Among the shaykhs of the followers of Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, his
special group (khassa), his inner circle and the trustworthy righteous legal
scholars, may God have mercy on them, who report the clear designation of the
Imamate by Abu Abd Allah Ja’fars peace be on him, for his son, Abu al- Hasan
Musa, peace be on him, are: al-Mufaddal ibn Umar al-Jufi, Mu'adh ibn Kathir, Abd
al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj, al-Fayd ibn al-Mukhtar, Yaqub al-Sarraj, Sulayman ibn
Khalid, Safwan al-Jammal, and others whom it would make the book too long to
mention.
(That designation) is also reported by his two brothers, Ishaq and Ali, sons of Ja’far, peace be on him. They were men of merit and piety and (therefore reliable witnesses) in so far as two such men did not differ on it.
[Musa al-Sayqal reported on the authority of al-Mufaddal ibn Umar al-Jufi, may God have mercy on him, who said:]
I (i.e. al-Mufaddal ibn Umar al-Jufi) was with Abu Abd Allah (Ja’far), peace be on him. Abu Ibrahim Musa, peace be on him, came in. He was still a boy. Abu Abd Allah Ja’far, peace be on him, said to him: “Indicate to those of your Companions whom you trust that the position of authority belongs to him Musa.”
[Thubayt reported on the authority of Muadh ibn Kathir, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah Ja'far:]
I (i.e. Muadh ibn Kathir) said to (Ja’far): “I ask God, Who provided your father with you for this position, to provide you with one of your offspring for the same position before your death.”
“God has done that,” he answered.
“May I be your ransom, who is it?” I asked.
He indicated al-Abd al-Sarh (the pious worshipper of God) (i.e. Musa) to me. He was asleep.
“This one who is sleeping,” he said. He was at that time a boy.
[Abu Ali al-Arrajani reported on the authority of Abd al Rahman ibn al Hajjaj, who said:]
I (i.e. Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj) visited Ja’far ibn Muhammad, peace be on them, in his house. He was in such-and-such a room in his house which he used as a prayer-room. He was praying there. On his right hand was Musa ibn Ja’far, peace be on them, following his prayer.
“May God make me your ransom,” I said, “you know how I have dedicated my life to you and (you know of) my service to you. Who is the master of the affair (wali al-amr) after you?”
He said: “Abd al-Rahman, Musa has put on the armour and it fitted him.”
“After that, I have no further need of anything,” I replied.
[Abd al-Ala reported on the authority of al-Fayd ibn al-Mukhtar, who said:]
I (i.e. al-Fayd ibn al-Mukhtar) said to Abu 'Abd Allah Ja'far, peace be on him: “Take my hand away from the fire (of Hell). Who is (the Imam) for us after you?”
Abu Ibrahim (Musa) entered - at that time he was a boy. Then (Ja’far) said: “This is your leader (sahib). Keep close to him.”
[Ibn Abi Najran reported on the authority of al-Mansur ibn Hazim, who said:]
I (i.e. al-Mansur ibn Hazim) said to Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be on him: “(May I ransom you) with my father and mother. There is a great coming and going among men about (the succession). Since that is so, who is it?”
“Since that is so,” replied Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be on him, “he is your leader.”
He tapped the right shoulder of Abu al-Hasan (Musa). He was at that time, as far as I know, about five years old. 'Abd Allah ibn Ja'far was sitting with us.
[Ibn Abi Najran reported on the authority of Isa ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Umar ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah Ja'far, peace be on him:]
I (i.e. 'Isa ibn Muhammad) asked (Ja'far): “If something happened - may God not make me see such a thing - who should I follow?”
(Ja'far) pointed to his son, Musa.
“If anything happened to Musa, who should I follow?” I asked.
“His son,” he replied.
“If anything happened to his son?”
“Then his son.”
“If something happened to him,” I went on, “and he left a big brother and a small son?”
“His son; it is always thus,” he answered.
[Al-Fadl reported on the authority of Tahir ibn Muhammad on the authority of Abu 'Abd Allah Ja'far, peace be on him:]'
I (i.e. Tahir ibn Muhammad) saw (Ja'far) blaming his son, 'Abd Allah, and warning him. He was saying: “What stops you from being like your brother? By God, I see the light in (Musa's) face.”
“Why is that?” asked 'Abd Allah. “Is not my father and his father one and the same? Is not my origin and his origin one and the same?”
“He is from my soul and you are my son,” replied Abu 'Abd Allah Ja'far, peace be on him.
[Muhammad ibn Sinan reported on the authority of Ya'qub al- Sarraj), who said:]
I (i.e. Yaqub al-Sarraj) visited Abu 'Abd Allah Ja’far, peace be on him. He was standing by the head of Abu al-Hasan, Musa, peace be on him, who was in the cradle. He began to play with him for a long time. I sat down until he had finished. Then I stood up before him. He told me: “Approach your master (mawla) and greet him.”
