3. Some Distinguished Companions of the Imam
Abān bin Taghlibhad the opportunity of seeking knowledge from the
fourth, fifthand sixthImams.He wasan expert incommentary of the
Qur’ān(tafsir)andhadith.ImamMuhammadal-Bāqir(a.s.)askedhimto
sitinMasjidu‘n-Nabiandgivefatwatothepeople“becauseIliketosee
people like you among my Shi‘ahs.”
Zurarah bin A‘yanwasa student of the fifth andsixth Imams. He is
counted as one of the six most prominent companions of these two
Imams.Hisgreatestcontributionisinspreadingtheahādīthofthesetwo
Imams among the Shi‘ahs.
KumaytAsadiwasaverypowerfulpoet ofthelaterUmayyid period.
HeusedhistalentsinthedefenceofShi‘ismandtheImamsofAhlu’l-
Bayt, and against the rulers of the Umayyads. He wasalways on the
“most wanted” list of the rulers.
Once during hajj, Kumayt recited poems for Imam Muhammad al-
Bāqir (a.s.). The Imam become so pleased that he raised ten thou-
sanddirhamsfromthe BanuHashimfamilytorewardKumayt.Kumayt
refusedtoacceptthemoney,saying:“ByGod!Ididnotsaythepoemfor
thismoney;ifyoumustrewardme,thenpleasegivemeoneofyourown
shirts.”Hewantedtohavethatshirtwithhiminthegraveforinterces-
sion in the hereafter.
MuhammadbinMuslim,anexpert inShi‘alaws,wasaprominentstu-
dentofboththefifthandthesixthImam.HewasaresidentofKufa,but
went to Medina and stayed for four years studying with the Imams.
Once‘AbdullāhbinAbiYa’fūraskedImamas-Sādiq(a.s.),“SometimesI
have questions which I cannot answer and I cannot reach you at all
times. What should I do?” The Imam said, “Why do not you ask
Muhammad bin Muslim?”