Al-Qasim ibn Ishaq al-Ja’fari, Shaykh of Banu Hashim
Biographies of Zaydi Scholars, Hadith Narrators & Quran Exegetes
Al-Qasim ibn Ishaq al-Ja’fari, Shaykh of Banu Hashim
Cousin of Imam al-Sadiq, governor of Yemen for al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, and a man of might who marched to defend two summoning Imams — father, in turn, of Dawud al-Ja’fari, governor for Imam Idris ibn Idris in the Maghrib.
The Shaykh of Banu Hashim, al-Qasim ibn Ishaq al-Ja’fari — may God be pleased with him — was one of the notable men of the Zaydiyya and a supporter of the summoning Imams; he was the father of Abu Hashim Dawud ibn al-Qasim al-Ja’fari.
Lineage
Al-Qasim
may God be pleased with him
The summons of al-Nafs al-Zakiyya
The leadership (imama) and the summons (da’wa) within the Muhammadan community were undertaken by the Imam al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib — peace be upon them. The chief men of the descendants of al-Hasan and al-Husayn answered his call, among them the Imam al-Sadiq Ja’far ibn Muhammad, as has been established and authenticated. None held back from him except the Rafida, or those whose excuse before the Imam was valid, or whose situation was ambiguous, or whose conduct had gone astray in one degree or another. As for the Rafida, they took the rejection of the summoning Imams as a religious practice by which they meet God Most High — a boon to the Abbasids, delighting their eye.
Al-Qasim ibn Ishaq al-Ja’fari was among those who pledged allegiance to, supported, and followed the Imam al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, along with others of the Ja’faris. With him from among them were al-Hasan, Yazid, and Salih, the sons of Mu’awiya ibn Abdallah ibn Ja’far ibn Abi Talib, and al-Murajja Ali ibn Ja’far ibn Ishaq ibn Ali ibn Abdallah ibn Ja’far ibn Abi Talib. This was reported by Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani, who said: “Among the Banu Hashim who went out with Muhammad ibn Abdallah were: al-Hasan, Yazid, and Salih, the sons of Mu’awiya ibn Abdallah ibn Ja’far … and al-Qasim ibn Ishaq ibn Abdallah ibn Ja’far ibn Abi Talib. And al-Murajja Ali ibn Ja’far ibn Ishaq ibn Ali ibn Abdallah ibn Ja’far ibn Abi Talib.”
Maqatil al-Talibiyyin: 245
Kinship with al-Sadiq
Al-Qasim ibn Ishaq was the maternal cousin of the Imam al-Sadiq Ja’far ibn Muhammad — peace be upon them both — for the mother of al-Qasim was Umm Hakim bint al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, and the mother of al-Sadiq was Umm Farwa bint al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr.
Appointed over Yemen
Al-Qasim ibn Ishaq al-Ja’fari held the trust of the Imam al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, who relied on his strength and might. So he appointed him over the land of Yemen, with its tribal nature, and appointed al-Hasan ibn Mu’awiya ibn Abdallah ibn Ja’far over Mecca. The two set out together on a single road, each heading toward his own governorship, summoning people to the Imam.
This was reported by Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani and also by al-Tabari, who said: “Abdallah ibn Ishaq ibn al-Qasim related to me, saying: Muhammad appointed al-Hasan ibn Mu’awiya ibn Abdallah ibn Ja’far over Mecca, and sent al-Qasim ibn Ishaq along with him and appointed him over Yemen.”
Al-Tabari also reported: “He said: Muhammad ibn Isma’il related to me from his family that Muhammad appointed al-Qasim ibn Ishaq over Yemen and Musa ibn Abdallah over Syria, both summoning people to him.”
Tarikh al-Tabari: 7/561
The Muhammad ibn Isma’il in al-Tabari’s account is the Ja’fari: Muhammad ibn Isma’il ibn Ja’far ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdallah ibn Ja’far ibn Abi Talib, and the Musa ibn Abdallah mentioned is Musa al-Jawn, his brother.
Mecca, the march to defend the Imam, and the retreat
As for al-Hasan ibn Mu’awiya, he seized control of Mecca — whose governor at that time, on behalf of Abu Ja’far al-Mansur, was his cousin al-Sari ibn Abdallah ibn al-Harith ibn al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib. All this while al-Qasim ibn Ishaq al-Ja’fari was with his cousin al-Hasan. While matters stood thus, and al-Qasim was resolved to march to Yemen, news reached them both that Isa ibn Musa al-Abbasi had arrived with his army intending to strike the Imam al-Nafs al-Zakiyya in Medina.
Al-Tabari said: “Umar related, from Abdallah ibn Ishaq ibn al-Qasim, saying: I heard from countless of our companions that when al-Hasan and al-Qasim took Mecca, they equipped themselves and gathered a great host, then advanced intending to reach Muhammad and support him against Isa ibn Musa. They left a man of the Ansar as deputy over Mecca, and when they reached Qudayd the news of Muhammad’s death met them. The people scattered away from them, and al-Hasan took the route of Basqa — a stony tract in the sands called Basqat Qudayd — and joined Ibrahim [i.e., al-Nafs al-Radiyya, son of Abdallah ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan, the summoner after his brother, at Basra]. He remained in Basra until Ibrahim was killed. Al-Qasim ibn Ishaq set out intending to reach Ibrahim, and when he was at Yadi’ in the land of Fadak, the news of Ibrahim’s death met him, so he returned to Medina and remained in hiding until the daughter of Abdallah ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdallah ibn Ja’far — the wife of Isa ibn Musa — secured safe-conduct (aman) for him and for his brothers. So the Banu Mu’awiya came forth, and al-Qasim came forth.”
Tarikh al-Tabari: 7/575
His standing, and his son after him
Thus the Shaykh of Banu Hashim, al-Qasim ibn Ishaq al-Ja’fari — may God be pleased with him — was among the eminent figures and men of the Zaydiyya, a man of might, who pledged allegiance to and supported the two summoning Imams: al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, Muhammad, and al-Nafs al-Radiyya, the two sons of Abdallah ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Husayn — peace be upon them — the two martyred in the year 145 AH.
Likewise, his son, the Shaykh of Banu Hashim Dawud ibn al-Qasim al-Ja’fari, was among the eminent figures of the Zaydiyya, and one of those who pledged allegiance in leadership and support to the Imam Idris ibn Idris — peace be upon them both — administering his affairs for him in the Maghrib.
“They equipped themselves and gathered a great host, then advanced intending to reach Muhammad and support him.” — al-Tabari, on al-Qasim and al-Hasan’s march from Mecca
May God bless and grant peace to our master Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad.