Narrations of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him)
The sayings of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) are of particular importance in identifying the exact location of the tomb of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him). In his narrations, he provides historical, religious, and geographical indicators connected to the grave, including references to the resting places of Prophets Adam, Noah, Hud, and Saleh, the region of “Gharriyayn,” the elevated ridge of Najaf, and landmarks such as the “white mounds” (Dhukawat al-Bidh).
Narrations Concerning the Hidden Burial of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him)
Narration of Shaikh al-Tusi from Imam al-Hasan (peace be upon him)
“We buried the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) at the edge of the elevated land, and we passed by Masjid al-Ashath during the night.”
Narration of Ibn Qulawayh from Imam al-Hussain (peace be upon him)
“We carried the body of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) at night, passed by Masjid al-Ashath, and then buried him in the region of Ghari (Najaf al-Ashraf).”
Statement of Ibn Anbah, the Historian and Genealogist
“When Abdullah ibn Jafar was asked where the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) was buried, he said, ‘We carried him to the area behind Najaf and buried him there.’
He further recounts, “It has been established that Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him), Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), and Imam Musa al-Kadhim (peace be upon him) all visited that place.”
Narration of Jabir al-Juafi from Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him)
Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) said:
“My father, Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him), visited the grave of Imam Ali (peace be upon him). He stood there, wept, and said, “Peace be upon you, O trustee of God on His earth and His proof over His servants.”
Accompaniment of Abu Hamza al-Thumali with Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him)
Ibn Tawus narrates from Hasan ibn Hussain ibn Tahal al-Miqdadi:
“Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him) came to Kufa and prayed in its mosque. Abu Hamza al-Thumali saw him and accompanied him.
The Imam then said, ‘Do you wish to accompany me to visit the grave of my grandfather, the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him)?’
“They proceeded to the region of Gharriyayn, a place luminous and bright. Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him) dismounted, placed his face on the earth, and said:
‘O Abu Hamza, this is the grave of my grandfather, Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him).’
“He performed the visitation in a particular manner, then returned to Madinah.”
His Secret Visits
Ibn Tawus narrates from “Mazar Ibn Abi Qurrah”:
Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) said:
“My father, Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him), after the tragedy of Karbala, would spend periods in solitude in the deserts, and he would secretly travel to Iraq to visit the grave of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and his father, Imam al-Hussain (peace be upon him). When I accompanied him and we reached Najaf, he wept profusely until his beard became wet with tears. Then he addressed the grave, saying, ‘Peace be upon you, O Commander of the Faithful, and the mercy and blessings of God. Peace be upon you, O trustee of God on His earth and His proof over His servants. I bear witness that you strove in the path of God with true striving…’”
These accounts establish that Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him) visited the grave of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) many times and showed its location to his close companions such as Abu Hamza al-Thumali.
Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) also accompanied his father and affirmed the grave’s location in Gharriyyayn.
The Visitation of Zaid al-Shahid (son of Imam Zayn al-Abidin)
Narration of Abi Muamar al-Hilali from Abu Qurrah
“One night I accompanied Zayd ibn Ali (peace be upon him) to the cemetery of Jabbanah. He prayed a long prayer and then said,
‘O Abu Qurrah, do you know where we are?’
I said, ‘No.’
He said, ‘We are near the grave of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). We are now in one of the gardens of Paradise.’”
Narration of Abu Hamza al-Thumali
“One night in mid-Shaban, I accompanied Zayd ibn Ali (peace be upon him) to visit the grave of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him).
When we reached Dhakawat al-Bayd, he said, ‘This is the grave of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him).’ Then we returned.”
These narrations confirm that Zayd ibn Ali also visited the grave and identified it in the area known as Dhakawat al-Bayd in Najaf.
Trusted companions of the Imams, including Abu Hamza al-Thumali and Safwan al-Jammal, also witnessed these visitations.
These affirmations demonstrate that the blessed grave of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) has been known in Najaf from the earliest period, though preserved discreetly among the close companions and members of the Household.
