Jaʿfar a yellow waist-wrapper; he used to perform fifty rakʿahs (units of prayer) every day and night, the prescribed prayers included (1).

Salama ibn Kuhayl, commenting on the verse, “Surely in that are signs for those who discern” (al-Ḥijr 15:75), said: “Abū Jaʿfar was one of them” (2).

Al-Zubayr, in his work Al-Nasab, related to me—ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Zuhrī—who said:
“The caliph Hishām once performed the pilgrimage. He entered the Sacred Precinct leaning on the hand of his freedman Sālim while Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn was seated there. Sālim said, ‘Commander of the Faithful, this is Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī.’
“Hishām asked, ‘Is this the man the people of Iraq are so enamoured of?’
“‘Yes,’ he replied.
“‘Go to him,’ said Hishām, ‘and tell him: The Commander of the Faithful asks you, “What will people eat and drink until judgment is passed between them on the Day of Resurrection?”’

“Muḥammad answered, ‘People will be gathered on something like a single disk of fine white bread (3), in which rivers are made to flow.’

“Hishām, thinking he had scored a point, exclaimed, ‘Allāhu akbar! Go back to him and ask: What will distract them from eating and drinking on that day?’

“The messenger returned, and Muḥammad said, ‘Tell him: Those in the Fire will be even more distracted, yet that did not keep them from saying, “Pour upon us some water, or whatever Allah has provided you” (al-Aʿrāf 7:49) (4).’”

Al-Muṭṭalib ibn Ziyād reported: Layth ibn Abī Sulaym narrated to us, “I entered upon Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī while he was recalling his sins and what people were saying about him, and he wept (5).”

Abū Jaʿfar also said: “Whoever’s heart is filled with what is purely for the religion of Allah is diverted from everything else. What is this world, after all? What could it possibly be? Is it anything but a mount that you ride, a garment you wear, or a woman you approach?” (6)