Ja'far al-Sadiq

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جعفر الصادق  (Arabic)

Jafar sadegh-23526254.png
Ja`far Ṣādiq with Moalla calligraphy
Religion Islam
Lineage Banu Hashim
Other names Ja'far ibn Muḥammad ibn `Ali
Born c. 702 CE
17 Rabi' al-awwal 83 AH[1]
Medina, Umayyad Empire
Died 765 CE
(15 Shawwal 148 AH)[2]
Medina, Abbasid Empire
Cause of death Alleged Poisoning by Al-Mansur
Resting place Jannatul Baqi, Saudi Arabia

Fatima bint al-Hussain'l-Athram

Hamīdah al-Barbariyyah[3]
Parents Muhammad al-Baqir
Farwah bint al-Qasim
Senior posting


Predecessor Muhammad al-Baqir

TwelversMusa al-Kadhim
Isma‘ilisIsma‘il ibn Ja‘far
AftahisAbdullah al-Aftah Shumattiyyah - Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq

Ali al-Uraidhi ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq

Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad al-Ṣādiq (Arabic: جعفر بن محمد الصادق‎‎; 700 or 702–765 C.E.), commonly known as Jaʿfar al-Sadiq or simply al-Sadiq (The Truthful), was the sixth Shia Imam and a major figure in the Hanafi and Maliki schools of Sunni jurisprudence.[5] He was a descendant of Ali on the side of his father, Muhammad al-Baqir, and of Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr on the side of his mother, Umm Farwah bint al-Qasim. Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr was raised by Ali, but was not his son.[6] Ali used to say: "Muhammad Ibn Abu Bakr is my son but from Abu Bakr's lineage".[7] Al-Sadiq is the 6th imam and recognized by all Shia sects as an Imam, and is revered in traditional Sunnism as a transmitter of Hadith, prominent jurist,[2] and mystic. Despite his wide-ranging attributions in a number religious disciplines, no works penned by Ja'far himself remain extant.[8]


In addition to his connection with Sunni schools of Sunni jurisprudence,[9] he was a significant figure in the formulation of Shia doctrine. The traditions recorded from al-Sadiq are said to be more numerous than all hadiths recorded from all other Shia imams combined.[10] As the founder of "Ja'fari jurisprudence", al-Sadiq also elaborated the doctrine of Nass (divinely inspired designation of each imam by the previous imam), and Ismah (the infallibility of the imams), as well as that of Taqiyyah.[11][12]

The question of succession after al-Sadiq's death was the cause of division among Shias who considered his eldest son, Isma'il (who had died before his father) to be the next imam, and those who believed his third son Musa al-Kadhim was the imam. The first group became known as the Ismailis and the second, larger, group was named Ja'fari or the Twelvers.[13][14]

Birth and early life[edit]

Ja'far al-Sadiq was born in Medina either in 80/699–700 or 83/703–704. On his father's side he was a great-great grandson of Ali, the first Shia imam. His mother, Farwah bint al-Qasim was a great-granddaughter of Abu Bakr. Al-Sadiq was the first of the Shia imams to be descended from both Abu Bakr, the first ruler of the Rashidun Caliphate, and Ali, the first Shia imam. However, shias believed that the previous caliphs, by taking over control of the Islamic Empire, had unlawfully unseated Ali, who was the rightful heir to the caliphate.[15] During the first fourteen years of his life he lived alongside his grandfather Zayn al-Abedin, and witnessed the latter's withdrawal from politics. He also noted the respect that the famous jurists of Medina held toward Zayn al-Abedin in spite of his few followers.[16][17]



Al-Sadiq was thirty-four or thirty-seven when he inherited the position of Imamah or imamate upon the death of his father Muhammad al-Baqir. He held the imamate for 28 years, longer than any other Shia imam.[17] His Imamate was a crucial period in Islamic history for both political and doctrinal areas. Prior to al-Sadiq, the majority of Shias had preferred the revolutionary politics of Zaid (al-Sadiq's uncle) to the mystical quietism of al-Sadiq's father and grandfather.[2][17] Zaid had claimed that the position of an imam was conditional on his appearing publicly to claim his rights.[18][19] Al-Sadiq, on the other hand, elaborated the doctrine of Imamate, which says "Imamate is not a matter of human choice or self-assertion," but that each imam possesses a unique Ilm (knowledge) which qualifies him for the position. This knowledge was passed down from the prophet Muhammad through the line of Ali's immediate descendants. The doctrine of Nass or "divinely inspired designation of each imam by the previous imam", therefore, was completed by al-Sadiq.[a] In spite of being designated as the Imam, al-Sadiq would not lay claim to the Caliphate during his lifetime.[14][19]