I went near him and greeted him and he replied to me eloquently. Then he told me*: “Go and change the name of your daughter which you gave her yesterday. For it is a name which God dislikes.”
A daughter had been born to me and I had named her al-Humayra'.
“Pay attention to the command which he gave you,” Abu Abd Allah Ja’far, peace be on him, told me. So I changed her name.
[Ibn Miskan reported on the authority of Sulayman ibn Khalid, who said:]
One day Abu Abd Allah Ja’far, peace be on him, called for Abu al-Hasan Musa while we were with him. He told us: “It is your duty (to follow) this man after me. By God, he is your leader after me.”
[Al-Washsha' reported on the authority of Ali ibn al-Husayn, on the authority of Safwan al-Jammal, who said:]”
I (i.e. Safwan; al-Jammal) asked Abu Abd Allah Ja’far, peace be on him, about the leader of this affair (sahib al-amr) (after him). He said: “The leader of this affair is one who does not fool and play.”
Abu al-Hasan Musa, peace be on him, approached. He was still small. He had a calf (destined) for Mecca and was saying to it:
“Prostrate yourself to your Lord.”
Abu Abd Allah Ja’far, peace be on him, took him by the hand and embraced him saying: “May I ransom with my father and mother (you) who do not fool and play.”
[Yaqub ibn Ja’far al-Jufi reported: Ishaq ibn Ja’far al-Sadiq, peace be on him, told us:]
One day I (i.e. Ishaq) was with my father (Ja’far) when Ali ibn Umar ibn 'Ali asked him: May I be your ransom, to whom shall we and the people turn after you?”
He answered: ' “To the owner of two yellow clothes and two locks of hair. He who is coming out of the door to you.”
We did not wait long before two (little) hands appeared pulling the two doors so that they opened. In before us came Abu Ibrahim Musa, peace be on him. He was still a boy and was wearing two yellow garments.
[Muhammad ibn al-Walid reported: I heard Ali ibn Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq, peace be on them, say:]
I (i.e. 'Ali ibn Ja’far) heard my father, Ja’far ibn Muhammad, peace be on them, say to a group of his close associates and followers:
“Treat my son, Musa, peace be on him, with kindness. He is the most meritorious (afdal) of my children and the one who will succeed after me. He is the one who will undertake (qa'im) my position. He is God's proof (hujja) to all His creatures after me.”
Ali ibn Ja’far remained firmly loyal to his brother Musa, peace be on him, devoted to him, and enthusiastic in taking the outlines of religion from him. He has a famous (book) Masa'il (questions) in which he relates the answers he heard from (Musa), peace be on him.
(That designation) is also reported by his two brothers, Ishaq and Ali, sons of Ja’far, peace be on him. They were men of merit and piety and (therefore reliable witnesses) in so far as two such men did not differ on it.
[Musa al-Sayqal reported on the authority of al-Mufaddal ibn Umar al-Jufi, may God have mercy on him, who said:]
I (i.e. al-Mufaddal ibn Umar al-Jufi) was with Abu Abd Allah (Ja’far), peace be on him. Abu Ibrahim Musa, peace be on him, came in. He was still a boy. Abu Abd Allah Ja’far, peace be on him, said to him: “Indicate to those of your Companions whom you trust that the position of authority belongs to him Musa.”
[Thubayt reported on the authority of Muadh ibn Kathir, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah Ja'far:]
I (i.e. Muadh ibn Kathir) said to (Ja’far): “I ask God, Who provided your father with you for this position, to provide you with one of your offspring for the same position before your death.”
“God has done that,” he answered.
“May I be your ransom, who is it?” I asked.
He indicated al-Abd al-Sarh (the pious worshipper of God) (i.e. Musa) to me. He was asleep.
“This one who is sleeping,” he said. He was at that time a boy.
[Abu Ali al-Arrajani reported on the authority of Abd al Rahman ibn al Hajjaj, who said:]
I (i.e. Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj) visited Ja’far ibn Muhammad, peace be on them, in his house. He was in such-and-such a room in his house which he used as a prayer-room. He was praying there. On his right hand was Musa ibn Ja’far, peace be on them, following his prayer.
“May God make me your ransom,” I said, “you know how I have dedicated my life to you and (you know of) my service to you. Who is the master of the affair (wali al-amr) after you?”
He said: “Abd al-Rahman, Musa has put on the armour and it fitted him.”
“After that, I have no further need of anything,” I replied.
[Abd al-Ala reported on the authority of al-Fayd ibn al-Mukhtar, who said:]
I (i.e. al-Fayd ibn al-Mukhtar) said to Abu 'Abd Allah Ja'far, peace be on him: “Take my hand away from the fire (of Hell). Who is (the Imam) for us after you?”
