Jabir ibn Abdollah

Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari accepted Islam when he was a young boy.

It is narrated that Jabir was in the presence of the Muhammad when the Prophet told him: `O Jabir, you will have a long life, and although you will go blind, but you will meet the 5th in line of my descendants whose name will be my name, who will walk like me and who will be the 5th Imam.

His participation in badar is a controversy amongst historian otherwise he fought 19 Gazwat(including Badar) under command of Holy Prophet. He was a trusted companion of Holly Prophet. He was beside Holy Prophet during the conquest of Mecca.

In Gazwa Uhud he was not allowed by his father Abdullah to take part in Jehad. Jabir has seven sisters (some historian has written nine) and Abdullah wanted him to take care of his family. So, Jabir was there to serve the thirsty soldiers. Abdullah Ansari (his father) was martyred in Uhad alongwith his brother-in-law Amro bin Jamooh, both were attaining the age nearabout 100 years.

He refused to give his oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr, unless Ali did so.

Hadhrat Jabir was very closed to Ali and he did not take oath of allegiance to Hadhrat Abu Bakr until Ali.

Later on, he was threatened by stoning from Umar, if he was seen with a Nikah Mut`ah, Shia concluding that being the first time it was prohibited. Sunni conclude Umar was meerly enforcing Muhammads earlier prohibition.

He had fought the battle of Jamal, Suffin and Nharwan under the command of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib.

Due to old age Jabir was unable to participate in the Battle of Karbala (10th October 680 CE) wherein the grandson of the Prophet, Hussein ibn Ali was martyred. However, he did establish the practice of marking arba`een.

On 20 safar 61 AH, he had paid a visit to the grave of Imam Husain ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib in Karbala, alongwith one of his companion Attiya bin Saad bin Junadah – a scholar. Imam Hosein was the grandson of Holly Prophet. He had recite a ziarat there that is known ziarat-e-Arbaeen.

Jabir had a long life and became blind in his old age. But he devoutly waited for the time when he would meet the 5th Imam. Each morning he would come out from his house, sit by the roadside and wait for the sound of the footsteps to recognize the 5th Imam. One such day while he was waiting in the street of Medina, he heard someone walking towards him, the sound of footsteps reminded him of the way the Prophet used to walk. Jabir stood up, stopped the man and asked his name. He replied, `Muhammad`, Jabir asked, whose son? he replied `Ali ibn Hussein`. Jabir immediately recognized the man he was talking to was the 5th Imam. He kissed his hands and conveyed the message from the Prophet.

Jabir had got a very longlife. He was poisioned by Hajjaj bin Yousef Thaqfi in the age of 94 years only because of his loyalty to Ahlulbayt and was burried in Madain near Bughdad at the bank of river Tigris. His death period is recorded 78AH/697 CE.