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By researching into the words of the scholars of the Ahl al-Sunnah, we find that Imam Ṣādiq (‘a) was highly respected by them. We will list some of their words below in regards to the Imam (‘a):
1- Abū ‘Uthmān ‘Amr ibn Baḥr Jāḥiẓ (d. 250 H.Q.): Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad is someone whose knowledge and jurisprudence is extremely comprehensive and it is said that Abū Ḥanīfah and Sufyān Thawrī were from his students…[1]
2- Muḥammad ibn Idrīs, also known as Abū Ḥātam Rāzī (d. 277): Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad is ‘Thiqqah’ (trustworthy) and it is not necessary to do research about him.
3- Muḥammad ibn Ḥibbān ibn Aḥmad, also known as Abū Ḥātam Tamīmī Bastī (d. 354): Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad ibn ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (May God be pleased with them all); his Kunya was Abū ‘Abdillah. He would narrate (traditions) from his father. He is from the masters of the Ahl Bayt in jurisprudence, knowledge, and virtue. Thawrī, Mālik, Shu‘bah, and others would narrate from him…[2]
4- ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Uday Jurjānī (d. 365): Ja‘far (‘a) was from the Thiqqāh (those who were trustworthy in narrating tradition) just as Yaḥyā ibn MuÞīn has said.[3]
5- Abū ‘Abd al-Raḥmān Salmī (d. 412): He has narrated the following in his book Ṭabaqāt Mashāyikh al-ṢūfīyahÞ: Ja‘far Ṣādiq (‘a) was the best of all his contemporaries from amongst the Ahl al-Bayt. He possessed great knowledge in religion, he abstained from the worldly things, he restrained himself from the desires, and he possessed great wisdom.[4]
6- Abū al-Fatḥ Muḥammad ibn ‘Abd al-Karīm Shahristānī (d. 548): Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad Ṣādiq possessed great knowledge and a high level of wisdom. He refrained completely from worldly desires. He lived for a period of time in Medina, where his followers greatly benefitted (from his teachings)…[5]
7- Jamāl al-Dīn Abū Faraj ibn Jawzī (d. 597): Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad ibn ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib; (his kunya was) Abū ‘Abdillah Ja‘far Ṣādiq… He was a knowledgeable man, an ascetic, and a pious worshipper…[6]
8- Abū Sa‘ad ‘Abd al-Karīm Sam‘ānī (d. 562): He was called Ṣādiq due to his truthfulness when he spoke.[7]
9- ‘Izz al-Dīn ibn Athīr Jazarī (d. 630): He was called Ṣādiq due the truthfulness of his words and actions… and his excellent qualities are famously known.[8]
10- Muḥammad ibn Ṭalḥah Shāfi‘ī (d. 652): Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad (‘a) was from the notables of the Ahl al-Bayt and he was their master. He possessed great knowledge, and he spent his time in worship and the continuous remembrance of God (dhikr). He was known for his asceticism and recitation. He had studied the meanings of the Quran deeply and was capable of deducing the message of the verses and their subtle points.[9]
11- Ibn Abī al-Ḥadīd Mu‘tazalī (d. 655): He has said the following about Imam Bāqir (‘a): He was the master of the jurisprudents of Ḥijāz. The people learned jurisprudence from him and his son Ja‘far.[10]
12- Abū al-‘Abbās Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Ibrāhīm ibn Abū Bakr ibn Khalikān (d. 681): He is from the Ahl al-Bayt and he is called Ṣādiq due to the truthfulness of his words. His virtues are so well known that there is no need to mention them…[11]
13- Ibn Ṣabbāgh Mālikī (d. 855): Ja‘far Ṣādiq was the successor of his father amongst all of his brothers… Abū Ja‘far (Imam Bāqir (‘a)) gave him his will and passed on the Imamate to him… His virtues are beyond what can be counted.[12]
14- ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn Muḥammad Ḥanafī Basṭāmī (d. 858): Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad was an individual whom the scholars would gather at his doorsteps and the chosen ones of this nation would benefit from his light. He would speak about hidden secrets and knowledge while he was only seven years old.[13]
15- Aḥmad ibn ‘Abdullah Khazrajī (d. after the year 923): Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad ibn ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib Hāshimī (Abū ‘Abdillah) was one of the great ones of this Ummah… A great number of individuals (so many that they cannot all be listed) narrated traditions from him…[14]
16- Shams al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn Ṭūlūn (d. 953): He was from the masters of the Ahl al-Bayt. He was called Ṣādiq due to the truthfulness of his words. His virtues are so well known that there is no need to mention it here…[15]
17- Aḥmad ibn Ḥijr Haytamī (d. 974): So much knowledge has been narrated from him that caravans have been put into motion for this and he is well known throughout the nation.[16]
18- Shaykh MuÞmin ibn Ḥasan Shabalanjī (d. after 1083): His virtues are so many that it would impossible to mention them all… A large group of notables such as: Yaḥyā ibn Sa‘īd, Mālik ibn Anas, Thawrī, Ibn ‘Uyaynah, Abū Ḥanīfah, Ayūb Sakhtīyānī, as well as others have narrated traditions from him…[17]
19- Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Muḥammad ibn ‘Āmir Shabrāwī Shāfi‘ī (d. 1171): He is the sixth of the Imams, Ja‘far Ṣādiq, the possessor of a great many virtues and positive qualities. Many imams, such as Mālik ibn Anas, Abī Ḥanīfah, Yaḥyā ibn Sa‘īd, Ibn Jarīḥ, Thawrī, Ibn ‘Uyaynah, Shu‘bah, as well as others have narrated traditions from him….[18][19]
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