Al-Saadiq Anecdotes and sayings Part Two By A.S. Hashim. MD

About this slide show: This slide show deals with: Al-Saadiq during his Imamah works The Institute of Ahlul Bayt Many of his sayings Incidents and Anecdotes Ziyarah for him with its translation

During Al-Saadiq’s Imamah The institute of Ahlul Bayt at its zenith Up to 4,000 scholars graduate during his Imamah Graduates write about 400 books Al-Usool Al-Arba’mi’ah الأصول ألأربعمائه Numerous knowledge seekers traveled from far away (and lived in Medina) to attend his discourses He argued with the Kharijis (deviators) and Ghulaat (exaggerationists) and all other deviant groups.

The Golden Chain of Narration Thousands of Hadiths were narrated and quoted through Ja'far Al‑Saadiq.  He often said, "My Hadith is the Hadith of my father, and his is the Hadith of his father, up to Ali, who directly narrated the Hadith from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)."   This is called the Golden Chain of Narration. These Hadiths were of immense importance, since they corrected the inaccuracies and set right the contaminations which had crept into this science.   

Chain of Quoting Hadith and other Information The Golden Chain of Narration

The Institute: holding discourses Discourses used to be held at: Al-Saadiq’s Home Masjid Al-Nabawi Mecca during Haj Discourses consisted of: Answering questions, quoting Hadith, Tafseer, Matters pertaining to Fiqh and many others

Sites of Discourses Discources 1. Al-Saadiq’s Home 2. Masjid Al-Nabawi 3. Mecca during Haj

The Institute: To seek his knowledge To seek his knowledge people came hundreds or thousands of miles from: Kufa Basra Qum Yemen Syria Egypt and many more Many made their home in Medina for the sake of studying at Al-Saadiq’s hands

To seek his knowledge, they Hailed from:

The Institute: The Students Students became Muj’tahid مجتهد , many formed their own School of Thought (Madh’habs): Abu Hanifa Anas Ibn Malik Sufyan Al-Thawri Ibn Uyai’na Al-Awza’i Some of these Schools of Thought survived till today, other perished after 1-3 centuries, for lack of government support

The Institute: The Students The core were Shi’a, close, devotees, special They were the Special who wrote books, led discussions, argued, activists These were the activists who even practiced the methodology to argue and present their point of view Majority were not Shi'a, they were Aammah (general public): Some were scholarly whose teachings later formed Madh’habs, such as Abu Hanifa and Malik Others attended just to learn

Al-Maaliki about Al-Saadiq "I used to attend discourses given by Ja'far Al‑Saadiq, who most of the time had a cheerful look and serene countenance, but whenever the Prophet's (pbuh) name was mentioned his color would immediately change becoming pale in of awe Him. I frequently attended his discourses over a long period of time and often saw him either praying, fasting, or reading the Holy Quran. I never saw him talking about Allah's Messenger (pbuh) without him being in a state of Wudu. Al‑Saadiq never spoke about anything of no concern to him [meaning Al‑Saadiq did not engage in insignificant talk about others]. Al‑Saadiq was a pious and devout man, who donated himself to Allah. لقد كنت آتي جعفر بن محمد فكان كثير التبسُّم فإذا ذُكِر النبي (ص) تغير لونه، وقد اختلفتُ إليه زماناً فما كنتُ أراه إلا على إحدي ثلاث خِصال إما مصلياً وإما صائماً وإما يقرأ القرآن وما رأيتهُ يُحدِّثُ عن رسول الله إلا وهو على طهارة ولا يتكلم في ما لا يعنيه وكان من العباد الرهاد الذين يخشون الله

Training in the Art of Argument Al‑Saadiq would form groups to train in the art of argument.  Many of his students became famous and known for their convincing ways, such as: Hisham, Sufyan Al-Thauri, Ibn U'yainah, and Mu'min Al‑Taaq to name a few. Disputes often rose between different scholars and Imam Al‑Saadiq himself corrected them.  These scholars came from many countries to verify or make clear their course of thought. Some did it to show off, especially the Atheists (Zandeeqs). (Example:  Ibn Muqaf'fa and Ibn Aw'jaa.)  It is to the credit of Al‑Saadiq and his scholarly students that they were quite successful in steering many of these errant people back to authentic Islam.

