Neither this booklet, nor other like books could encompass the knowledge and thought of Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.). But we can, at least, quote him in the fields of monotheism, ethics, worship, sociology, politics, etc.
We categorize them in the following groups:
1. Knowledge:
Abu-Abdullah Ja'far al-Sadiq (a.s.) quotes the Apostle of Allah (s.a.w.) as saying:
"Knowledge-seeking is an obligation on every Muslim. Allah certainly likes knowledge-seekers."[47]
"Prophet is Allah's proof on His servants. And the proof between the servants and Allah is the reason."[48]
"He who learns, acts in accordance to what he learns, and teaches for the sake of Allah, is ranked in the Kingdom of Allah as 'a great man'. It shall be said, 'He learned for the sake of Allah, acted for the sake of Allah and taught for the sake of Allah.'"
2. Authenticity of Traditions:
He (a.s.) is reported to have said:
"Everything should be collated with the Book of Allah and the sunnah. Any tradition that does not agree with the Book of Allah is certainly an embellished lie."[49]
He (a.s.) quotes the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) as saying.
"Every truth has a sign indicating it, and every right has a mark identifying it. So what agrees with the Book of Allah take it, but leave out whatever disagrees with the Book of Allah."[50]
3. Monotheism:
"Abu-Abdullah is reported to have said that a man came to the Commander of the Faithful Ali bin Abu-Talib (a.s.), and asked: 'O Commander of the Faithful, did you see your lord when you worshipped Him?' 'Woe to you, 'replied the Commander of the Faithful, 'I would never serve a lord I had not seen.' 'How had you seen Him?' inquired the man. "Woe to you, 'said the Imam (a.s.), 'Eyes never see Him through the eyesight but hearts do see Him through the truths of the faith."[51]
He is also quoted as saying:
"...be He Exalted above the descriptions of the describers who liken Allah to His creatures and attribute lies to Allah You should know, may Allah have mercy on you, that tie true version of monotheism is that revealed by he Qur'an about the attributes of Allah, the Exalted and Almighty. Deny falsehood and likeness to human beings from Allah. There is no falsehood, nor there is personification. He is Allah, the Immortal and the Eternal. Be He Exalted above the descriptions of the describers. Beware of transgressing the Qur'an, for if you do so, you shall certainly go astray after if had made all things plain to you."[52]
"Nothing on the earth or in heaven exists without these seven qualities: will - the divine will -, divine decree, predestination...permission, divine ordinance and duration. He who Claims to be able to revoke one of them is certainly an unbeliever."[53]
When asked about fatalism and free will, he (a.s.) said:
"There is no fatalism, neither there is free wilt But there is a medium ground between them, is which right exists. It is only realized by a deeply learned man or the one who is taught by a deeply learned man."[54]
4. Guidance and Guidelines:
"He who judges fairly about what is related to him, is certainly approved of to judge about others' affairs."[55]
"He who enjoins good and forbids evil should be possessed of three qualities: he should be aware of what he enjoins and what he forbids, just in what he enjoins and what he forbids, careful is what he enjoins and what he forbids."[56]
"Love of this life generates grief and sadness. Indifference to this life is certainly a source of comfort to the heart and body."[57]
"Jihad is the best thing after the Allah-ordained obligations."[58]
He (a.s.) quotes his grandfather, the Apostle of Allah (s.a.w.), as saying.