Abu Ibrahim (Musa) entered - at that time he was a boy. Then (Ja’far) said: “This is your leader (sahib). Keep close to him.”
[Ibn Abi Najran reported on the authority of al-Mansur ibn Hazim, who said:]
I (i.e. al-Mansur ibn Hazim) said to Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be on him: “(May I ransom you) with my father and mother. There is a great coming and going among men about (the succession). Since that is so, who is it?”
“Since that is so,” replied Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be on him, “he is your leader.”
He tapped the right shoulder of Abu al-Hasan (Musa). He was at that time, as far as I know, about five years old. 'Abd Allah ibn Ja'far was sitting with us.
[Ibn Abi Najran reported on the authority of Isa ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Umar ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah Ja'far, peace be on him:]
I (i.e. 'Isa ibn Muhammad) asked (Ja'far): “If something happened - may God not make me see such a thing - who should I follow?”
(Ja'far) pointed to his son, Musa.
“If anything happened to Musa, who should I follow?” I asked.
“His son,” he replied.
“If anything happened to his son?”
“Then his son.”
“If something happened to him,” I went on, “and he left a big brother and a small son?”
“His son; it is always thus,” he answered.
[Al-Fadl reported on the authority of Tahir ibn Muhammad on the authority of Abu 'Abd Allah Ja'far, peace be on him:]'
I (i.e. Tahir ibn Muhammad) saw (Ja'far) blaming his son, 'Abd Allah, and warning him. He was saying: “What stops you from being like your brother? By God, I see the light in (Musa's) face.”
“Why is that?” asked 'Abd Allah. “Is not my father and his father one and the same? Is not my origin and his origin one and the same?”
“He is from my soul and you are my son,” replied Abu 'Abd Allah Ja'far, peace be on him.
[Muhammad ibn Sinan reported on the authority of Ya'qub al- Sarraj), who said:]
I (i.e. Yaqub al-Sarraj) visited Abu 'Abd Allah Ja’far, peace be on him. He was standing by the head of Abu al-Hasan, Musa, peace be on him, who was in the cradle. He began to play with him for a long time. I sat down until he had finished. Then I stood up before him. He told me: “Approach your master (mawla) and greet him.”
I went near him and greeted him and he replied to me eloquently. Then he told me*: “Go and change the name of your daughter which you gave her yesterday. For it is a name which God dislikes.”
A daughter had been born to me and I had named her al-Humayra'.
“Pay attention to the command which he gave you,” Abu Abd Allah Ja’far, peace be on him, told me. So I changed her name.
[Ibn Miskan reported on the authority of Sulayman ibn Khalid, who said:]
One day Abu Abd Allah Ja’far, peace be on him, called for Abu al-Hasan Musa while we were with him. He told us: “It is your duty (to follow) this man after me. By God, he is your leader after me.”
[Al-Washsha' reported on the authority of Ali ibn al-Husayn, on the authority of Safwan al-Jammal, who said:]”
I (i.e. Safwan; al-Jammal) asked Abu Abd Allah Ja’far, peace be on him, about the leader of this affair (sahib al-amr) (after him). He said: “The leader of this affair is one who does not fool and play.”
Abu al-Hasan Musa, peace be on him, approached. He was still small. He had a calf (destined) for Mecca and was saying to it:
“Prostrate yourself to your Lord.”
Abu Abd Allah Ja’far, peace be on him, took him by the hand and embraced him saying: “May I ransom with my father and mother (you) who do not fool and play.”
[Yaqub ibn Ja’far al-Jufi reported: Ishaq ibn Ja’far al-Sadiq, peace be on him, told us:]
One day I (i.e. Ishaq) was with my father (Ja’far) when Ali ibn Umar ibn 'Ali asked him: May I be your ransom, to whom shall we and the people turn after you?”
He answered: ' “To the owner of two yellow clothes and two locks of hair. He who is coming out of the door to you.”
We did not wait long before two (little) hands appeared pulling the two doors so that they opened. In before us came Abu Ibrahim Musa, peace be on him. He was still a boy and was wearing two yellow garments.
[Muhammad ibn al-Walid reported: I heard Ali ibn Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq, peace be on them, say:]
I (i.e. 'Ali ibn Ja’far) heard my father, Ja’far ibn Muhammad, peace be on them, say to a group of his close associates and followers:
“Treat my son, Musa, peace be on him, with kindness. He is the most meritorious (afdal) of my children and the one who will succeed after me. He is the one who will undertake (qa'im) my position. He is God's proof (hujja) to all His creatures after me.”
Ali ibn Ja’far remained firmly loyal to his brother Musa, peace be on him, devoted to him, and enthusiastic in taking the outlines of religion from him. He has a famous (book) Masa'il (questions) in which he relates the answers he heard from (Musa), peace be on him.
