Nass Imamate: Factual or Imagined?

August 25, 2026

Nass Imamate: Factual or Imagined?

The concept of Nass Imamate الامامة بالنص is the focal point of theological contention between the Imamiyyah and the Zaidiyya sects.

Nass Imamate is the idea that Imamate is passed on, from one Imam to another, through a proclamation of God's will.

In the sense that,

The Prophet proclaimed that Imam Ali is his successor (nass 'alayhi نص عليه), based on Allah's designation of Imam Ali as the successor to the prophet.

Therefore,

It is a divine designation - not a personal one.

The prophet's role in assigning Imam Ali was merely that of a transmitter of Allah's designation. The prophet had no personal say in the matter.

The Shi'i sects that exist today (the Imamiyyah - which survive as the Twelvers and Ismailiyyah) and the Zaidiyya both accept the notion of Nass Imamate.

The difference however is the identification of the true recipients of Nass Imamate.

The Shi'a agree, unanimously, that Nass Imamate existed as below:

In obedience to orders from Allah,

The prophet designated Imam Ali as his successor

Imam Ali designated Hasan as his successor

Imam Hasan designated Imam Husayn as his successor.

After this list of Imams,

The Zaidiyya argue that Nass Imamate ceased.

God would no longer appoint any successor directly.

Instead - God left the matter of Imamate as elective in which the religiously and socially credentialed descendants of Hasan and Husayn would elect the most deserving descendant of either Imam as an Imam in his own right.

Meanwhile, the Imamiyyah argue that Nass Imamate does not ever cease to exist until the Day of Judgement. The argument is that God would not leave a matter as foundational to mankind as choice of Imam to the whims and flaws of humanity.

It is an extensive and exhaustive topic, in which both sides attempt to prove their theological arguments - through history, each other's books, and of course the Quran.

The purpose of this article (and other ones in this series) is to discuss Zaydi evidences against the Imamiyyah and weigh how much they hold up to scrutiny.

With regards to historical evidence,

The Zaidiyya cite the following report from one of the most prominent early (Sunni) sources providing us information about the biographies Islamic personalities - Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd.

In it,

The uncles of Imam al-Sadiq (Umar & Husayn ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn) completely deny the concept of Nass Imamate.

Hence - the Zaydis argue, in opposition to the Imamiyyah, that Nass Imamate is illogical because their father (Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Sajjad) did not even "issue a will of even two letters" - so how could he have willed something as important as Imamate?

(Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd)

I asked Umar ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali, the uncles of Ja'far, saying: "Is there among you, the People of the House, a person whose obedience is obligatory, whom you acknowledge as such, and whoever does not acknowledge this and dies, dies the death of ignorance (jahiliyyah)?"

They both said: "No, by God, this is not among us. Whoever says this about us is a liar." I then said to Umar ibn Ali: "May God have mercy on you. This is a rank which you all claim belonged to Ali, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, willed it it to him. Then it belonged to al-Hasan, since Ali willed it to him. Then it belonged to al-Husayn, since al-Hasan willed it to him.

Then it belonged to Ali ibn al-Husayn, since al-Husayn willed it to him. Then it belonged to Muhammad ibn Ali, since Ali willed it to him."

He said: "By God, when my father (Ali ibn al-Husayn) died he did not issue a will of even two letters. May God curse them! By God, these people do nothing but consume us. This one, accursed Khunays, what is this accursed Khunays?!"

I said: "Al-Mu'ala ibn Khunays."

He said: "Yes, al-Mu'ala ibn Khunays. By God, I lay on my bed a long while, astonished at a people whose minds God has clouded, when al-Mu'ala ibn Khunays led them astray."

سألت عمر بن علي وحسين بن علي عمي جعفر قلت: هل فيكم أهل البيت إنسان مفترضة طاعته تعرفون له ذلك ومن لم يعرف له ذلم فمات مات ميتة جاهلية؟ فقالا: لا والله ما هذا فينا. من قال هذا فينا فهو كذاب. قال فقلت لعمر بن علي: رحمك الله. إن هذه منزلة تزعمون أنها كانت لعلي إن النبي، صلى الله عليه وسلم، أوصى إليه. ثم كانت للحسن إن عليا أوصى إليه. ثم كانت للحسين إن الحسن أوصى إليه. ثم كانت لعلي بن الحسين إن الحسين أوصى إليه، ثم كانت لمحمد بن علي إن عليا أوصى إليه. فقال: والله لمات أبي فما أوصى بحرفين. قاتلهم الله! والله إن هؤلاء إلا متأكلون بنا، هذا خنيس الخرؤ ما خنيس الخرؤ؟ قال قلت: المعلى بن خنيس، قال: نعم المعلى بن خنيس، والله لفكرت على فراشي طويلا أتعجب من قوم لبس الله عقولهم حين أضلهم المعلى بن خنيس.

