Umm Ja'far, or Umm 'Awn, was the daughter of Muhammad Ibn Ja'far Ibn 'Abi Talib al-Hashimi and the granddaughter of Asma' Bint 'Umays.1 In some of the sources she is referred to as Umm Ja'far Bint Ja'far Ibn 'Abi Talib. It is said that Umm Ja'far was the wife of Muhammad Ibn al-Hanafiyyah, and the mother of his son 'Awn. Ibn Hajar introduces her by the name of Umm 'Awn. She passed away in 49 A.H.L.2

Shaykh al-Saduq mentions her in his book Man la Yahdaruhu al-Faqih in connection with Asma' Bint 'Umays regarding the well-known tradition "the returning of the sun."3 In the book al-Mujdi'4 it is written, "Umm Ja'far al-Ja'fariyyah was the mother of 'Awn al-Akbar. She was a lady of great excellence and a narrator of traditions."5 Mamqani lists her among the women transmitters of traditions but says he was unsuccessful in finding information on her life.6

She has related traditions from Asma' Bint 'Umays (her grandmother). 'Umarah Ibn Muhajir, 'Awn and Umm 'Isa al-Khuza'iyyah (Jazar) have related traditions from her.7

Shaykh al-Saduq, relying on his sources, relates from Muhammad Ibn Musa, from 'Umarah Ibn Muhajir, from Umm Ja'far Bint Muhammad Ibn Ja'far, from her grandmother Asma' Bint 'Umays, that she said, "One day the Messenger of God fell asleep while his head was in 'Ali's lap. The sun set and the time for 'Ali to pray his 'Asr (afternoon) prayer elapsed (without him having prayed). The Holy Prophet (woke up and) said, 'O God! 'Ali was obeying you and your Prophet; so, make the sun return for his sake.'

Asma' said, 'I swear to God, I saw the sun set and then rise again, so that there was no mountain or piece of land it did not shine upon, until Ali rose, made ablution and performed the Afternoon Prayer. Then it set again.'"8

Al-Hakim, relying on his own sources, relates from 'Awn Ibn Muhammad Ibn 'Ali and 'Umarah Ibn Muhajir that Umm Ja'far, the wife of Muhammad Ibn 'Ali said, "Asma' Bint 'Umays told me, "I washed Fatimah, the daughter of the Holy Prophet (S) (after her death) together with 'Ali ('a)."'9

• 1. Usd al-Ghabah, vol. 1, p. 544.
• 2. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 12, p. 474; al-Mujdi, p. 224.
• 3. Al-Faqih, vol. 4, p. 438.
• 4. The book al-Mujdi fi Ansab al-'Talibiyyin was written by Najm al-Din Abu al-Hasan 'Ali Ibn Muhammad al- 'Alawi al-'Umari, a scholar who lived in the 5th century A.H.
• 5. Al-Mujdi, p. 224.
• 6. Tanqih al-Maqal, vol. 3, p.71.
• 7. Tahdib al-Kamal, p. 373.
• 8. Al-Faqih, vol. 1, p. 203 (This tradition has also been quoted in the section about Asma' Bint Umays.); Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 41, pp. 167 and 176.
• 9. Al-Mustadrak 'ala'l-Sahihayn, vol. 3, p. 163.