Under the Umayyad rulers[edit]

Al-Sadiq's Imamate extended over the latter half of the Umayyad Caliphate, which was marked by many revolts (mostly by Shia movements), and eventually the violent overthrow of the Umayyad Caliphate by the Abbasids, decedents of Muhammad's uncle, Abbas. Al-Sadiq maintained his father's policy of quietism, and played no part in the numerous rebellions. He stayed out of the uprising of Zaydits who gathered around al-Sadiq's uncle, Zayd, who had the support Mu'tazilites and the traditionalists of Medina and Kufa.[17] Al-Sadiq also did not support the rebellion led by his cousin, Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya who was inspired by Kaysanites.[17] Al-Sadiq played no part in the Abbassid rebellion against the Umayyads.[2] His response to a message requesting help from Abu Muslim, the Khorasani leader of an uprising against the Umayyads, became famous. Al-Sadiq asked for a lamp and burned Abu Muslim's letter, saying to the envoy who brought it, "Tell your master what you have seen."[18] In burning Abû Muslim's letter he had also said, "This man is not one of my men, this time is not mine."[20] Al-Sadiq also evaded requests for assistance to other claims to the throne, without advancing his own claims. He had said that even though he, as the designated imam, was the true leader of the Ummah, he would not press his claim to the caliphate.[14] This conscious position of neutrality was likely why Ja'far was tolerated by the Umayyad court for so long.[21] This position also gave rise to the legal precedent of Taqiyyah.[21]

Under the Abbasid rulers[edit]

The end of the Umayyad dynasty and beginning of the Abbasid was a period during which central authority was weak, allowing al-Sadiq to teach freely in a school which trained about four thousands students. A school of this size was unusual for religious teachers at this time.[22] Among these were Abū Ḥanīfa and Malik ibn Anas, founder of two major Sunni schools of law, the Hanafiyah and the Malikiyah.[23][24][25] Wasil ibn Ata, founder of Mu`tazila school, was also among his pupils. After the Abbasid revolution had overthrown the Umayyad caliphate, it turned against Shia groups who had previously been its allies against the Umayyads. The new Abbasid rulers, who had risen to power on the basis of their descent from Muhammad's uncle Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, were suspicious of al-Sadiq, because Shias had always believed that leadership of the Ummah was a position issued by divine order, and which was given to each imam by the previous imam. In addition, al-Sadiq had a large following, both among scholars and among those who believed him to be the imam.[13] During rule of Al-Mansur, al-Sadiq was summoned to Baghdad along with some other prominent men from Medina in order for the Caliph to keep a close watch on them. Al-Sadiq, however, asked the Caliph to excuse him from going there by reciting a hadith which said that "the man who goes away to make a living will achieve his purpose, but he who sticks to his family will prolong his life."[18] al-Mansur reportedly accepted his request. After the defeat and death of his cousin Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya in 762, however, al-Sadiq thought it advisable to obey al-Mansur's summons. After a short stay in Baghdad, however, he convinced the Caliph that he was not a threat, and was allowed to return to Medina.[2][11]

Toward the end of his life, he was subject to some harassment by the Abbasid caliphs. The governor of Medina was instructed by the Caliph to burn down his house, an event which reportedly did al-Sadiq no harm.[b][18] To cut his ties with his followers, al-Sadiq was also watched closely and occasionally imprisoned.[13] Through these trials, Al-sadiq appears to have continued his scholarship and remained an influential teacher in his native Medina and beyond. [21]

Family life[edit]

