Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

A Critical Examination of Heinz Halm's Theory Regarding Jaʿfar ibn ʿAlī's Claim to the Imamate

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
seyyed ghasem razzaghi mosavi 1
zeinab rezanejad kalaei 2
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Shi'ite History, Institute for the Study of Islamic Culture and History, Qom, Iran
2 Level Four (Advanced Level) Student, Jami`at al-Zahra (AS) (Seminary for Women), Qom, Iran
10.22034/jis.2025.434930.1931
Abstract
Jaʿfar, the son of Imam al-Hādī (AS), was a member of the Imamate family who, during three distinct periods of his life, directly or indirectly laid claim to the Imamate. This claim led to the formation of deviant movements in his own time and has been exploited by some contemporary researchers and orientalists. This article, employing a descriptive-analytical method and library-based data collection, aims to briefly examine and critique the perspective of the German scholar Heinz Halm regarding the Imami Shi'a belief in a hidden son for Imam Hasan al-ʿAskarī (AS). Halm cites the absence of an evident son for Imam al-ʿAskarī (AS), Jaʿfar's reliance on his familial lineage, the lack of mention of the name of the Imam of the Age (AS) in Imam al-Askari's will, and the contrast between the claim of an absent Imam and the physical presence and claim of Jaʿfar ibn ʿAlī as evidence for Jaʿfar's Imamate and the Shi'a's initial acceptance of him as Ithe Imam after Imam al-ʿAskarī (AS). The findings of this article indicate that Halm did not make proper use of Shi'a sources and that the mere absence of a name in a will cannot be proof of a claim's invalidity. By citing historical evidence and indications—including the negative reaction of Shi'a scholars, the rejection of Jaʿfar's claim by the representatives of the Imam of the Age (AS), the absence of signs of Imamate in Jaʿfar, especially the Shi'a emphasis on divine designation (naṣṣ), and the role of the Wikala network in undermining Jaʿar's claim—the falsehood of Halm's assertion and the establishment of the Imamate of Imam al-Mahdi (AS) can be substantiated.
Keywords
Jaʿfar ibn ʿAlī al-Hādī
Orientalists
Halm
Imamate and Occultation
Subjects
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