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Some Ibadhi historians reported
that Jabir himself wrote a large book of Traditions and legal
opinions (Futya) known as Diwan Jabir b. Zaid, and that a copy
of the Diwan was extant in the library of the 'Abbasid Caliph
Harun al-Rashid (786-809 A.D.) It is also reported that the
Ibadhi scholar of Jabal Nufusah, Naffath (Faraj) b. Nasr,
managed to transcribe the Diwan and brought it to Jabal Nufusah,
but being in opposition to the ruler of the Jabal and Rustumid
Imamate, Naffath destroyed the copy of the Diwan so that his
opponents would not get access to it.40 However, Ibadhi
Jurisprudence was established mainly on the basis of the
Traditions, and legal opinions handed down by Jabir to his
Ibadhi students. Abu 'Ubaidah Muslim b. Abi Karimah said:
"Every man of Tradition who has not an Imam in jurisprudence is
fallen into error. If God Almighty had not favoured us with
Jabir b. Zaid we too would have fallen into error."41
Non-Ibadhi scholars have tried
to prove that Jabir had no relation with the Ibadhis, and
various stories were reported to show that Jabir himself denied
this sort of relationship.42 Qatadah and Dawud b. Abi Hind
reported from 'Azrah that he said, "I told Jabir that the
Ibadhis claim that you are one of them"43 He said, "I declare
myself before God quit of them." It is also reported that Hind
b. al-Muhallab said that although Jabir was a close friend of
hers and her mother's, and he used to order her to do everything
which might bring her nearer to God, he never invited he to
Ibadhism.44
Careful examination of the above
information led to its classification into three groups:
I.
Information reported as
from Jabir, in which he denies any sort of relation with the
Ibadhis. In this category comes the information reported in
non-Ibadhi sources only, and transmitted by Thabit al-Banani
actually visited Jabir with al-Hasan al-Basri is also reported
by Ibadhis. In all sources, the story avers that Jabir, on the
brink of death, wished to see al-Hasan al-Basri who was at that
time in hiding from al-Hajjaj. Thabit al-Banani told al-Hasan
of the wish of Jabir and both came together secretly to Jabir's
house. When they saw him al-Hasan said to Jabir, "Say that there
is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allah." Jabir replied, "O, Abu Sa'id, on the day that one of thy
Lord's signs comes it shall not profit a soul to believe that
never believed before, or earned some good in his belief." Then
he added, "I am of it's people, and I take refuge with Allah
from Hell." On hearing this, al-Hasan commented, "By God, this
is the learned faqih."
All sources reporting the story
concur up to this point. The addition that al-Hasan questioned
Jabir on his opinion of the people of al-Nahr and his opinion of
the Ibadhis is reported by Ibn Sa'd alone on the authority of 'Azrah
and Thabit al-Banani. This addition cannot be regarded as
authentic for several reasons:
a)
Most sources, including
non-Ibadhi sources, reported the story without mentioning that
Jabir spoke of his attitude towards Ibadhis conversation with
al-Hasan as presented above, asserted that Jabir added no
further words to this.
b)
If Jabir held such
opinion, especially concerning these important issues, then
these must have been known before he was dying.
c)
The occasion does not
seem the most appropriate time to ask Jabir such questions!
II
Information reported from
Sunni scholars in which they denied that Jabir had any relations
with the Ibadhis.47 This information, in addition to those
saying ascribed to Jabir himself, regarding the denial of any
sort of relation with Ibadhism, seems to have been invented by
the Sunni critics of Hadith, so that Sunni should accept the
Traditions reported by Jabir and on his authority. For,
according to the rules laid down by some of the Sunni
Traditionalists, Traditions reported on the authority of the
people of "innovations" are not acceptable. If the person was
Shi'it, or Khariji, or Ibadhi, this was enough to weaken his
authority.48 It is suggested, therefore, that the above
mentioned information was fabricated by some of the Sunni
Traditionalists in order to clear Jabir from the accusation of
being an Ibadhi!
III
The third class of
information consists of the report from Hind b. al-Muhallab,
that Jabir never invited her to Ibadhism.49 This is probably
true, because Jabir was teaching her Islam and distinctive terms
Ibadhis and Ibadhiyah were not used among the early Ibadhis even
after the death of Jabir. Instead, they were using the terms,
"al-Muslimun, and Jama'at al-Muslimin." |
