Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Uthman

Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Uthman was the second of The Four Deputies after death of Uthman ibn Sa’id al-Asadi, his father and the first deputy, in Twelver Shia Islam, who appointed as the agent and deputy of the twelfth and final Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, while he was in the Minor Occultation. He was Muhammad al-Mahdi's deputy until from 257 AH until his death in 304 0r 305 AH. He appointed after death of the first deputy. Abul Qasim Husayn ibn Ruh al-Nawbakhti was appointed as the third deputy of Muhammad al-Mahdi after the death of Ibn Uthman.

The kuniya and titles

Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Utham has five titles: Amri, Asadi, Kufi, Sammaan (oil seller) and al-Askari. He is called Amri because of his grandfather's name was Amr and al-Asadi since he was from Banu Asad tribe. His Kunya is Abu Jafar. [1]

Deputyship

After the death of Uthman ibn Sa’id al-Asadi, the first deputy and the father of Abu Ja'far, he was appointed as the second deputy of Muhammad al-Mahdi.[2] He performed ritual bathing of his father's body and burying him and received a letter of consolation ascribed to the Twelfth ImamMuhammad al-Mahdi at the death of Uthman ibn Sa'id. In Shia idea these acts are the unmistakable signs that Abu Ja'far was the successor of his father.[3][4] Also before he became the deputy of twelfth Imam of Shia, he was trusted by Hasan al-Askari, the eleventh Imam of Shia. In a narration Hasan al-Askary noted to Abu Jafar as the representative of his son: "Bear witness that Uthman ibn Sa‘id Amri is my representative, and his son, Muhammad is representative of my son,Mahdi."[5] He continued his father's activities ,delivered the letters and religious taxes the Shias gave to Muhammad al-Mahdi and critical activities against Bani Abbas.[3] He remained the Muhammad al-Mahdi's deputy for almost fifty years and died in the year 304 AH.[6] His grave is in East Baghdad.[1]

His books in Ja'fari jurisprudence

According to Umm Kulthum, daughter of ibn Uthman:" Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Uthman has written books on Ja'fari jurisprudence in which he has collected all the traditions from Hasan al-Askari, Muhammad al-Mahdi and from his father Uthman ibn Sa'id who in turn has narrated from Ali al-Hadi. Among these books is one titled Al Ashrebah and according his will this book had reached to the third deputy Abul Qasim Husayn ibn Ruh al-Nawbakhti.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Association of Imam Mahdi. Special Deputies.
  2. ↑ Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i (1975). Shi'ite Islam. SUNY Press. p. 210.
  3. 1 2 Jassim M. Hussain. The Occultation of the Twelfth Imam (A Historical Background). Muhammadi Trust of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
  4. ↑ Mohammed Raza Dungersi. A Brief Biography of Imam Muhammad bin Hasan (a.s.): al-Mahdi. Bilal Muslim Mission. p. 20.
  5. ↑ Zahra Ra'isi. The Special Deputies of Imam Mahdi (as) (PDF). p. 79.
  6. ↑ Ebrahim Amini, Abdulaziz Sachedina. Al-Imam al-Mahdi, The Just Leader of Humanity. Ansariyan Publications - Qum.
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