In this article,

We will analyze the statement of Imam al-Sadiq's uncles and examine its historical validity and connotations.

So without further adue

Let us begin!

A) THE FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS

As recorded in Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd,

Umar ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn says:

"By God, when my father (Ali ibn al-Husayn) died he did not issue a will of even two letters."

In the same book,

Imam al-Baqir mentions the following:

(Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd)

"Abu Ja'far al-Baqir said:

Ali ibn al-Husayn issued a will that no one be notified of his death, that his coffin be carried swiftly, that he be shrouded in cotton, and that no musk be put in his embalming spices."

أبي جعفر: أن علي بن حسين أوصى أن لا يؤذنوا به أحد، وأن يسرع به المشي، وأن يكفن في قطن، وأن لا يجعل في حنوطه مسك.

Imam al-Baqir affirms that Imam al-Sajjad had, in fact, issued a will.

It was a series of wills.

And the executor was, singularly and exclusively, none but Imam al-Baqir

In Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba, an early Sunni hadith collection -

Imam al-Baqir that Imam al-Sajjad issued a will to him (al-Baqir) specifically to shroud Imam al-Sajjad's body - in the same way Prophet Muhammad was shrouded - when Imam al-Sajjad dies.

(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba)

"Narrated Ja'far, from his father [al-Baqir], who said: "The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, was shrouded in two white Sahari garments and a striped Hibarah cloak." He said: "And my father [al-Sajjad] issued a will to me to do the same to him when he dies".

حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ غِيَاثٍ ، عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، قَالَ :" كُفِّنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي ثَوْبَيْنِ صَحَارِيَّيْنِ وَبُرْدٍ حِبَرَةٍ " قَالَ : " وَأَوْصَانِي أَبِي بِذَلِكَ "

In another narration,

Imam al-Baqir is described as having ordered one of Imam al-Sajjad's concubines to wash the private parts of Imam al-Sajjad's deceased body.

This would have been consistent with the aforementioned will of Imam al-Baqir being exclusively willed to lead Imam al-Sajjad's funeral arrangements.

In Islamic custom,

If the deceased has a will to be washed or buried in a certain way, then his executor has the sole right to lead the funeral arrangements, ordering and forbidding people on what to do يأمر وينهى.

(Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd)

"Waki' ibn al-Jarrah reported, from Sharik, from Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Aqil:

Abu Ja'far (al-Baqir) ordered a slave mother of Ali ibn al-Husayn's children, when Ali ibn al-Husayn died, to wash his private parts"

قال: أخبرنا وكيع بن الجراح، عن شريك، عن عبد الله بن محمد بن عقيل: أن أبا جعفر أمر أم ولد لعلي بن حسين حين مات علي بن حسين أن تغسل فرجه.

An outsider may overlook Imam al-Sajjad's will to al-Baqir to exclusively lead his funeral arrangements (washing and burial).

However,

The ahadith of Imamiyyah indicate that Imam al-Sajjad's will regarding funeral arrangements had much wider-reaching conclusions.

(Kashf al-Ghumma)

"Narrated Abu Basir:

Abu Ja'far said: Among what my father issued a will to me me was that he said, "O my son, when I die, let no one wash my body but you, for an Imam is only washed by an Imam."

وعن أبي بصير قال قال أبو جعفر كان فيما أوصى أبي إلي أن قال يا بني إذا أنا مت فلا يلي غسلي أحد غيرك فإن الإمام لا يغسله إلا إمام

The Imamiyyah indicate that this exclusive will to wash and bury Imam al-Sajjad, was not for any dunya considerations but to show the people (Sunni & Shi'a alike) that al-Baqir is the successor to al-Sajjad.

And in the eyes of the Shi'a, that al-Baqir is the Imam after al-Sajjad!

