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Name -
Musa
Title -
Al-Kazim ,Bab-ul-Hawaij .
Kunyat -
Abu Ibrahim
Born -
Sunday 7st of Safarb 128 A.H. , at Abwa (Between Mecca and Medina)
Father's Name
- Ja'far ibn
Muhammad
Mother's Name
- Hamida Khatoon
Died -
At the age of 55 years,
at Baghdad, on Friday, 25th Rajab 183 AH. Poisoned by Harun-al-Rashid
the Abbaside caliph
Buried -
Kazmain, Baghdad .
Hazrat Imam
Musa Kazim (a.s), a brief look into his Life
His Parents & Birth:
His mother, Umme Hamida was a slave girl who
was brought to Madina and bought by the 5th Imam for his son for
17 dirhams. The first thing that he told her was : "You are Hamida
(the praised one) in this world and Mahmuda (praiseworthy) in the
hereafter".
When the women of Madina used to come to the 6th Imam to ask masails
he used to send them to Umme Hamida saying: "Her answers will be
those given by me".
Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (a.s.) was born in Abwa (a place between Mecca
and Madina). It is here that Bibi Amina (Prophet Muhammad's (S.A.W.)
mother) is buried. Imam was born when his parents were returning
from Mecca. As soon as he was born he did Sajda reciting Kalima
and bearing witness to the Imaamate of all the other Imams including
his own.
Childhood
He is one of the Imams whose miracles in childhood are reported
extensively. Imam Ja'fer As-Sadiq (A.S.) repeatedly pointed out
Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (a.s.) as his successor because he knew of the
people who after his death would differ.
(N.B. The Ismailis say Ismail (Imams eldest son who died whilst
Imam Ja'fer Sadiq (a.s.) was still alive) was the 7th Imam. One
of the 6th Imam's other sons - Abdullah also claimed Imaamate.)
Yaqub Al-Saraaj visited the 6th Imam once who told him to greet
his son Musa who was a week old in his cradle. Imam Musa replied
to the salaam and told Yaqub to change his daughters name (Humayra)
as it was a name not liked by Allah.
Safwan (a companion of the 6th Imam) once saw the young Imam Musa
teaching the lamb he was playing with to prostrate to Allah.
Once when Imam was 5 years old, Abu Hanifa came to visit the 6th
Imam. He asked Imam Musa (a.s.): "O son of the Prophet! What is
your opinion about the deeds of man? Does he do them on his own
free will or does God make him do them?".
The 7th Imam replied : "The doings of man can have three possibilities:
God compels a man to do them whilst he is helpless.
Both God and man share the commitment.
Man does them alone.
If the first is true than God cannot punish man for sins he did
not commit.
If the second is true than too God cannot punish man for he is an
equal partner.
Then, we are naturally left with the third, that man is absolutely
responsible for his own doings".
His Titles
(These were used to avoid using Imams name as the very mention of
it would lead to arrest, torture, harassment and/or death.)
Babul Hawaaij (Door of fulfilment of needs). Even after his death
people have their needs fulfilled and do not return empty handed
from his shrine (Ask especially for cure of physical illnesses,
especially eyes).
Kadhim (One who swallows his anger). Imam Musa (a.s.) lived in an
era when the rulers were the cruellest ever. Their hatred for the
Ahlul Bayt and their followers was intense. Imam's followers were
constantly harassed and tortured. The last 19 years of his life
was spent in prison. Despite all these hardships, he was always
patient spending entire nights in the worship of Allah. His character
even converted the prison wardens towards him.
His Life & Works (Imamate)
When his father was martyred (poisoned by the ruler Mansur Dawanaqi),
Mansur asked the governor of Madina to behead all the trustees Imam
had left. The governor (called Sulayman) wrote back to say that
the 6th Imam had left 5 trustees of whom he (Mansur) was the first
and Sulayman the second followed by Abdullah, Umme Hamida and Imam
Musa (a.s.). Mansur kept quiet.