Al-Sadiq married Fatimah Al-Hasan, a descendant of Al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, with whom he had two sons, Isma'il ibn Jafar (the Ismaili sixth Imām) and Abdullah al-Aftah. Following his wife's death, al-Sadiq purchased a Berbery or Andalusian slave named Hamidah Khātūn (Arabic: حميدة خاتون‎), freed her, trained her as an Islamic scholar, and then married her. She bore him two more sons; Musa al-Kadhim (the seventh Twelver imam), and Muhammad al-Dibaj. She was revered by the Shias, especially by women, for her wisdom. She was known as Hamidah the Pure. Ja'far al-Sadiq used to send women to learn the tenets of Islam from her, said that "Hamidah is pure from every impurity like the ingot of pure gold."[26]

Imam Ja‘far also had a son called 'Is-haq', who reportedly married Sayyidah Nafisah bint Al-Hasan. Nafisah was a descendant of Al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, and teacher of Sunni Imam Ash-Shafi‘i.[27][28][29]


The historical tomb of Al-Baqi' was destroyed in 1926. Ja'far al-Sadiq was one of four Shia imams buried here.

Al-Sadiq was arrested several times by Umayyad and Abbasid caliphs Hisham, Saffah, and Mansur. He was particularly seen as a threat by the newly minted Abbasids who felt challenge by his strong claim to the title of caliph[21] When he died in 148/765 at the age of 64 or 65, many Shi'i sources suspected that he was poisoned at the behest of Mansur. Al-sadiq's death lead to uncertainty about the succession of the Imamate.[2][10] He was buried in Medina, in the famous Jannatul Baqee cemetery, and his tomb was a place of pilgrimage until 1926. It was then that the Wahhabis conquered Medina for the second time and razed the tomb, along with all other prominent Islamic shrines, with the exception of that of the prophet Muhammad.[30]



The Shia group had begun to split during the lifetime of al-Sadiq, when his eldest son Isma'il ibn Jafar predeceased him. His death occurred in the presence of many witnesses.[10] After the death of Ja'far al-Sadiq, his following fractured further, with the larger group, who came to be known as the Twelvers, following his younger son Musa al-Kadhim. Another group believed instead that Isma'il had been designated as the next imam, and that since he had predeceased his father, the imamate had passed to Isma'il's son Muhammad ibn Ismail and his descendants. This latter group became known as the Isma'ilis. Some Isma'ilis believe that Isma'il had not actually died, but would reappear as Mahdi, the rejuvenator of Islam in the Shia doctrine.

Still other groups accepted either Abdullah al-Aftah or Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq (Al-Dibaj), both sons of the Ja'far al-Sadiq, as the imam. A final group believed that al-Sadiq had been the last imam, and that the lineage had not continued.


No major divisions occurred in Shiaism from the eighth to the twelfth imam, whom the majority of the Shia (Twelvers) considered to be Muhammad al-Mahdi. Among the sects which separated from the majority, only Zaidiyyah and Ismaili continue to exist today.[2][10][11][13][14][19][31]

Religious views[edit]

Al-Sadiq religious views are recorded as authority in the writing of number of contradictory positions. The use of his name as an authority within the Sufi, scientific, Sunni legal, Ismaili and extremist writings shows his importance as a figure within the development of early Muslim thought.[8] According to Ya'qubi it was customary for anyone who wanted to relate a tradition from him to say "the Learned One informed us". Malik ibn Anas, when quoting anything from al-Sadiq, would say "The Thiqa (truthful) Ja'far b. Muhammad himself told me that…" the same is reported from Abu Hanifa.[13][17] The works attributed to him may be of dubious authenticity, but they do establish his name at least as indicating a mastery of learning generally, and the Islamic sciences in particular.[8] Though most groups wished to recruit al-Sadiq's legacy for their own cause, the most extensive source for his teachings is to be found within the imami Shia tradition. For Twelver Shias Ja'far al-Ṣadiq is the sixth imam who established the Shiism as serious intellectual force in the late Umayyad and early Abbasid periods.[8] According to Tabatabai the number of traditions left behind by al-Sadiq and his father were more than all the hadiths recorded from Muhammad and all the other Shia imams combined.[10] Shia thought starting with Sayyid Haydar Amuli, and leading to Safavid philosophers like Mir Damad, Mulla Sadra and Qazi Sa’id Qumi continuing to the present day is based on Shia imam's tradition specially al-Sadiq.[12]

Ja'fari school of law[edit]

