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In the name of All°h, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful

Questions asked by the people and Answers given by
Im°m Ja`far ibn Mu¶ammad as-as-Æ°diq (prayers be upon him)
[ Installment 6 ]
Compiled by Øujjatul Isl°m wal Muslim¢n A¶mad Q°§h¢ Z°hid¢
Published by Sayyidah Ma`•£mah Publications [Qum, Iran]
Translated by Saleem Bhimji – www.al-mubin.org – al-mubin@al-mubin.org

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Topic:
Why Does a Baby Laugh for “no Reason” and
Why Does he Cry Even Though he is Not Feeling any Pain?

It has been narrated in a Øad¢th found in Bi¶°r al-Anw°r1 that the following question was asked to Im°m Ja`far
ibn Mu¶ammad as-Æ°diq (prayers be upon him) from Al-Mufaddhal:

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Al-Mufaddhal has said, “I asked Ja`far ibn Mu¶ammad (prayers be upon him) in regards to the baby who laughs
for no apparent reason and who cries even though he is not hurt?

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He (Im°m Ja`far ibn Mu¶ammad as-Æ°diq, prayers be upon him) replied, “O’ Mufaddhal! There is not a single
baby except that he sees the Im°m and speaks with him so then his crying is due to the Im°m going away from
him and his smiling is when he (the Im°m) comes back to see him.

This continues until that time that the child begins to speak at which time this door (to the Im°m) is closed to him
and his heart is made to forget what he has seen and heard (of the Im°m) (so that he would not convey this to
others).”

…and all praise belongs to All°h, Lord of the Worlds, only the mistakes are mine. (Tr.)

1 Bi¶°r al-Anw°r, Volume 2, Page 382, Section 36

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