The Institute at its Zenith During Al-Saadiq’s time, 4,000 Scholars attended his Discourses. These Scholars wrote 400 books The 400 books were written during his life and afterwards, up to 200H. The graph shows growth pattern

Of the 4,000 Al-Saadiq’s Students: Ibn Uqda إبن عقده and Najm Al-Deen in his book Al-Mu’tabar : المعتبر Names the 4,000 student-scholars who attended the institute Book (Al-Mu’tabar) was written at end of 2nd Century H Ibn Uqda was Shafi’i Sahih Bukhari quotes 70 of Al-Saadiq’s student-scholars Al-Sihaah Al-Sittah quote 300 of Al-Saadiq’s student-scholars Names of these students are in Book Al-Ghadeer, by Amini

The Institute of Ahlul Bayt Al-Saadiq: The Greatest Personality the 2nd Islamic Century Produced 4000 Scholars tutored The 400 Books of Usool Abu Hanifa and Malik ibn Anas Quranic Sciences and Tafseer Hadith and Ah’kaam Theological Logic, Philosophy, and other subjects

Al-Saadiq argued with men of Ideologies Ideology Their belief The Ghulaat Exaggerationists Khariji Deviators Murji'ah Postpone it to God Mu'tazila Theological Logic Jabriah Absolute Predestination believers Qadariyah Absolute Free‑will believers The Zandeeqs Agnostics

The Institute: SUBJECTS TAUGHT The Quran and its Tafseer Fiqh and Jurisprudence Hadith Philosophy Science of Kalaam Chemistry Biology The study of Arabic Language Seerah of the Prophet encouraged his students to write and author books for the benefit of others

Subjects Taught The Quran and its Tafseer Fiqh and Jurisprudence Science of Hadith Philosophy Science of Kalaam (Theological Logic) Chemistry Biology The study of Arabic Language Seerah of the Prophet encouraged his students to write and author books for the benefit of others

Books written by Al-Saadiq’s Students 400 books were written Called the Usool Al-Arba’mi’a الأصول الأربعمائه Were written during Al-Saadiq’s lifetime and throughout 50 years afterwards, up to 200H. Were the basis of Shi’a Hadith Collections Kaafi, الكافي Man La Yah’dhrhu al-Faqeeh من لا يحضره الفقيهetc.) Tah'dheeb Al-Ah'kaam تهذيب الأحكام Istib’sar الإستبصار , After Mongol invasion of Baghdad, we assume these books were destroyed Students like Hisham هشام wrote more than 20 books, and so did Ibn Taaq إبن الطاق

Classification of Fiqh, Warfare, Tradition of Muhammad Jurisprudence, (Al-Saadiq and the four Madh'habs, Asad Haidar, Vol. 2, Page 401.) Students of Al-Saadiq had written Meanings of the Quran, Book of Readings, 400 books of Usool, Classification of Fiqh, Warfare, Tradition of Muhammad Jurisprudence, Being a Judge, Tafseer, Al‑Tawhid, Imamah, Rebuttal of the Zandeeq (Disbelievers), Biography of the Prophet Knowledge and Comprehension, Science of Kalaam (Logic and philosophy), Rebuttal of Mu'tazila, Moral purity, among many other writings.

Al-Saadiq about Karbala Al-Saadiq stressed on people to: hold Majlis on the anniversary of Karbala, visit the tomb of Imam Al‑Husain, understand the endeavor of Imam Al‑Husain, and understand and emulate the works of Imam Al‑Husain. It is said that he himself visited the tomb of Ali and Al‑Husain, perhaps more than once.

Selections of Al-Saadiq’s Sayings Enjoining good and forbidding evil should be practiced with a faithful believer that he would learn a lesson, or an ignorant that he would earn. Enjoining good and forbidding evil become surely worthless when they are applied to the powerful tyrants. As some people showed ingratitude for Allah's graces, He changed the graces into crises. As other people showed steadfastness against the misfortunes that inflicted them, Allah changed the misfortunes into graces. An actual believer is that whose sexual appetite does not overcome him and whose stomach does not shame him. A twenty-year friendship is kinship. Favors should be done only to the highborn or the religious. Those who show gratitude are very few.