Shia jurisprudence became known as Ja'fari jurisprudence after Ja'far al-Sadiq, whose legal dicta were the most important source of Shia law. Like Sunni law, Ja'fari jurisprudence is based on the Quran and the Hadith, and also based on the consensus (Ijma). Unlike the Sunnis, Shias give more weight to reasoning ('Aql), while Sunnis only allow for a kind of analogical reasoning (Qiyas).[19][8][32] Al-Sadiq is presented as one who denounces personal opinion (Raʾy) and analogical reasoning (qiās) of his contemporaries arguing that God’s law is occasional and unpredictable, and that the servants' duty is not to embark on reasoning in order to discover the law, but to submit to the inscrutable will of God as revealed by the imam.[8] In his book Maqbula Omar ibn Ḥanẓala (who was a disciple of al-Sadiq) asks the imam how legal disputes within the community should be solved, and whether one should take such cases to the ruler (Sultan) and his judges. Ja'far al-Sadiq replies in the negative saying that those who take their disputes to the rulers and their judges get only soḥt (unlawful decision). Instead al-Sadiq recommends an unofficial system of justice for the community, and that the disputants should turn to "those who relate our [i.e., the imams'] Hadiths". The reason for this is that the imams have "made such a one a judge (ḥākem) over you."[8]

Importance in Sufism[edit]

See Also: Encyclopedia Iranica: JAʿFAR AL-ṢĀDEQ iii. And Sufism [1]

Ja'far Al-Sadiq holds a special prominence among Sufi orders due to his claimed connections to some of Sufism's earliest theologians. He is elevated as an individual of great spiritual knowledge ('ilm) in many early works of Sufi literature, such as those by Abu Bakr Kalābāḏi (d. 380/990) or later in the writings of Sufi poet Abū Ḥamīd bin Abū Bakr Ibrāhīm Aṭṭār (d. 618/1221).[22] 'Attar claims that Ja'far, more than the other Imams, was a spiritual forebear to Sufism when he says he, "spoke more than the other imams concerning the Path (ṭariqat).”[33] 'Attar's attributed sayings of Al-Sadiq are full of Sufi specific terminology such as "He had passed away (fa'na: figuratively refers to the death of the ego)"[33][31] and "window into the heart."[33] It is suspicious that these terms are absent from older collections of sayings attributed to Ja'far.[22] It is also worth noting that some historical jurists and authors, such as Moqaddas Ardabili (d. 993/1585), saw Sufi claims of relation to al-Sadiq as a fabricated tie created to lend historical justification to the Sufis[34]

While is as apparent in these writings that Ja'far al-sadiq was regarded as a founding figure in Sufism, the historical situation is more difficult to ascertain. Given his large following and established school (madrasa), he almost certainly was a teacher to "proto-sufis."[22] Perhaps, as claimed by 'Attar, this included Abu Noʿaym, Sofyān Ṯawri (d 161/776), a well known jurist and ascetic in his time.[33] It is through Sofyan that one of the most repeated attributions to Ja'far's character reportedly comes. 'Attar relates:

"Sadiq was seen wearing a precious robe of silk. They said,'Son of the Prophet of God, this is not in accord with the life of your holy family.' He took that man by the hand and drew it into his sleeve which was clad in coarse lint so that his hand was pricked. Sadiq said ‘This is for God and this is for men'[33]"

This verse shows us that Ja'far was viewed by Sufi sources as processing a humbleness and inner piety that was a cornerstone of malamatiyya thought. The malamatiyya were closely associated with the Sufis, and these two mystical traditions had, in many ways, been blended by the time of 'Attar.[22] Whether these stories are any most than myth crafted by later generations is not something that can be conclusively determined. What can be said is that Sufi teachers often traced the source of their knowledge back to the teaching of Al-Sadiq and that perceived content of these teaching remain relevant to Sufi practice today[31]





