25th of the month of Shawwal 148 AH was a sad day for all seekers and lovers of knowledge. It was a day when the Abbasid caliph poisoned the possessor and the most revered one in knowledge i.e. Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him).
No one trained more scholars in the entire history of early Islam than Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him). It is narrated that more than four thousand students would benefit from his divine knowledge.
Even the Sunni scholars acknowledge that the leaders of their jurisprudential schools (Malikī, Ḥanafī, Ḥanbalī and Shāfeī’) were in fact (directly or indirectly) the students of this great Imam. A teacher - whose students benefitted from him and later formed their own schools- is more worthy to be followed (than the students). The Shias benefitted immensely from the vast ocean of his divine knowledge. Therefore, the adherents of the Imam (Shias) are called Ja’fari.
Although the Imam rejected and opposed all political uprisings, yet the apparent caliphs of Islam were afraid of the Imam's leadership in knowledge. He was often imprisoned by them and saw his house being burnt by them, but the Imam remained a cornerstone for the seekers and lovers of knowledge.
This led Mansur, the Abbasid caliph, to poison the Imam and thereby bring an end to one of the most revered personalities in all sects of Islam, Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him). May Allah curse those who oppress and martyr His proofs on earth.
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) says; A believer has three signs: He knows Allah, His friends, and His enemies.
On this sad day, we ask Allah to grant us the passion to learn and the determination to practice it so that we can be a source of pride for our living Imam, Al-Mahdi (peace be upon him)