Selections of Al-Saadiq’s Sayings Imam al-Saadiq (AS) was asked about personality, he answered: Personality stands for what Allah should not see you in situations against which He warned, and miss you in situations of which He ordered. Thank him who did you favor, and confer upon him who thanked you. Graces that are shown gratitude will not be removed while those that are shown ingratitude will not persist. Thanks increase the graces and saves against dearth. To miss a need is better than asking it from other than its people. Bad mannerism in a misfortune is more catastrophic than the misfortune itself.

Selections of Al-Saadiq’s Sayings The (Faithful) believer should enjoy eight characters; he should be venerable in shaking situations, steadfast against misfortunes, thankful in luxury, satisfied with what Allah has decided to him, avoid oppressing the enemies, avoid over tasking the associates, should fatigue his body, and make people feel glad with him. As for those who practice without guidance, they are like him who walks without choosing a definite path. The more he walks, the remoter he becomes.

Selections of Al-Saadiq’s Sayings He who recognizes Allah accurately will fear Him. He who fears Allah accurately will disregard the sinful pleasures. The Divine Throne will be shaken when one makes Allah the witness of a false matter. Favor is well-known, except its reward, and nothing is better than doing favor. The most effective soldiers of Eblis are women and rage. The world is the believer's jail, patience is his fortress, and Paradise is his abode. The world is the disbeliever's paradise, grave is his jail, and Hell is his abode.

Selections of Al-Saadiq’s Sayings Whenever you see a servant of Allah pursuing people's flaws and neglecting his own flaws, you should then realize that he has been trapped (by the Shaitan). The server of food who thanks Allah for so doing will be rewarded just as those who fast just for gaining the rewards of Allah, and the individual who is cured and thanks Allah for curing him will be rewarded just as the diseased one who is steadfast against that disease (for the sake of Allah). You should not trust the betrayer after you had tested him and you should not accuse him whom you trusted. Fear of Allah is sufficient knowledge and deceit is sufficient ignorance.

Selections of Al-Saadiq’s Sayings Everything has its tax and the tax of knowledge is to teach it to people. Friendship is nil unless its limits are kept. He who does not keep these limits should not be regarded as friend. The first limit is that the inner self and the appearance should be identical. The second limit is that the friend should regard your goodness as his goodness and your evil as his evil. The third limit of friendship is that a position or fortunes should not change the friend's relation with his friends. The fourth limit is that the friend should not deprive his friend of anything that he is capable of doing. The fifth limit which is the most comprehensive is that the friend should never leave his friend alone in calamities.

Selections of Al-Saadiq’s Sayings There is no difference between depositing a trust with a betrayer or a negligent. You should regard him who became angry with you three times without addressing any bad saying to you as a true friend. The believer is strange in this world. He should not feel worry of its humility and should not compete with its people for gaining its honor. Allah surely disdains the oppressive wealthy man. Rage eliminates the intelligence of the wise. He who cannot control his rage will not be able to control his mind. The most effective soldiers of Eblis are women and rage.

Selections of Al-Saadiq’s Sayings Morals are of two forms: one is intent while the other is nature. Imam al-Saadiq (AS) was asked, "Which of them is better than the other?" He answered: The intentional morals are better than the natural, because the owner of natural morals cannot change them, while the owner of the intentional morals is preserving the acts of obedience (to Allah). The actual generous charitable individual is that who spends his wealth for fulfilling the rights of Allah. You should know that I will fulfill the trust of even the killer of Imam Ali if he deposits something with me or seeks my advice of consultation.

Selections of Al-Saadiq’s Sayings Allah gives the worldly pleasures to those whom He loves as well as those whom He dislikes, while He gives the faith only to whom He selects among the creatures. Bad-temperedness, bad humor, envy, obduracy, fabrication and oppression these six characters should never be in the believers behavior. The believer should live between two apprehensions: the past sin that he does not know what Allah will do about it, and the days ahead that he does not know what misfortunes he will encounter during them. Thus, the believer begins his day with apprehension and ends his day fearfully. Except for apprehension, nothing mends the believer.

