During the life of Imam al Saddiq (a.s) the Ummayid family lost power over the Muslims and the leadership of the Muslim world was taken over by a family called the Abbasids. In the begining the abbasids promised the people that they would respect the Imams and put them in charge, but they soon broke that promise. They imprisoned Imam Jaffar al Sadiq on many occasions. They also cast the followers of ahlul bayt as an outsider to Islam.

​However, this did not stop Imam al Sajjad (a.s) from doing his job of guiding the people towards Allah. Imam al Sajjad (a.s), like his father spent all his time teaching people, and not just Muslims. He taught them about Islam, history as well as different sciences, including Chemistry and maths and astronomy.

​Jaffar al Sadiq (a.s) taught people that his knowledge and that of the other Imams is from Allah (s.w) who has said “I will bestow upon them the secrets of my knowledge. No truth will be hidden from them and no mystery concealed. I will designate them as my proof to mankind, as those who shall admonish men of my power and remind them of my Unity (Tawheed)”.

​Imam al Sadiq (a.s) as well as his father Mohammad al Baqir (a.s) are famous for teaching and influencing the minds of their students, some of whom went on and formed their own schools. One of their students was Abu Hanifa whom many Sunni Muslims follow today.

​Imam al Sadiq (a.s) also taught people every second of his life through his honourable actions. Once a pilgrim visiting the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, fell asleep. when he woke up he noticed his purse which contained one thousand dinars was missing. Looking around he saw the Imam was praying in one corner of the Mosque.

He accused the Imam (a.s) of stealing his purse. The Imam (a.s) asked about its contents and was told that it contained one thousand Dinars. The Imam then asked the man to follow him to his house where he gave the man the same amount.

This made the man very happy and once more he returned to the mosque and checked his belongings. This time, he found that his money had not been stolen, but that it was in another bundle.

​

The man felt ashamed of himself and quickly went back to the Imam (a.s). He apologised and asked him to take his money back. The Imam (a.s) replied with these words, “We never take back what we once give away, but if you feel guilty about it, give it to the poor of the town. ” The traveller gave all the money in Charity to the poor of Madinah.

​The Imam (a.s) died by poisoning at the age of 65 and he was burried in Madinah