[1] Ja'far was the third son of Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib and Fatimah bint Asad, hence a paternal cousin of Muhammad.

God sent us an apostle who commanded us to speak the truth, be faithful to our engagements, mindful of the ties of kinship and kindly hospitality, and to refrain from crimes and bloodshed.

He forbade us to commit abominations and to speak lies, and to devour the property of orphans, to vilify chaste women.

Ja'far answered: "Our prophet says he is God's slave, apostle, spirit and word, which he cast into Mary the blessed virgin.

"[11] At this the Negus (al-nejashi) returned the gifts of the Quraysh, calling them "bribes," and "they left his presence crestfallen."

He accompanied Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas and others in their mission to the region of Chittagong, Manipur, Tibet, Khotan and China.

The Muslims of the oasis-city of Khotan (in the Xinjiang Province, 6 miles (9.7 kilometres) south of the Taklamakan Desert,[13] west of Tibet) trace their origin to Ja'far.

Muhammad greeted him with the words: "I do not know which event makes me happier – the arrival of Ja'far or the conquest of Khaybar!

Abu Hurairah recalled: "The most generous of all the people to the poor was Ja'far ibn Abi Talib.

The body of Ja'far held seventy-two scars between his shoulders, where he had been either struck by a sword or pierced by a spear.

[citation needed] He later reported that the angel Jibril (Gabriel) came down to console him, saying: "Jafar was a brave and loyal soldier.

God has given him everlasting life, and in place of his arms which were cut off in the battle, the Lord has given him a pair of wings.

Then Muhammad told his daughter Fatimah, "Prepare food for the family of Ja'far, for they are preoccupied today.

[24] It is enclosed in an ornate zarih of gold and silver made by the 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohra, Mohammed Burhanuddin.