Selections of Al-Saadiq’s Sayings If a believer leaves behind a sheet of paper on which some knowledge is written, this very sheet of paper will serve as a wall between him and the Hell and against each letter written on it, Allah will give him a city in a paradise seven times this world. If the sins of a believer were as much as the sand in the desert and the froth of the sea, Allah would forgive them all; but do not become bold (in sinning, mistaking His mercy for weakness). Daughters are advantages and sons are graces. You will be rewarded for the advantages and asked about the graces.

Ziyarah of Al‑Saadiq in Baqi’i السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَئِمَّةَ الْهُدَى السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ التَّقْوَى‏ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَيُّهَا الْحُجَجُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَيُّهَا الْقُوَّامُ فِي الْبَرِيَّةِ بِالْقِسْطِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الصَّفْوَةِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ آلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ النَّجْوَى‏ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكُمْ قَدْ بَلَّغْتُمْ وَنَصَحْتُمْ وَصَبَرْتُمْ فِي ذَاتِ اللَّهِ وَكُذِّبْتُمْ وَأُسِي‏ءَ إِلَيْكُمْ فَغَفَرْتُمْ‏ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّكُمُ الْأَئِمَّةُ الرَّاشِدُونَ الْمُهْتَدُونَ وَأَنَّ طَاعَتَكُمْ مَفْرُوضَةٌ وَأَنَّ قَوْلَكُمُ الصِّدْقُ‏ وَأَنَّكُمْ دَعَوْتُمْ فَلَمْ تُجَابُوا وَأَمَرْتُمْ فَلَمْ تُطَاعُوا ….

Ziyarah of Al‑Saadiq in Baqi’i Peace be upon you O Leaders of Guidance; Peace be upon you O Masters of Piety, Peace be upon you O Proofs of Allah on the people of the earth; Peace be upon you who were Steadfast in dealing with justice. Peace be upon you O people of the Chosen One. Peace be upon you the Family of the Prophet of Allah, Peace be upon you O people whose souls converse to the Almighty, I bear witness that you had Proclaimed and Advised and had Persevered for the sake of Allah And that you were belied and mistreated, yet you forgave And I bear witness that you are the rightly guided leaders; and that obedience to you is incumbent and that your speech is correct and you had invited to the Truth but were not answered and you commanded but were not followed……

Du’aa for Al‑Saadiq اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّادِقِ: خَازِنِ الْعِلْمِ الدَّاعِي إِلَيْكَ بِالْحَقِّ النُّورِ الْمُبِينِ اللَّهُمَّ وَكَمَا جَعَلْتَهُ مَعْدِنَ كَلاَمِكَ وَوَحْيِكَ وَخَازِنَ عِلْمِكَ وَلِسَانَ تَوْحِيدِكَ وَوَلِيَّ أَمْرِكَ وَمُسْتَحْفَظَ دِينِكَ‏ فَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِ أَفْضَلَ مَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْ أَصْفِيَائِكَ وَحُجَجِكَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيد

Du’aa for Al‑Saadiq O Allah! Bless Ja'far ibn Muhammad Al-Saadiq, the treasurer of knowledge, who called people unto Thee by Thy evident Truth and Light, O Lord! As Thou established him as the erudite to teach Thy words and Thy Revelation, to preserve Thy knowledge, and to make known Thy Oneness, to administer Thy commands, and to protect Thy Religion,  So, bless him, with more blessings than Thou had bestowed upon any of Thy close friends, and Thy demonstrators, verily You are most Praiseworthy and Mighty.

In Conclusion Al-Saadiq: Al-Saadiq is the father of most Madh’habs in Islam. Discussed in this Slide Show: The biggest authority in all Islamic sciences The Institute of Ahlul Bayt was at its highest 4000 scholars attended the Institute His Du’aas and Sayings are the guiding light He left a remarkable legacy and teachings

For Details Go to: Islamicbooks.info then choose: Series of Islamic Books: Life of Ahlul Bayt Vol. II

Thank you and May God Bless you. Be in Allah’s Care Thank you and May God Bless you. Dr. A.S. Hashim