMansur. Then, Mansur gave me permission to have a seat, and said, \u201dThis is Abu\nHanifah\u201d. Ja\u2019far ibn Muhammad replied,\u201d I know him\u201d. Then Mansur asked me,\n\u201dTell Abu Abdullah (Imam Sadiq (PBUH)) the questions you have in mind\u201d. I\nstarted asking my question one by one, and he responded by saying \u201cYour opinion\nis so-and-so; the people of Medina\u2019s opinion is so-and-so; and our opinion is\nso-and so. In some issues, we accept your opinion; in some other, we accept\ntheirs; and in some, our opinion is against that of yours and theirs\u201d. I asked\nhim all the forty questions and he did not leave any of them unanswered. Then,\nAbu Hanifah said, \u201dIs the most knowledgeable of the people not the one who\nknows the differences (in opinions) the best?\u201d (5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overall, whoever explores the history\nof Shia jurisprudence would find that the Hadiths narrated from Imam Sadiq\n(PBUH) on various jurisprudential issues is a vast collection. That is why the\nShia school of though is called the Ja\u2019fari School. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Selection taken\nfrom \u201cThe Life of Imam Sadiq (PBUH)\u201d, by Late Dr. Sayyid Ja\u2019far Shahidi (with\nsome changes))<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Roshd Website offers condolences\nto all Muslims, especially you dear friend, upon 25th of Shawwal, the\nanniversary of the martyrdom of the treasurer of Divine knowledge and the\nleader of school, Imam Ja\u2019far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Kashf\nal-Ghummah, vol. 2, p. 166<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Sawa\u2019iq\nal-Muhraqah, p. 201<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Manaqib Ibn\nShahr Ashub, vol. 4, p. 275<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Tazkirah\nal-Huffadh, vol. 1, p. 166<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Manaqib Ibn\nShahr Ashub, vol. 4, p. 255<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
At the time of Imam Sadiq (PBUH), the city of Medina had a different look. The general massacre of its residents by the soldiers of Muslim ibn Uqbah left the survivors with a feeling of hopelessness, to the extent that those with weak faith turned to musical performance to overcome this feeling. In fact, Medina […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248],"tags":[21677,19551,20151,21678,18418,18852,18536,19700,21676,21679],"class_list":["post-4422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-2008-10-25","tag-government","tag-imam-sadiq","tag-massacre","tag-occasion-letters","tag-power","tag-prophet","tag-soldiers","tag-the-jafari-school","tag-umayyads"],"yoast_head":"\n