School of law
Ja'fari (Twelver)
The main Shi'i school, traced to Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (d. 765). Centres the teachings narrated from the Prophet's family and living scholarly authority.
Mainly followed in: Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Bahrain, parts of South Asia.
History
The Ja'fari school takes its name from Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (d. 765), a great-great-grandson of the Prophet ﷺ who taught in Madinah. His circle was enormous — Abu Hanifa and Malik are both reported among those who benefited from him.
For Twelver Shi'a, guidance after the Prophet ﷺ continued through twelve Imams from his family. Their teachings were gathered into major collections such as al-Kafi, and the law was developed by jurists in Najaf, Qom and Karbala.
Since the twelfth Imam's occultation, the school works through living qualified jurists (marja'), whom followers refer to for practical rulings.
Lineage of teaching
Knowledge in Islam is passed from teacher to student. This is the broad chain behind the school, oldest first.
- 1The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
- 2Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima al-Zahra
- 3Imams al-Hasan, al-Husayn, Zayn al-Abidin, al-Baqir
- 4Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (d. 765)
- 5The remaining Imams down to the twelfth
- 6al-Kulayni, al-Saduq, al-Tusi — compilers and jurists
- 7The seminaries of Najaf and Qom, and today's living marja'
Ten practices you would notice today
Everyday positions a follower of this school would recognise. Other schools hold different views on these points, and all remain within Islam.
- 1Hands hang at the sides in prayer; folding them is not practised.
- 2Prostration is made on earth, or on a clay tablet (turbah), rather than on carpet alone.
- 3The noon and afternoon prayers, and the sunset and night prayers, are commonly prayed together.
- 4In wudu, the feet are wiped rather than washed, and the arms are washed from elbow downwards.
- 5The call to prayer includes additional recognised phrases.
- 6Khums — an annual fifth on surplus income — is paid alongside zakat.
- 7Practical rulings are taken from a living qualified jurist one chooses to follow.
- 8Meat is eaten only when slaughtered by a Muslim according to the school's conditions.
- 9Temporary marriage (mut'a) is recognised in this school, unlike in Sunni schools.
- 10Ashura and the days of the Imams are marked with mourning, remembrance and charity.
Practices kept today that the Prophet ﷺ did himself
Points where this school’s everyday practice matches something directly narrated from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Every school holds to the Sunnah as it understood it — these are examples, not a claim that others depart from it.
Loving and honouring the Prophet's household.
“I leave among you two weighty things: the Book of Allah and my family, the people of my house.”
Prostrating on earth, stone or other natural ground.
“The earth has been made for me a place of prayer and a means of purification.”
Combining the noon and afternoon, and sunset and night prayers, when there is a need.
The Prophet ص combined prayers in Madinah without fear or rain, so as not to burden his community.
Sources & further reading
The works this school’s positions are drawn from, plus accessible introductions.
Nahj al-Balagha
compiled by al-Sharif al-Radi (d. 1015)
Sermons, letters and sayings attributed to Imam Ali; widely available in English.
Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih
Shaykh al-Saduq (d. 991)
One of the four canonical Twelver hadith collections.
Al-Risala al-'Amaliyya of a living marja'
e.g. Sistani, Khoei
Practical rulings are taken from a living scholar of reference; his manual is the everyday guide.
Shi'a Islam: Origins, Faith and Practices
modern introductions such as Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i's Shi'ite Islam
Accessible overview of belief and practice.
A reminder
This page is a summary for orientation, not a fatwa. Differences between schools are differences of scholarship, not of faith — learn the details from a qualified, trustworthy teacher in your own community.