Similarly,

We see the same kind of exclusive deputization to lead the funeral arrangements, done between al-Baqir and al-Sadiq:

(Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd)

From Urwa ibn Abdullah ibn Qushayr:

I asked Ja'far, "In what did you shroud your father [al-Baqir]?"

He said, "He issued me a will to me regarding his shirt, that I cut off its buttons, and regarding the cloak he used to wear, and that I buy a Yemeni striped cloth, for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was shrouded in three garments, one of them a Yemeni striped cloth."

وعن عروة بن عبد الله بن قشير قال: سألت جعفرا في أي

شئ كفنت أباك؟ قال: أوصاني في قميصه

أقطع أزراره في ردائه الذي كان يلبس، وأن أشتري بردا يمانيا، فإن النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) كفن في ثلاثة أثواب، أحدها برد يماني

Imam al-Sadiq had exclusive deputization to bury Imam al-Baqir, and buried him in a manner reflective of the prophet's burial (just as al-Baqir buried al-Sajjad).

How was Imam al-Sadiq able to exclusively shroud his father al-Baqir?

The Imamiyyah narrate that Imam al-Baqir, on his deathbed, had summoned the elite of Quraysh in Medina and in their presence - gave Imam al-Sadiq exclusive orders to shroud and wash him (Imam al-Baqir) when he dies.

This was so that no one would challenge Imam al-Sadiq's position as the executor of al-Baqir's will,

As the Qurayshis would attest that Imam al-Sadiq was exclusively deputized to lead the funeral - when someone else would challenge that position:

(Al-Kafi)

"Narrated Abu Abdullah (al-Sadiq) who said:

My father (al-Baqir) said to me one day during his illness, "O my son, bring in some people from Quraysh among the people of Medina, so that I may have them as witnesses." He said: So I brought in some of them to him. He said, "O Ja'far, when I die, wash me and shroud me, and raise my grave four fingers high and sprinkle it with water."

When they left, I said, "O father, if you had just instructed me with this I would have done it, you did not need to have me bring in people as witnesses over it."

He (al-Baqir) said, "O my son, I wanted that you not be disputed with."

9 - الكافي: علي، عن أبيه، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن حماد بن عثمان، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إن أبي عليه السلام قال لي ذات يوم في مرضه:

يا بني أدخل أناسا من قريش من أهل المدينة، حتى أشهدهم قال: فأدخلت عليه أناسا منهم، فقال: يا جعفر إذا أنا مت فغسلني وكفني، وارفع قبري أربع أصابع ورشه بالماء، فلما خرجوا قلت: يا أبت لو أمرتني بهذا صنعته، ولم ترد أن ادخل عليك قوما تشهدهم، فقال: يا بني أردت أن لا تنازع (4

Clearly,

Imams al-Baqir and al-Sadiq were issued wills by their respective fathers, to them exclusively.

This fact certainly played a role in bolstering the notion of Nass Imamate to the Imamiyyah.

As the exclusivity in leading funeral arrangements was taken as proving these Imams were the exclusive spiritual heirs of their fathers.

B) INHERITING THEIR FATHERS' BOOKS

The Imamiyyah narrate:

(Al-Kafi)

Narrated Sulaym ibn Qays, who said:

I was a witness to the written will (wasiyya) of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, when he made his testament to his son al-Hasan, peace be upon him, and had al-Husayn, peace be upon him, and Muhammad and all his children and the heads of his Shia and his household bear witness to his testament. Then he handed him the book and the weapon and said to his son al-Hasan, peace be upon him:

"O my son, the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, commanded me to make my testament to you and to hand over to you my books and my weapon, just as the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, made his testament to me and handed over to me his books and his weapon.

And he commanded me to instruct you, when death approaches you, to hand them over to your brother al-Husayn, peace be upon him."

Then he turned to his son al-Husayn, peace be upon him, and said, "And the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, commanded you to hand them over to this son of yours." Then he took the hand of Ali ibn al-Husayn, peace be upon him, and said to Ali ibn al-Husayn, "

And the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, commanded you to hand them over to your son Muhammad ibn Ali, and convey to him greetings from the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, and from me."

