Hisham ibn Hakam

Hisham ibn Hakam (Arabic:هشام بن حکم) or Abul Hakam Hisham ibn Hakam Kendi was a Shiite scholar of the second century of Hejri and a companion of Jafar al-Sadiq and Musa al-Kadhim. It was Hisham who defended the doctrine of Imamate based on wisdom and logic; a topic he proved himself to be fully competent for. His debates on different religious matters are alive till present days.

The exact year of the birth of Hisham is not clear, but by studying different sources, we understand that he was born from Hakam in Kufa, the centre of Iraqi's Shiits, in the beginning of the second century of Hejri, and grew up in Waset. Afterwards he lived a few years in Baghdad where he was conducting some business. He was interested in Islamic theology and in his youth he was a follower of Jahm bin Safwan the head of the Jahmi Sect. Afterwards during some debates with Jafar al-Sadiq, he became one of his followers. Of his first visit to the seventh Shitte imam. he himself says that one day while being busy selling fabric under a shaded tree, Musa al-Kadhim happened to ride by. "He turned his face to me and said, 'O Hisham, selling something in the shadows is similar to cheating, and cheating is unlawful in Islam.'"

It is said that Hisham was skillful in debates as it is recorded from he himself who said: "By God, till this day when I am standing here, nobody has defeated me in religious discourses." Jafar al-sadiq used to praise him for his debates; in spite of the fact that the imam would advise his other companions not to engage in discusion. " Don't enter into a discussion, especially one about which you have no knowledge." used to say the imam.

When a learned Syrian came to al-Sadiq to discuss with him in different issues, the Imam made him discuss with some of his disciples instead. Among whom were Hamran ibn A'yan, Aban ibn Taghlab, Zarareh, Taiyar, Hisham ibn Salem, and Hisham ibn Hakam. Then to show that not every kind of discussion is eligible he said "O Syrian brother, Hamran ibn A'yan came out victorious over you by distorting the facts and using clever speech and set forth his questions to you in a suitable and proper time; and you could not reply to him. Aban ibn Taghlab confused right and wrong to oust you from the combat of the debate and asked you questions to which you could not give the proper answers. But Zarareh defeated you with the help of analogy and allegory. Taiyar, another companion is just like that bird which sits sometimes and then rises up and you are just like that wingless bird which has no power to rise up after sitting down once. Hisham ibn Salem used to put questions again and again cleverly. But Hisham ibn Hakam entered the arena with reasoning and diction and argued with you by means of logical reasoning."

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