Guidance of Companions Toward the Hidden Grave
Narration of Sulaiman ibn Khalid and Muhammad ibn Muslim
“We went to Hira and were granted permission to enter upon Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him). We asked him about the grave of Imam Ali (peace be upon him). He said, When you leave Hira and pass by Thawiya and Qaem, you will see white hills between which lies the grave of Imam Ali (peace be upon him). A flood has exposed it. The distance resembles the shooting of one or two short arrows. We set out the next day, followed the mentioned route, and reached the white hills. The grave was exactly as the Imam had described, split open by the flood. We descended, offered our salutations and prayers, then returned. The next day we informed the Imam, and he said, “May God guide you and grant you success.”
Narration of Abu Basir
Abu Basir asked:
“Where is the grave of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him)?”
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
“He is buried in the grave of his father, Prophet Noah (peace be upon him).”
Abu Basir said:
“People say the grave of Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) is in the Mosque of Kufa.”
The Imam replied,
“No. It is behind Kufa.”
Narration of Abdullah ibn Sinan
“Umar ibn Yazid told me to mount. We rode until we reached the home of Hafs Kanasi. He joined us, and we traveled until I recognized the area. I later visited Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) in Hira, and he told me that the place was Ghari. When we reached the grave, the Imam said, “Dismount, for this is the grave of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him).”
The Visitation of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) at the Tomb of His Father
Narration of Mualla ibn Khunays
“While traveling with Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) near Hira, the Imam ordered that a mat be placed in the open desert. After speaking about the stars, he instructed him to ride a mule while he rode a donkey. When they reached the place, the Imam said, “This is the grave of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him).” The two then prayed together.”
Narration of Yunus ibn Dhibyan
He relates a detailed account of accompanying Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), during which the Imam prayed at two distinct mounds and then identified the first as the grave of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and the second as the location where the blessed head of Imam al-Hussain (peace be upon him) was placed.
He then cursed Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad for not sending the head to Sham, explaining that the head was returned to Kufa and later reunited with the body.
Allamah al-Majlisi explains that “reunited” signifies that God restored harmony between the blessed head and the body after burial.
Narration of Shaikh al-Kulayni
Yazid ibn Umar ibn Talhah narrates:
Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) said to him in Hira:
“Do you wish to see what I promised you? Meaning the visit to the grave of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him).”
They rode together, reached Thawiya, dismounted, and prayed, and the Imam addressed his servant Ismail:
“Send salutations to your grandfather Imam al-Hussain.”
Narration of Ali ibn Isbat
The Imam told him:
“When you reach Ghari, you will see two graves: a large one and a small one.
The large one is the grave of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him).
The small one is the place of the blessed head of Imam al-Hussain (peace be upon him).”
The Deliberate Indicators of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him)
Narration of Aban ibn Taghlib
The Imam stopped three times behind Kufa, praying two units each time.
He then said:
“This is the grave of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him).”
When asked about the previous two locations, the Imam said:
“One is the place of the head of Imam al-Hussain (peace be upon him), and the other is the location of the pulpit of Imam al-Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance).”
Narration of Yunus ibn Dhubyan
The Imam prayed in the desert and said:
“This is the grave of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). On the Day of Resurrection, he and the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) will stand together.”
Narration of Hussain ibn Abi Awja al-Tai
He met Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) and asked:
“Is the grave you visited the grave of Imam al-Hussain (peace be upon him)?”
The Imam replied:
“Yes, by God. If he were near us, we would visit him as one performs the Hajj.”
He then asked:
“And the grave behind us—is that the grave of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him)?”
The Imam replied:
“Yes, by God. If he were near us, we would visit him as one performs the Hajj.”
Narration of Abu Faraj al-Sindi
He accompanied Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) behind Kufa. The Imam stopped three times:
- First, identifying the grave of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him),
- Second, identifying the place of the head of Imam al-Hussain (peace be upon him),
- Third, identifying the site of the pulpit of Imam al-Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance).
Conclusion
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), through purposeful signs—such as marking the site with an iron indicator or offering prayers at specific points—precisely delineated the location of the grave of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) for his trusted companions.
He also clarified the sacred relationship between three significant places:
- The noble grave of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him).
- The place of the blessed head of Imam al-Hussain (peace be upon him).
- The site of the pulpit of Imam al-Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance).
These narrations demonstrate that during the era of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), the visitation of the grave of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) transitioned from a fully concealed practice to one that became semi-public and firmly established among the Shia community.
