born 699/700, Medina, Arabia
died 765, Medina
Sixth imam of the Sh 012B; ite branch of Islam and the last to be recognized by all the Sh 012B; 02BD; ite sects.
He was the great-grandson of Al 012B; . As a possible claimant to the caliphate, Ja 02BD; far was viewed as a threat to both the Umayyad and Abb 0101; sid dynasties. He traveled to Baghdad in 762 to prove to the caliph that he was not seeking power, then returned to his native Medina, where his pupils included Ab 016B; Han 012B; fah . After his death the Sh 012B; 02BD; ites began to splinter. One sect, the Ism 0101; 012B; liyyah , became followers of his son, Ismail. Another, the Ithn 0101; Ashariyyah , traced a succession from Ja 02BD; far to the Twelfth Imam awaited at the Last Judgment.