Al-Jafr (book)

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Al-Jafr (Arabic: ٱلْجَفْر) is a mystical book which, in Shia belief, includes esoteric teachings, dictated by the Islamic prophet Muhammad to Ali.^[1] Ali was cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad and is regarded by the Shia as their first Imam and the rightful successor to Muhammad.^[2] In Shia belief, al-Jafr was a source of special knowledge in Muhammad's household, available to the successors of Ali, namely, Shia Imams, which was handed down from each Imam to the next.^[3] The book is said to contain all information ever needed in matters of religion, including a detailed penal code that accounts even for bruises.^[4] The first mention of the book is often associated with the sixth Shia Imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq.^[5] The Twelver Shia believe that the book is now in the possession of the last Imam, Mahdi.^[6]

Alternatively, al-Jafr might refer to two leather bags, one of which contains various scrolls of the past prophets and the scrolls inherited from Muhammad, Ali, and Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad. The other bag is said to contain the armour and weapons of Muhammad.^[7]

Etymology[]

al-Jafr is written on parchments.^[8] The word jafr has multiple meanings in Arabic: numerical symbolism, science of numbers, numerical symbolism of letters, numerology, science of letters, alphabetical symbolism or divination.^[9] The prefix "al" means "the".

Contents[]

The content of al-Jafr has been reported differently and the book is said to contain

• Secret teachings for the Shia Imams.^[10]
• Knowledge of all past and future events pertaining to Muslims.^[6]
• The knowledge of Muhammad.^[11]
• The original Injil (Gospel of Jesus), Tawrat (Torah of Moses), Zabur (Psalms of David), Suhuf Ibrahim (Scrolls of Abraham), and the knowledge and history of the past prophets.^[12]
• The Islamic rules, directives, and matters about wars.^[12]
• The knowledge of the Israelite scholars.^[11]

Popular culture[]

Al-Jafr is mentioned in the storyline of One Thousand and One Nights and a description of al-Jafr is offered by Burton in his supplement to the book.^[13]

See also[]

• Ghurar al-Hikam wa Durar al-Kalim
• Letter of Ali ibn Abi Talib to Malik al-Ashtar
• Mushaf
• Khutbah
• List of Shia books
  • Al-Jamia
  • The Book of Fatimah
  • Al-Risalah al-Huquq
  • The Fifteen Whispered Prayers
  • Al-Risalah al-Dhahabiah
  • Al-Sahifat al-Ridha
  • Ghurar al-Hikam wa Durar al-Kalim
  • Nahj al-Balagha
  • Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya

References[]

Sources[]

• Esposito, John L., ed. (2003). The Oxford Dictionary of Islam. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195125597.
• Modarressi, Hossein (2003). Tradition and Survival: A Bibliographical Survey of Early Shi'ite Literature. Vol. 1. Oneworld. ISBN 978-1-85168-331-4.
• Shah-Kazemi, Reza (2014). "Ali ibn Abi Talib (599-661)". In Fitzpatrick, Coeli; Walker, Adam Hani (eds.). Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopaedia of the Prophet of God. ABC-CLIO. pp. 20–24. ISBN 9781610691772.
• Burton, Richard Francis (2013). Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night. Vol. 6. HardPress. ISBN 9781314466164.

External links[]

• More information about al-Jafr on Shia websites:
  • "Imamreza.net: The Origins of the Knowledge of Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.), Source: Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) in the Holy Qur'an and Hadith, By Ayatullah Muhammadi Rayshahri". Archived from the original on 2010-06-12. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
  • "Imamreza.net: Collection of the Hadith by the Sh'ia". Archived from the original on 2010-06-12. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
  • "Imamalinet.net: Ali the Magnificent, Compiled by Yousef N. Lalljee". Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
  • "Imamreza.net: Imam Ali's Distinguished Place in Literary History". Archived from the original on 2010-06-20. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
  • "Imamreza.net: 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". Archived from the original on 2010-06-12. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
  • "Imamreza.net: Recordation of Hadith during the Imamate of Imam Baqir (A.S.) and Imam Sadiq (A.S.), By Sayyid Ali Al-Shahristani". Archived from the original on 2010-06-12. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
  • "Imamreza.net: Who Was Imam Jafar al-Sadiq(A.S.)? Chapter 2". Archived from the original on 2010-06-20. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
  • Kitab al-Kafi, Chapter 40
  • "Al-huda.al-khoei.org: Al-Huda News: OTHER COLLECTIONS". Archived from the original on 2013-02-23. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
• "Babylon: Islamic Dictionary". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
• "Supplemental Nights, Volume 6 by Richard F. Burton - Full Text Free Book (Part 8/9)". www.fullbooks.com. Retrieved 2021-12-27.