Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Uthman

Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Uthman had five titles: al-Amri (Arabic: أَبُو عَمْرِوْيّ‎), Asadi (Arabic: ٱلَأَسَدِيّ‎), al-Kufi (Arabic: ٱلْكُوفِيّ‎), Sammaan (Arabic: ٱلسَّمَّان‎, lit. 'oil seller') and al-Askari (Arabic: ٱلْعَسْكَرِيّ‎). He was called "Amri" because his grandfather's name was Amr and al-Asadi because he was from Banu Asad tribe. He was called '"al-Askari" because of residing in Samarra, the a garrison town. His Kunya is Abu Jafar.[2]

After the death of Uthman ibn Sa’id al-Asadi, the first deputy and the father of Abu Ja'far, he was appointed as the second deputy of Imam Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi.[3] He performed ritual bathing of his father's body and burying him and received a letter of consolation ascribed to the twelfth Imam at the death of Uthman ibn Sa'id. In Shia ideology, these acts are the unmistakable signs that Abu Ja'far was the successor of his father.[4][5] Before he became the deputy of twelfth Imam of the Shi'a, he was also a trustee of Hasan al-Askari, the eleventh Imam. In a narration, Imam Hasan al-Askary noted to Abu Jafar as the representative of his son: "Bear witness that Uthman ibn Sa‘id Amri is my representative, and his son, Muhammad is representative of my son,Mahdi."[6] He continued his father's activities, delivering the letters and religious taxes such as the Zakat and Khums the Shias gave to Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi, as well as critical activities against Bani Abbas.[4] He remained the HujjT-Allah al-Mahdi's deputy for almost fifty years and died in the year 304 AH.[7] His grave is in East Baghdad.[2]

According to Umm Kulthum, daughter of ibn Uthman: "Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Uthman has written books on Ja'fari jurisprudence in which he has collected all the traditions from Imam al-Askari, Imam al-Mahdi and from his father Uthman ibn Sa'id who in turn has narrated from Imam al-Hadi. Among these books is one titled Al Ashrebah and according his will this book had reached to the third deputy Abul Qasim Husayn ibn Ruh al-Nawbakhti.[2]