(باب) * (الإشارة والنص على الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام) * 1 - علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن إبراهيم بن عمر اليماني وعمر بن أذينة، عن أبان، عن سليم بن قيس قال: شهدت وصية أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام حين أوصىإلى ابنه الحسن عليه السلام وأشهد على وصيته الحسين عليه السلام ومحمدا وجميع ولده ورؤساء شيعته وأهل بيته، ثم دفع إليه الكتاب والسلاح وقال لابنه الحسن عليه السلام:

يا بني أمرني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله أن أوصي إليك وأن أدفع إليك كتبي وسلاحي كما أوصى إلي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله ودفع إلى كتبه وسلاحه، وأمرني أن آمرك إذا حضرك الموت أن تدفعها إلى أخيك الحسين عليه السلام، ثم اقبل على ابنه الحسين عليه السلام فقال،

وأمرك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله أن تدفعها إلى ابنك هذا، ثم أخذ بيد علي بن الحسين عليه السلام ثم قال لعلي بن الحسين: وأمرك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآلهأن تدفعها إلى ابنك محمد بن علي واقرأه من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله ومني السلام.

As one reads the above hadith,

We are led to believe the Sword of Imam Ali (Dhulfiqar) and the books of Imam Ali (and the Imams after him) كتبه وسلاحه -

That they were passed, in inheritance, exclusively to Imams.

The Imam would all inherit Imam Ali's sword and when he is about to die, give it to his son - the succeeding Imam.

The Imam would also inherit Imam Ali's books - and in turn, give Imam Ali books (along with his own personal books) to the Imam succeeding him.

The exclusivity in inheriting the books of the previous Imams is seen by the Imamiyyah to be an external corroborating proof of their Imamate.

For example -

Abdulrazzaq al-San'ani (a Sunni contemporary of Imam al-Sadiq) mentions a fiqhi (juristic) issue and states that Imam al-Baqir's opinion was based on finding the answer to the matter in Kitab Ali (the book of Imam Ali):

(Musannaf Abdulrazzaq)

"Abd al-Razzaq, from Ibn Jurayj, who said: Ata said, "If Friday and the Feast of Fitr coincide on the same day, then he should combine them, praying only two rak'ahs wherever he prays the Fitr prayer, and that suffices until Asr."

Then he informed me at that point, saying: "A Feast of Fitr and a Friday coincided on the same day in the time of Ibn al-Zubayr, and Ibn al-Zubayr said, 'Two feasts have coincided on the same day,' so he combined them, making them one, and he prayed two rak'ahs early in the morning for the Fitr prayer, then added nothing further to it until he prayed Asr."

He said, "As for the jurists, they said nothing against this, but as for those who lacked understanding, they objected to it." He said, "And I myself objected to it, and I prayed Dhuhr that day." He said, "Until it later reached us that whenever the two feasts coincided like that, they used to pray only one."

And this was mentioned from Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Husayn (al-Baqir), who informed that they used to combine them when they coincided. They both said: he found the answer to this question in the book belonging to Ali, as he claimed.

5725 عبد الرزاق ، عن ابن جريج قال : قال عطاء : " إن اجتمع يوم الجمعة ويوم الفطر في يوم واحد فليجمعهما فليصل ركعتين قط حيث يصلي صلاة الفطر ثم هي هي حتى العصر " ثم أخبرني عند ذلك قال : " اجتمع يوم فطر ويوم جمعة في يوم واحد في زمان ابن الزبير ، فقال ابن الزبير : عيدان اجتمعا في يوم واحد فجمعهما جميعا بجعلهما واحدا ، وصلى يوم الجمعة ركعتين بكرة صلاة الفطر ، ثم لم يزد عليها حتى صلى العصر " . قال : " فأما الفقهاء فلم يقولوا في ذلك ، وأما من لم يفقه فأنكر ذلك عليه " . قال : " ولقد أنكرت أنا ذلك عليه وصليت الظهر يومئذ " . قال : " حتى بلغنا بعد أن العيدين كانا إذا اجتمعا كذلك صليا واحدة " ، وذكر ذلك عن محمد بن علي بن حسين أخبر أنهما كانا يجمعان إذا اجتمعا . قالا : إنه وجده في كتاب لعلي ، زعم

This is a very important statement by Abd al-Razzaq.

First, it corrobroates the Imamiyyah tradition that the ahadith are to be written down to be preserved.

(Al-Kafi)

Narrated Abu Basir, who said: I heard Abu Abdullah (al-Sadiq) saying: "Write, for you will not retain [knowledge our ahadith] until you write them down."

