Day: November 21, 2022

Prayer and Worship

Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq was known for his worship, prayer, selfcontrol and spiritual practices. Imam Malik describes that he used to be in Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq’s services for a particular period wherein he always found him to be in three types of states, either he was involved in prayer or recitation of holy book or was observing fasts. He never talked about Hadiths without ablution. (Tazkirat-ul-Auliya and Auliya Rijat-ul-Hadith)

The truthfulness of his Words and Effect of his Prayers Hazrat Imam Jafar’s prayers and words were so much effective and powerful that whenever he raised his holy hands for anything and prayed, “O’ my Allah, I need a particular thing or situation,” before the prayer was over, the objects of prayer were presented before him.

wat we Abul Qasim Tibri quotes Ibn-e-Vahab and says, “I have heard Lesh Ibn-eSa’ad saying that during Hijri 113 I went walking for Hajj to Mecca Muazzama. When I reached to Jabal Bu Qais at the time of evening prayer (Asar), I saw an old man sitting and begging from Allah. He recited Ya Rab; Ya Rab for so many times that even his breathing was obstructed. After that, in the same way, he recited, Ya Hayyi, Ya Hayyi, then, Ya Rabbah, Ya Rabbah,then Ya Allah, Ya Allah, and then YaRahman, Ya Rahman, then, Ya Rahim, Ya Rahim, went on saying, YaArrhmur ra’ahimin. Then he said, ‘O Allah, I want to eat grapes. Kindly give me that. My covering sheet also is old; kindly give me a new one.” “Lesh says, “On Allah, Almighty’s oath I say. No sooner did his prayer finish than I saw a basket full of grapes. In fact, it was not a season of grapes, nor could I see there anyone, who would have handed it over to him. Besides, two covering sheets too were kept there. I never saw such nice sheets before that. After that, he started eating grapes.” I said, “Huzur, shall I join in eating?” He said, “Why and how?” I said, “When you were praying, I was saying ‘Ameen’.” He said, “Alright, come nearer and eat.” I went a little ahead and started eating the grapes. They were so delicious that till the day, I never ate such grapes. I ate so much of grapes that my hunger was satisfied. But! The basket was full of grapes. He told me, “Do not spare it for another time nor hide it anywhere for the future.” He also gave me one sheet. I said, “I do not need it.” Then he tied one sheet as trouser and with another one, covered his body. He held both the old sheets in his hands and went ahead. I also followed him. When he reached near Safa’a and Marva’ah, there came a beggar (Fakir) saying, “O’ Bin Rasuallah, please give me these sheets. Allah will give you the Divine Dress.” He gave both the sheets to him. I went to that Fakir and asked him who he was. He said, “He is Hazrat Jafar Sadiq-binMuhammad.” I then tried to find him out with a view to getting some blessings, but he was not to be seen at all.” (Masalik-ul-Salikin)

Precious Costumes

In the same way once, it so happened that people saw him wearing a very costly and attractive dress. One man asked him, “O’ Ibn-e-Rasulallah, does such an expensive and lustrous dress suit to the descendant of the holy prophet’s family member?” On hearing this, he pulled the man’s hand, entered it into his sleeve and asked him to feel. The man realized that as under, there was a dress made up of rough material. Then he said, “The external dress is for the world while the inner one is for the Master (Allah).” (Tazkirat-ul-Auliya and Masalik-ul-Salikin)

Firm preparedness for the total Selfness and Sacrifice

Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq was the divine light and lamp-post of the prophethood. The history is full of virtuous life’s descriptions and episodes of his generosity. Just one episode is enough to show how Allah, the Almighty, was kind towards him to bestow the divine thoughts and life upon him.

The story goes like this. A person lost his bag full of Dinars. He, being a great fool, told Hazrat Imam Jafar, “You have stolen my bag.” He did not recognize Hazrat Imam Jafar and without any proof, convicted him. He asked him, “What was the amount in your bag?” He said, “One thousand Dinars.” He took him to his house and gave him his amount. On the following day, he found his lost bag. He came running to Hazrat, repented and, returning the amount, begged for forgiveness. Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq said, “Now this is yours, because, we do not accept the money, once given to anybody.” Then he inquired of the people who he was. They said, “He is Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq.” When he came to know this, he was very much abashed.

(Tazkirat-ul-Auliya or Masalik-ul-Salikin)

THE HELPER OF THE WEAK AND INDIGENT

Arabia, in the seventh century, was a tribal society where the rich and powerful devoured the weak. There was no recourse for the weak and indigent to redress the wrong done to them by the elites. However, the Prophet Muhammadﷺ educated the Arabs to change their behaviour in their treatment of the weaker members of society. He said: “Shall I not inform you of the inhabitants of Paradise? Every humble person who is considered weak that if he were to swear an oath by God, God would fulfil it on his behalf. And shall I not inform you of the denizens of the Hellfire? They include every callous, quarrelsome and self-conceited person.”

The esteemed Prophet ﷺ said: changed the perception of people in how they viewed the poor and needy in society. He “God only gives aid to this community of Muslims by virtue of its weak ones. ” The Prophetﷺ stood by the poor and indigent and spoke of their lofty status in the sight of God saying, “Look for me among your weak ones, for it is only by their virtue that you are granted provision and support.*³ He encouraged his followers to honour them and to treat them with dignity, saying: “Love the poor and sit with them.”*



* Set forth by al-Bukhärī in al-Ṣaḥīḥ, 5:2255 S5723. ▪Muslim in al Sahih, 4:2190 $2853.

¹ Set forth by al-Bukhari in al-Sahih, 6:1061 $2739. al-Nasa’t al-Sunan, 6:45 $3179; & in al-Sunan al-Kubra, 3:345 $6181. 3 Set forth by Abu Dawad in al-Sunan, 3:32 $2594. al-Tirmidhi in al-Sunan, 4:206 $1702.*Set forth by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak, 4:368 $7947. al-Mundhirt in al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, 4:67 $4827.