"Fight and you will leave glory to your sons."[59]
He (a.s.) is quoted to have said:
"Enjoining good and forbidding evil are two divine attributes. Allah certainly helps those who keep them up, and Allah certainly fails those who abandon them."[60]
"Do not infuriate Allah through propitiating any one of His servants. Do not seek closeness to people by distancing yourself from Allah."[61]
"Be kind and obedient to your fathers, so that your children will be kind and obedient to you. Turn your eyes away from others' women, so that others will turn their eyes away from your women."[62]
"The faithful should have eight qualities: 'Dauntlessness amid adversities, patience in tribulations, thankfulness in prosperity, content with the permission bestowed on him by Allah. He should never act unjustly towards his enemies, not should he annoy his friends. While his own body is weary, people are satisfied with him.'"[63]
"The best worship is seeking knowledge for the sake of Allah and being humble to Him."[64]
"The dearest one of my brothers is the one who shows my flaws to me."[65]
"'Good manners are part of the faith. They increase one's sustenance."[66]
He (a.s.) is reported to have said:
"The Apostle of Allah once sent a detachment on a certain duty:
'Welcome,' said he to them upon their arrival: 'O people who have performed the minor jihad. But the major jihad awaits them' 'O Apostle of Allah: 'inquired they: 'And what is the major jihad?'. 'It is jihad against one's own self."[67]
Abu-Umar al-Shaibani said: "I saw Abu-Abdullah with a spade in his hand. Dressed in a heavy waist-wrapper, he was toiling at a wall of his, and sweat was coursing down his back. 'May I be your ransom: 'give me the spade to do the work for you; 'I do love, 'said he.' that a man suffers under the sun heat earning his daily bread.,"[68]
Sufyan al-Thawri said, "I called on al-Sadiq, may peace be upon him, and said to him,' Give me a piece of advice which I will act according to after you; 'Do you observe it, Sufyan' asked he. 'Yes', replied I', O son of the daughter of the Apostle of Allah. 'Sufyan,' said he started,' Liars have no nobleness. The envious enjoy no comfort. The tedious gain no friends. The deceitful have no true friends. The bad-tempered ones cannot win leadership.
Then he fell silent, 'Tell me more', asked I; o son of the daughter of the Apostle of Allah'. 'Sufyan,' said he; to be sagacious, put your trust in Allah. To be rich, be content with what Allah appropriated for you. Should you associate with others the way they associate with you, you will gain in faith. Do not befriend the dissipated, lest you be effected with their debauchery. Consult with those who fear Allah in all your affairs." He stopped, and I urged him, 'Tell me more, o son of the daughter of the Apostle of Allah, 'Suifyan; he went on, 'he who seeks dignity without power might without friends, and prestige without wealth, let him move from the humility of disobeying Allah to the honour of obeying Allah.'
Then he stopped, and I said, 'Tell me more, o son of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, 'Sufyan, 'continued he, 'My father ordered me to adhere to three qualities, and advised me to keep away from three, As for those which he urged me to observe, he said to me, , My son, whoever befriends an evil man, will not be spared his evil Whoever does not restrict his words, will regret it. Whoever puts himself in suspicious positions will be accused of being dishonest.' 'What are the three qualities he forbade you to do, 'I asked him, 'o son of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah?'. 'He forbade me, 'replied he, 'to associate with the one who envies the wealthy, the one who rejoices at the adversity of others, and the one who slanders others."
Then he (a.s.) added, 'Six qualities can never be found in the believer: Toughness, bad temper envy, stubbornness, telling lies and doing injustices to others,"[69]
His Death:
After this blessed lifetime, filled with knowledge, activity, jihad, virtues, and piety, the grandson of the great Messenger Muhammad (s.a.w.), Imam Ja'far bin Muhammad al-Sadiq (a.s.), bid farewell to the world, He was a great man, learned and content. He was a defender of right and justice, a preacher of the right path, a doer of good, urging others to do it, a forbidder of evil, warning others not to do it, patient and calm in all adversities and afflictions he faced. He lightened to the ummah the path leading to the happiness of the two worlds, hoisted for the next generations the standard of struggle against the enemies of the faith, opposed every kind of deviation, innovation and low desire, demonstrated to the people, until the Judgement Day, that the school of Islam can create manliness and heroism, build the faith and good manners, lavish useful knowledge on its followers, and spread the sense of living and doing good among people. The Imam died in the lunar month of Shawwal, in the year 148 A.H., in the city of Madinah. He was buried at al-Baqi, graveyard beside his father, grandfather, grandmother Fatimah al-Zahra' (a.s.), and his uncle, Imam Hassan (a.s.).
Peace be on his chaste soul, on the day he died, and on the day of his resurrection. Blessed be those guided by his guidance.
All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the world.