Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq (Al-Dibaj)
Encyclopedia
Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq
(Al-Dibaj i.e. the handsome), the younger full brother of Musa al-Kadhim
, appeared in Mecca
in the year 200 A.H. / 815 C.E. claiming that he was the Awaited Mahdi
. He believed in a Zaydl Shia
type of Imamate and declared himself as the Caliph
of the Muslims and took the oath of allegiance from them and was called the Leader of the faithful. He was recognized as the Imam
by a small group of followers. His followers became denominated as the Shumaytiyya (Sumaytiyya) after their leader Yahya ibn Abi’l-Shumayt (al-Sumayt). However, his revolt against the Caliph Al-Ma'mun
proved unsuccessful in the very same year it started (i.e. 815 C.E.). He ended his revolt by abdicating and publicly confessing his error and was then banished from the Hejaz
.
Al-Dibaj died in 203 A.H. / 818 C.E.
Al-Dibaj had a son named al-Qasim. Al-Qasim had 3 children: Umm Kulthum (d.868), Abdallah (d.875) and Yahya (d.877). They all went to live in Egypt
after the failure of Al-Dibaj’s revolt and were among the first Alid
families to resettle in Egypt.
Al-Dibaj's followers (the Shumaytiyya/Sumaytiyya) believed that the Imamate would remain with his family and that the Mahdi would come from among his family.
Ja'far al-Sadiq
Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq was a descendant of Muhammad and a prominent Muslim jurist. He is revered as an Imam by the adherents of Shi'a Islam and as a renowned Islamic scholar and personality by Sunni Muslims. The Shi'a Muslims consider him to be the sixth Imam or leader and spiritual...
(Al-Dibaj i.e. the handsome), the younger full brother of Musa al-Kadhim
Musa al-Kadhim
' was the seventh of the Twelve Imams of Twelver Shi'a Islam. He was the son of Imam and his mother was Hamidah Khātūn, a student and former Zanjiyyah slave...
, appeared in Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
in the year 200 A.H. / 815 C.E. claiming that he was the Awaited Mahdi
Mahdi
In Islamic eschatology, the Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will stay on Earth for seven, nine or nineteen years- before the Day of Judgment and, alongside Jesus, will rid the world of wrongdoing, injustice and tyranny.In Shia Islam, the belief in the Mahdi is a "central religious...
. He believed in a Zaydl Shia
Zaidiyyah
Zaidiyya, or Zaidism is a Shi'a Muslim school of thought named after Zayd ibn ʻAlī, the grandson of Husayn ibn ʻAlī. Followers of the Zaydi Islamic jurisprudence are called Zaydi Shi'a...
type of Imamate and declared himself as the Caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
of the Muslims and took the oath of allegiance from them and was called the Leader of the faithful. He was recognized as the Imam
Imamah (Shi'a doctrine)
Imāmah is the Shia doctrine of religious, spiritual and political leadership of the Ummah. The Shīa believe that the A'immah are the true Caliphs or rightful successors of Muḥammad, and further that Imams are possessed of divine knowledge and authority as well as being part of the Ahl al-Bayt,...
by a small group of followers. His followers became denominated as the Shumaytiyya (Sumaytiyya) after their leader Yahya ibn Abi’l-Shumayt (al-Sumayt). However, his revolt against the Caliph Al-Ma'mun
Al-Ma'mun
Abū Jaʿfar Abdullāh al-Māʾmūn ibn Harūn was an Abbasid caliph who reigned from 813 until his death in 833...
proved unsuccessful in the very same year it started (i.e. 815 C.E.). He ended his revolt by abdicating and publicly confessing his error and was then banished from the Hejaz
Hejaz
al-Hejaz, also Hijaz is a region in the west of present-day Saudi Arabia. Defined primarily by its western border on the Red Sea, it extends from Haql on the Gulf of Aqaba to Jizan. Its main city is Jeddah, but it is probably better known for the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina...
.
Al-Dibaj died in 203 A.H. / 818 C.E.
Al-Dibaj had a son named al-Qasim. Al-Qasim had 3 children: Umm Kulthum (d.868), Abdallah (d.875) and Yahya (d.877). They all went to live in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
after the failure of Al-Dibaj’s revolt and were among the first Alid
Descendants of Ali ibn Abi Talib
Ali was the first Imam of Shia Islam. He was a cousin of the Muslim prophet Muhammad, as well as Muhammad's son-in-law. He had several children by Fatima, Muhammad's daughter, as well as children by other wives...
families to resettle in Egypt.
Al-Dibaj's followers (the Shumaytiyya/Sumaytiyya) believed that the Imamate would remain with his family and that the Mahdi would come from among his family.
See also
- Abbasid internal strife
- People claiming to be the MahdiPeople claiming to be the MahdiIn Shia and Sunni eschatology, the Mahdi is a Messianic figure who, it is believed, will appear on Earth before the Day of Judgment and, alongside Jesus, will rid the world of wrongdoing, injustice and tyranny...
- Descendants of Ali ibn Abi TalibDescendants of Ali ibn Abi TalibAli was the first Imam of Shia Islam. He was a cousin of the Muslim prophet Muhammad, as well as Muhammad's son-in-law. He had several children by Fatima, Muhammad's daughter, as well as children by other wives...