''Al-jāmi'a'' () is a book that

Twelver Twelver Shi'ism (), also known as Imamism () or Ithna Ashari, is the Islamic schools and branches, largest branch of Shia Islam, Shi'a Islam, comprising about 90% of all Shi'a Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers to its adherents' belief in twel ...

Shias Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood to ...

believe was dictated by

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

to Ali.

Ja'far al-Sadiq Ja'far al-Sadiq (; –765) was a Muslim hadith transmitter and the last agreed-upon Shia Imam between the Twelvers and Isma'ilis. Known by the title al-Sadiq ("The Truthful"), Ja'far was the eponymous founder of the Ja'fari school of Isla ...

refers to it as a scroll (''ṣaḥīfa'') that is 70 cubits long and was dictated by the

Islamic Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

prophet

and written down by Ali. It is also known as '' Kitab Ali'' (lit. Book of Ali) in some sources. It is said that it covers all legal questions, including such details as the blood-money due for a scratch.The Origins of the Knowledge of Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.): Al-Jamia: Source: Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) in the Holy Qur'an and Hadith, by Ayatullah Muhammadi Rayshahri
. imamreza.net. Retrieved on 16 January 2012.
ziyaraat.net: Ali the Magnificent, by Yousuf N. Lalljee, pg.69
(PDF) . Retrieved on 16 January 2012.
. imamalinet.net. Retrieved on 16 January 2012.Recognition of the Holy Imams (A.S.) in the Light of Traditions: Imam Ali Ibn Musa Al-Riza (a.s), by Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Reza Mudarrisi Yazdi
. imamreza.net. Retrieved on 16 January 2012.

Description

Al-Jamia is a scroll made from rams skin which measures 70 cubits long (as measured by the arm of Muhammad) and the width of a

sheepskin Sheepskin is the Hide (skin), hide of a Domestic sheep, sheep, sometimes also called lambskin. Unlike common leather, sheepskin is Tanning (leather), tanned with the Wool, fleece intact, as in a Fur, pelt.Delbridge, Arthur, "The Macquarie Diction ...

.Maxims of the Holy Prophet and the Imams (A.S.): Source: Al-Mawaaizh, Shaykh Saduq
. imamreza.net. Retrieved on 16 January 2012.Definition: al-Jami’a
Babylon.com. Retrieved on 16 January 2012.
al-islam.org (6 April 1997). Retrieved on 16 January 2012.
. al-huda.al-khoei.org. Retrieved on 16 January 2012. It is believed that the al-Jami'a never ages and that nothing written therein can be erased ("darasa"). And that because

Imams Imam (; , '; : , ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a prayer leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic prayers, serve as community leaders, and provide relig ...

have it, they are significantly more knowledgeable about the law than any other experts. Abd Allah ibn Shubruma, a jurist from Kufa who died in 144/761, is thus disparaged by

. Similar to this, Ja'far al-Sadiq claims that Abd Allah ibn Al-Hasan, a leader of the rival Shi'i Hasanid branch, only has access to the texts that are available to the rest of the community; he lacks the additional texts that the Imams possess and will not be able to respond to legal questions as a result. There is no need for analogic reasoning (qiys) therefore, according to Shia imams, because the jami'a already has all of the answers. Ja'far al-Sadiq is said to have buried the book when the extremist Shi'i al-Mughīra ibn Sa'īd was crucified in 119 (Hijri)/737-6(Gregorian) on the orders of the

Umayyad The Umayyad Caliphate or Umayyad Empire (, ; ) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty. Uthman ibn Affan, the third of the Rashidun caliphs, was also a membe ...

governor Khalid al-Qasri, an event that al-Sadiq must have perceived as posing a threat to other Shi'is as well. The book, thus, was well guarded against enemies. The Twelver Shia believe that Al-Jamia is currently in the possession of the 12th Imam

Muhammad al-Mahdi Muhammad al-Mahdi () is believed by the Twelver Shia to be the last of the Twelve Imams and the eschatological Mahdi, who will emerge in the end of time to establish peace and justice and redeem Islam. Hasan al-Askari, the eleventh Imam ...

, after he inherited it from his predecessors.

The contents of al-Jamia include: *Details and showing of all the permitted (

halal ''Halal'' (; ) is an Arabic word that translates to in English. Although the term ''halal'' is often associated with Islamic dietary laws, particularly meat that is slaughtered according to Islamic guidelines, it also governs ethical practices ...

) and sinful things (

haraam ''Haram'' (; ) is an Arabic term meaning 'taboo'. This may refer to either something sacred to which access is not allowed to the people who are not in a state of purity or who are not initiated into the sacred knowledge; or, in direct cont ...

). *Legal verdicts.

References

* {{cite book , last1=Kohlberg , first1=Etan , editor1-last=Ehteshami , editor1-first=Amin , title=In Praise of the Few. Studies in Shiʿi Thought and History , date=2020 , publisher=Brill , isbn=978-90-04-40697-1

External links

Kitab Al-Kafi, Chapter 40 (Statements about al-Jafr, al-Jami‘ and the Book of Fatima (a.s.)), translated by Muhammad Sarwar
Islamic texts Shia literature

Description

Contents

See also

References

External links