٣٣٢٦١ ] ١٦ ـ وعن الحسين بن محمّد ، عن معلّى بن محمّد ، عن الحسن بن عليّ الوشاء ، عن عاصم بن حميد ، عن أبي بصير قال : سمعت أبا عبد الله ( عليه السلام ) يقول : اكتبوا ، فإنّكم لا تحفظون حتّى تكتبوا.

Prior to the Abbasid period, Sunni ahadith were orally transmitted - as the state had publicly banned the writing down of ahadith (with the stated intention of preventing their mixing with the Quran).

For Imam Ali to have a written hadith corpus, it would be a direct (and secret) opposition to the state. And it would indicate his hadith transmission was likely different from the mainstream - oral & written, instead of merely oral.

The Imam's followers would have likely followed the same fashion (writing down ahadith) - hence the historical Kitab Sulaym (in which Sulaym ibn Qays narrates from Imam Ali) was written down, regardless if the version we have to today is identifical to the historical, actual book.

Second,

It shows that Imam al-Baqir had inherited the book of Imam Ali from his fathers -

And was issuing fatwas based on the authority of the Imams before him, by virtue of having their books.

Abd al-Razzaq highlights two ahadith where Imam al-Baqir issues juristic rulings based on "Kitab Ali":

(Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq)

Narrated Sufyan ibn Uyayna, from Ja'far ibn Muhammad, from his father (al-Baqir), who said:

In the book of Ali ibn Abi Talib: "Whoever wishes to combine Hajj and Umrah, let him bring his sacrificial animal with him."

وقال: ومن طريق عبد الرزاق عن سفيان بن عيينة، عن عن جعفر بن محمد، عن أبيه، قال: في كتاب علي بن أبي طالب: من شاء أن يجمع بين الحج والعمرة فليسق هديه معه

(Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq)

"Narrated Ibn Uyayna, from Ja'far ibn Muhammad, from his father al-Baqir, who said:

In the book of Ali: "Locusts and fish are [already ritually] lawful [without need for slaughter]."

رَوَى عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ الصَّنْعَانِيُّ (م 211) فِي الُمصَنَّفِ عَنِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ ابْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: فِي كِتَابِ عَلِيِّ: الْجَرَادُ وَالْحِيتَانُ ذَكِيٌ

When Imam al-Sadiq was asked by Sunni scholars if the ahadith he narrated are ahadith he personally heard himself -

The Imam answered:

(Al-Kamil fil Du'afa' by Ibn Adi)

"From Abu Bakr ibn Ayyash, that he was asked: "Why did you not narrate from Ja'far ibn Muhammad, when you did meet him?"

He said: "We asked him about the hadiths he narrates, whether it was something he had heard himself. He said, 'No, but it is a narration we have narrated from our forefathers.'"

عن أبي بكر بن عياش أنه قيل له : مالك لم تسمع من جعفر بن محمد وقد أدركته ، فقال سألناه عن ما يتحدث به من الأحاديث أشيئا سمعته ، قال لا ولكنها رواية رويناها عن آبائنا.

This means that Imam al-Sadiq had inherited a substantial cache of books of his forefathers (Ali, Hasan, Husayn, Sajjad, Baqir) -

And he narrates based on that - without necessarily meeting his forefathers.

He can narrate from Imam Ali, without ever meeting him.

Because he has Imam Ali's books, in Imam Ali's handwriting, passed down from father to son - over generations.

The author of Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd says regarding Imam al-Sadiq,

That Imam al-Sadiq was asked:

"He was once asked: "Did you hear these hadiths that you narrate from your father directly from him?"

وقال ابن سعد في كتاب "الطبقات الكبير" : كان كثير الحديث ولا يحتج به ويستضعف ، سئل مرة : سمعت هذه الأحاديث التي تروي عن أبيك منه

The Imam answered:

"Rather, I found these matters in his books"

فقال : إنما وجدتها في كتبه . توفي بالمدينة وهو ابن إحدى وسبعين سنة

Imam al-Sadiq was the heir to al-Baqir's books, and the books of al-Baqir's predecessors.

Just as the funeral arrangements, such substantial and seemingly exclusive ownership of the books of these figures is unlikely to be possible without a direct will.

