The son of Muhammad al-Baqir رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ, son of Zain al-Abidin رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ, son of al-Hussain رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ, son of `Ali bin Abi Talibرضی اللہ تعالی عنہ. His mother was the daughter of Hazrat al-Qasim رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ , whose great grandfather was Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ.
He spent his life in worship and acts of piety for the sake of Allah. One of his contemporaries, `Umar ibn Abi-l-Muqdamرحمتہ اللہ علیہ, said, "When I look at Ja`far bin Muhammadرحمتہ اللہ علیہ I see the lineage and the secret of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, united in him."
He received from the Prophet two lines of inheritance: the secret of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, through 'Aliرضی اللہ تعالی عنہ and the secret of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, through Abu Bakr رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ . In him the two lineages met and for that reason he was called "The Inheritor of the Prophetic Station (Maqam an-Nubuwwa) and the Inheritor of the Truthful Station (Maqam as-Siddiqiyya)." In him was reflected the light of the knowledge of Truth and Reality. That light shone forth and that knowledge was spread widely through him during his lifetime.
Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifa, and Al-Qattan all narrated Hadith through him, as did many others from later Hadith scholars. Imam Abu Hanifa used to say that no one among the family of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم matched him in vision and wisdom.
Imam Abu Hanifa who abide by his subordination during his last years used to say: "Had I not gotten the last two years of my life, Noman would have died as loser" (Noman was the name of Imam Abu Hanifa).
Hazrat Imam Jaffar Sadiq رحمتہ اللہ علیہ passed away on Rajab 15, 148 AH, and was buried in Jannat al-Baqi, Madina, in the same portion where his father, Muhammad Baqir رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ , his grandfather, Zainul Abidin رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ and the uncle of his grandfather, Hassan Ibn Ali رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ are burried.
He was succeeded by Hazrat Bayazid Bustami رحمتہ اللہ علیہ .