"Ketāb al-jafr", an early mystical commentary on the Quran (Tafsir), is also attributed to al-Sadiq.[13][8] According to Ibn Khaldun, it was originally written on the skin of a young bull, allowing the imam to reveal the hidden meaning of the Quran.[35] al-Sadiq is said to have proposed a fourfold model of Quran interpretation. He said that "The Book of God comprises four things: the statement set down, the implied purport, the hidden meanings, relating to the supra-sensible world, and the exalted spiritual doctrines." He said that the plain meanings were for the common people; the hidden meanings for the elite; the implied meanings for the "friends of god;" and the "exalted spiritual doctrines" were the "province of the prophets."[31] He stated that Hadith, or traditional sayings of the Prophet, should be rejected if they contradicted the Quran.[11]

Doctrine of Taqiyyah[edit]

Al-Sadiq adopted Taqiyyah as a defensive tool against the violence and threats that were directed against him and the Shias.[2][19] Taqiyya was a form of religious dissimulation,[36] or a legal dispensation whereby a believing individual can deny their faith while they are in fear or at risk of significant persecution.[37] In other words, Taqiyya says that it is acceptable to hide one's true opinions if by revealing them, one puts oneself or others in danger.[13] The doctrine was developed by al-Sadiq, and served to protect the Shias when Al-Mansur, the Abbasid caliph, conducted a brutal and oppressive campaign against Alids and their supporters.[36] According to Moezzi, in the early sources Taqiyya means "the keeping or safeguarding of the secrets of the Imams' teaching." "Divergence of traditions" is, therefore, sometimes justified by Shia imams as a result of the need for using Taqiyya. "He who is certain that we [the imams] proclaim only the truth (Al-Haqq), may he be satisfied with our teaching," asserts al-Sadiq; "and if he hears us say something contradictory to what he heard earlier, he should know that we are acting only in his own interest."[20] Practicing Taqiyya also had an esoteric significance for those who believed that their teachings should not be comprehensible to ordinary Ulama, and so hid their more profound teachings.[14]


According to Haywood half a dozen religious works bear al-Sadiq's name as author, though none of them can be firmly described as being written by al-Ṣadiq. It is probable that al-Sadiq was an author who left the writing to his students. The alchemist, Geber, for example, suggested that some of his works are "little more than records of Jaʿfar's teaching or summaries of hundreds of monographs written by him."[11][18][19][35] Ja'far Al-Sadiq is also cited in a wide range of historical sources, including al-Tabari, al-Yaqubi and Al-Masudi. Al-Dhahabi recognizes his contribution to Sunni tradition and Isma'ili scholars such as Qadi al-Nu'man[38] recorded his traditions in their work.[39]

Ketāb al-jafr is a commentary on the Quran which, according to Ibn Khaldun, was first written on the skin of a young bull, which allowed al-Sadiq to reveal the hidden meaning of the Quran.[35] Various versions of his will, and a number of collections of legal dicta, are attributed to him as well. There are many reports attributed to him in the early Shia Hadith collections such as Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni's Kitab al-Kafi, where they are featured as central sources of Imami doctrine.[2] "Al-haft wa'l-aẓella" and "Ketāb al-ṣerāṭ" which are containing "secret revelations" to Mofażżal are also attributed to al-Sadiq, and had an important role in the elaboration of the esoteric doctrine of the Nosayris, for whom al-Ṣadiq is an influential figure.[2]

Selected quotations[edit]

  • "The most perfect of men in intellect is the best of them in ethics."[40]
  • "Whoever attacks a matter without knowledge cuts off his own nose."[40]
  • "To forbid generosity is mistrust in Allah."[40]
  • "The richest riche is he who is not captive for greed."[40]
  • "Verily, envy eats belief as fire eats wood."[40]
  • "He who answers all that he is asked, surely is mad."[40]
  • "Allah Almighty has said: people are dear to me like family. Therefore, the best of them is the one who is nicer to others and does his best to resolve their needs."[41]
  • "One of the deeds Allah Almighty appreciates the most is making his pious servants happy. This can be done through fulfilling their hunger, sweeping away their sorrows, or paying off their debts."[42]

His descendants according to Ismā'īlī Imāmah doctrine[edit]

Jāʿfar al-Sādiq (Imamāh‘Shi'ā)
Fatima bint al-Hussain'l-Athram
Mahdi Billāh
Fatimids (Ismailism)
Nizār al-Muṣṭafá (Nizārīyyah)
Al-Mustā‘lī (Mustā‘līyyah)
Alamut Castle (Hassasins)
Al-Hāfeez (Ḥāfīzīyyah)
Aṭ-Ṭāyyīb (Ṭāyyībīyyah)
Nizārī Imāmah
Taiyabi Dā'ĩs
Nizārī Ismāilism
Dawoodi Dā'ĩs

