Day 1

The lesson

1. The son of Imam al-Jawad and the tenth Imam of the Shia. His mother was a bondwoman named Samana, or Susan (al-Irshad of al-Shaykh al-Mufid; Firaq al-Shi'a of al-Nawbakhti). His kunya was Abu l-Hasan; the hadith books call him Abu l-Hasan al-Thalith, since Imam al-Kazim and Imam al-Rida had borne it before him. He and his son are called al-Askariyyayn, because the caliphs held them in Samarra.
2. Born at Sarya, near Medina, in the middle of Dhu al-Hijja 212 AH (828), as al-Kulayni, al-Shaykh al-Mufid and al-Shaykh al-Tusi record (al-Irshad); some reports give 2 or 5 Rajab (al-Misbah of al-Kaf'ami).
3. He became Imam at his father's martyrdom in 220 AH (835), and his Imamate lasted thirty-four years. Summoned to Baghdad, Imam al-Jawad named him his successor before the Shia and left a written statement so that no doubt would remain (al-Kafi). All but a few of Imam al-Jawad's followers accepted him, and al-Mufid counts that consensus as a proof of his Imamate (al-Irshad; Manaqib Ibn Shahrashub).

Questions

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