Hence,

This fact displayed Imam al-Sadiq as the exclusive spiritual heir of his father and ancestors (by virtue of having their books).

Such that when Zayd ibn Ali (Imam al-Sadiq's uncle) tried to woo the Shi'a to his revolutionary cause and his own Imamate,

The Shi'a of al-Sadiq stated:

The famed Sunni historian al-Tabari states in his Tarikh:

"The (Imamiyyah) used to claim that Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali, the brother of Zayd ibn Ali, was the Imam, and he had already died at that time, while his son Ja'far ibn Muhammad was alive.

So they said, "Ja'far is our Imam today after his father, and he is more entitled to the authority after his father, and we will not follow Zayd ibn Ali, for he is not an Imam." So Zayd named them the Rafida [the Rejectors]."

وكانوا يزعمون أن أبا جعفر محمد بن على أخا زيد بن على هو الامام وكان قد هلك يومئذ وكان ابنه جعفر بن محمد حيا فقالوا جعفر إمامنا اليوم بعد أبيه وهو أحق بالامر بعد أبيه ولا نتبع زيد بن على فليس بإمام فسماهم زيد الرافضة

Jafar simply had substantial, well-attested merit to show he is al-Baqir's successor (exclusivity in leading the funeral arrangement and having the books of al-Baqir and his Imam predecessors) -

No one comes close to competing with Ja'far - even if it is the uncle of Ja'far (as Zayd was), who is older and has blood relationship with al-Baqir.

C) CONCLUSION

This article is not meant to be a comprehensive display of the proofs of the Imamiyyah vis-a-vis the Zaidiyyah,

It is simply a discussion of two such proofs - attested in the works of the Mukhalifeen (non-Shi'a), to corroborate the concept of Nass imamate.

Returning to the hadith of discussion in this article,

"I asked Umar ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali, the uncles of Ja'far, saying: "Is there among you, the People of the House, a person whose obedience is obligatory, whom you acknowledge as such, and whoever does not acknowledge this and dies, dies the death of ignorance (jahiliyyah)?"

Then it belonged to Ali ibn al-Husayn, since al-Husayn willed it to him. Then it belonged to Muhammad ibn Ali, since Ali willed it to him."

This same aforementioned "Husayn ibn Ali al-Sajjad" - who in agreement with his brother Umar - attested that al-Sajjad had not willed even two letters.

The Imamiyyah portray a very different version of his attitude:

(Basa'ir al-Darajat):

"We were with al-Husayn ibn Ali, the uncle of Ja'far ibn Muhammad, and Muhammad ibn Imran came to him and asked him for a land deed (kitab ard).

He said, "Until I obtain that from Abu Abdullah (al-Sadiq)." I said to him, "And what has that to do with Abu Abdullah, peace be upon him?"

He said, "It fell into the possession of al-Hasan, then into the possession of al-Husayn, then into the possession of Ali ibn al-Husayn, then into the possession of Abu Ja'far, then into the possession of Ja'far, so our books are with Ja’far now."

رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الصَّفَّارُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ، عَنْ عَنْبَسَةَ الْعَابِدِ، قَالَ كُنَّا عِنْدَ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ عَمُّ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ جَاءَهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِمْرَانَ، فَسَأَلَهُ كِتَابَ أَرْضٍ، فَقَالَ: حَتَّى آخُذَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (ع)، قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ: وَ مَا شَأْنُ ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (ع)؟ قَالَ: إِنَّهَا وَقَعَتْ عِنْدَ الْحَسَنِ، ثُمَّ عِنْدَ الْحُسَيْنِ، ثُمَّ عِنْدَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ، ثُمَّ عِنْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ، ثُمَّ عِنْدَ جَعْفَرٍ، فكتبنا عِنْدَهُ

Knowing what we know about the Imams inheriting the books of their predecessors - in exclusion to their other brothers -

The description of Husayn here is likely very much historical.

It would mean that Umar and Husayn ibn Ali al-Sajjad's claim that Imam al-Sajjad had not issued a will of even two letters,

Is likely a statement out of financial consideration and appeasement to the Abbasids (particularly in his cursing of Imam al-Sadiq's deputy Mu'ala) -

As the Abbasids later awarded Umar ibn Ali with management of portions of Imam Ali's property.

Wa Allahu A'lam!

John Andaluso