See also[edit]




  1. ^ Gleaves, Robert. "JAʿFAR AL-ṢĀDEQ i. Life". Encyclopedia Iranica. Retrieved 2015.  Check date values in: |accessdate= (help) According to Gleaves, most sources give 702 as the year of his birth, but there are some which give 699 and others which give 705.
  5. ^ Dissent on Core Beliefs: Religious and Secular Perspectives, Cambridge University Press, 2015, p. 142 
  6. ^ علامه مجلسی. بحارالانوار. 47. p. 5. 
  7. ^ ابن ابی الحدید. شرح نهج البلاغه. 6. p. 53. 
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Gleaves, Robert. "JAʿFAR AL-ṢĀDEQ ii. Teachings". Encyclopedia Iranica. Retrieved 2015.  Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  9. ^ Abdullah Anik Misra. "Was Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq Sunni or Shi'i?". Islamqa.org. Retrieved 18 May 2018. 
  11. ^ a b c d e f Haywood, John A. "Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2015.  Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  14. ^ a b c d e Armstrong, Karen (2002). Islam, A Short History. Modern Library; Rev Upd Su edition. pp. 56–57, 66. ISBN 978-0812966183. 
  15. ^ بلاذری, احمد بن یحیی. انساب الاشراف. 2. مؤسسه الاعلمی ‌‌للمطبوعات. p. 394. 
  21. ^ a b c d -1022., Mufīd, Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad, (1981). The book of guidance into the lives of the twelve imams = Kitāb al-irshād. Howard, I. K. A. (1st ed ed.). Elmhurst, N.Y.: Tahrike Tarsile Qurʼan. ISBN 9780940368125. OCLC 9893374. 
  22. ^ a b c d e John B. Taylor, “Jaʿfar al-Sādiq, Spiritual Forebear of the Sufis,” Islamic Culture40/2, April 1966, pp. 97-113.
  27. ^ "Nafisa at-Tahira". www.sunnah.org. 
  28. ^ Zayn Kassam and Bridget Blomfield "Remembering Fatima and Zaynab: Gender in Perspective", in "The Shi'i World", edited by Farhad Daftory. I.B Tauris Press 2015
  33. ^ a b c d e 'Attar, Farid Al-din (1966). Nicholson, ed. Tadhkirat al-Auiiya. Translated by Arberry. London: Routledge. 
  34. ^ electricpulp.com. "JAʿFAR AL-ṢĀDEQ iii. And Sufism – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 2018-04-16. 
  40. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l al-Husayn al-Muzaffar, Mohammed (1998). Imam Al-Sadiq. Translated by Jasim al-Rasheed. Qum: Ansariyan Publications. pp. 165–166, 230–247. ISBN 964-438-011-8. 

Further reading[edit]

  • Muhammed Al-Husain Al-Mudaffar, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq.
  • Sayyid Mahdi as-Sadr, THE AHLUL-BAYT Ethical Role-Models.
  • Mohammad Hussein il Adeeb, The Brief History of the Fourteen Infallibales.
  • Fahd, Toufic (1968), "Ğa'far aṣ-Ṣâdiq et la Tradition Scientifique Arabe [Ja'far aṣ-Ṣâdiq and the Arabic Scientific Tradition]", in Fahd, Toufic, Le Shî'isme Imâmite. Colloque de Strasbourg (6–9 mai 1968) (in French), Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, pp. 131–142 

External links[edit]

Ja'far al-Sadiq
of the Ahl al-Bayt
Clan of the Quraysh
Born: 17 Rabī‘ al-Awwal 83 AH 24 April 702 CE Died: 15th Shawwāl 148 AH 8 December 765 CE
Shia Islam titles
Preceded by
Muhammad al-Baqir
6th Imam of Shia Islam
Succeeded by
Musa al-Kadhim
Twelver successor
Succeeded by
Isma'il ibn Jafar
Ismaili successor
Succeeded by
Abdullah al-Aftah
Fathite successor