Story No. 348 – Salaam from great great grandfather Holy Prophet Mohummad (saw)
Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) narrates from his father, Imam Baqir (pbuh):
One day, I came to Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari (ra) and greeted him. He replied my salutations and because he was blind, he asked me to tell him who I was. I introduced myself: “I am Mohummad, son of Ali, son of Hussain.”
Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari (ra) said: “O! The son of the best human being, come closer!” I went closer. He hugged me and kissed my hands and tried to kiss my feet. I pulled myself away and prevented him from doing so. He then continued: “The messenger of Allah (SWT), Holy Prophet Mohummad (saw), had told me to convey his greetings (Salaam) to you.”
Salaam from great great grandfather Holy Prophet Mohummad (saw)I replied: “Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah (SWT).” I then asked: “Jabir, what is the story behind this?”
Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari (ra) said: “Once when I was in the presence of Holy Prophet Mohummad (saw), he said to me, ‘O! Jabir, perhaps you will live long enough until you meet a man from my children, whose name is Mohummad, son of Ali, son of Hussain (great great grandson), to whom Allah (SWT) has granted light and wisdom. So, give my greetings to him.'”
Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari (ra) was a great companion (Sahabah) of Holy Prophet Mohummad (saw). He was amongst the companions of Badr. He was a participant in many of the battles of Holy Prophet Mohummad (saw) and Imam Ali (pbuh). Jabir had always been a follower of Prophethood and Imamat. He never neglected the love and affection towards Holy Prophet Mohummad (saw) and Ahlul Bayt. The continuous efforts of him in introducing Imam Ali (pbuh) and his respected children to the public were many. Furthermore, he was the first pilgrim of the shrine of Imam Hussain (pbuh) in Karbala. He became blind near the ends of his life and passed away at the age of 90 (in year 78 AH). It is narrated that he used to sit in the mosque of Holy Prophet Mohummad (saw) and say: “O! Baqir, O! Splitter of knowledge.” The people of Medina thought he had gone mad. Jabir used to say: “By Allah (SWT)! I am not saying nonsense. I personally heard the Prophet saying: ‘O! Jabir, perhaps you will live long enough until you meet a man from my children, whose name and appearance is similar to mine. He will split the knowledge perfectly. So whenever you see him, send my greetings to him.’ So it is the Prophet’s saying, that has given me the impulse to say such words.
Moral: If you are given something to look after or pass to someone else (no matter how small) then look after it well as you are accountable for it.
Complete Contentment with Allah (SWT):
Once, when Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari (ra) had arrived in the presence of Imam Baqir (pbuh), Imam Baqir (pbuh) inquired after his health, whereupon he said: “I find myself in a state such that I give preference to old age over youth, to sickness over soundness of health and to death over life!”
Imam Baqir (pbuh) responded by saying: “(On the contrary) if Allah (SWT) makes me old, I prefer old age; if He desires to give me youth, I prefer youth; if He afflicts me with sickness, I desire sickness, and if He desires to favour me with sound health, I prefer soundness of health. If Allah (SWT) wishes to give me death, I prefer death and if He wills to keep me alive, I desire to live.”
As soon as Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari (ra) heard Imam Baqir’s (pbuh) speech he kissed Imam’s face and said: “The Holy Prophet Mohummad (saw) had spoken the truth.” He (saw) had said: “O’ Jabir! You shall continue to live till you meet one of my children whose name shall be Baqir. He shall split open knowledge just as a cow splits open the earth.”