After the 6th Imam's death Mansur encouraged the Ismaili sect to
develop although he knew that Ismail had died 20 years before. At
the same time the 6th Imam's other son Abdullah claimed Imamate
(however he only lived 17 days after that).
Mansur was busy building Baghdad after that (although the torture
and killing of the followers of Ahlul Bayt continued) and left Imam
Musa (a.s.) for a while in which Imam had a little time to teach
true Islam.
When Mansur died his son Mahdi came to power in 158 a.h. He increased
the atrocities on the family and followers of Ahlul Bayt. Imam Musa
(a.s.) advised his followers to practise Taqiyya (meaning not to
show ones faith outwardly). Mahdi called Imam to Baghdad and imprisoned
him releasing him after a while.
After Mahdi came his son Musa who assumed the title Haadi. He only
ruled for 15 months but the atrocities continued.
After the death of Haadi came his brother Harun Rashid. It was he
who introduced Backgammon, Chess and Music as Islamic culture (they
are Haraam). Harun was told of the popularity of Imam Musa (a.s.)
by Muhammad bin Ismail (Imam's nephew) and about the collection
of khums.
Harun was furious and wanting to prove his relationship to the Prophet
went to the Prophets grave and greeted the Prophet addressing him
as his uncle. Imam Musa (a.s.) was there and he addressed the Prophet
as his grandfather. Imam then asked Harun that if the Prophet were
to come and ask Harun for his daughters hand in marriage would he
agree?
Harun said "Yes". Imam said "That is the difference between you
and me - my daughter would be haraam for the Prophet (mahram)".
Harun had Imam arrested in the Prophet's mosque whilst Imam was
praying. He was handcuffed and shackled and sent to Basra. A similar
caravan was sent to Baghdad to fool Imam's followers. Imam was put
into prison under the custody of Isa bin Ja'fer. After a year Isa
wrote to Harun saying he could no longer imprison Imam as he could
find only piety and righteousness in him.
Harun had Imam moved to Baghdad under the custody of Fadhl bin Rabi
who too became a follower of Imam. The prisons were so small that
there was no room to stand and the food was a cup of water and two
pieces of dry bread a day. Imam remained patient.
Harun also hired people to kill Imam (It is reported that they were
from England). They too on seeing Imam cried and refused to murder
him even though they were paid to do so.
Harun finally moved Imam in the care of Sindi bin Shahak (a very
cruel man). Imam remained in prison for the last 19 years of his
life.
The 19 years of imprisonment gave the Shia population a little relief
as the rulers concentrated on Imam. It enabled the Shias to disperse
from Arabia to Iran, India etc. thus spreading Islam and it was
one of the factors towards the popularity of the 8th Imam.
Summary of his Life Works
In a situation in which the family and followers of the Ahlul Bayt
were being murdered and tortured Imam taught the true word of Allah.
Through his character and piety he showed the meaning of tabligh
living up to the hadith of the 6th Imam:
"Acquire a true Muslim character and that shall spread Islam".
In 183 a.h. Sindi had Imam killed with poisoned dates. Another narration
says Imam was wrapped in a carpet and he was suffocated and stamped
on. His body was left on the bridge of Baghdad and an announcement
was made for all to come and see him.
N.B. It was a ploy to encourage Shias to come out in anger so they
could be identified.
When Harun Rashid's brother Sulayman heard of this he was furious
and arranged for his burial in a Quraysh cemetery outside Baghdad
(the 8th Imam gave ghusl and kafan). A town grew around the tomb
of Imam called Kadhmain (meaning the two Kadhims) since the 9th
Imam is also buried there.
His Children
He had 19 sons & 18 daughters. The most famous of his sons is
his successor, Imam
Ali Ar-Ridha (a.s.) and the most famous of his daughters is
Fatima Kubra known as Masuma Qum who is buried in Qum.
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