Musa al-Kadhim


Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
Mūsā al-Kādhim
Imams of Twelver Shi'a Islam

A modern depiction by a Shi'a artist
Rank Seventh Twelver Imām
Name Mūsā ibn Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad
Kunya Abū Ibrāhīm[1]
Birth 7th Safar 128 AH
≈ 6 November 745 C.E.
Death 25th Rajab 183 AH
≈ 1 September 799 C.E.
Birthplace Abwā'[1], Saudi Arabia
Buried al-Kādhimiya Mosque, Kādhimayn
Life Duration Before Imamate: 20 years
(128 - 148 AH)
Imamate: 35 years
(148 - 183 AH)
Titles
Spouse(s) Ummul Banīn Najmah[3]
Father Ja‘far aṣ-Ṣādiq
Mother Hamīdah al-Barbariyyah[1]
Children ‘Alī ar-Ridhā (successor), Fātimah al-Ma‘sūmah, Hājar Khātūn, Hamzah, Sālih, Ahmad, Muhammad, Ibrāhīm, Aisha[4][5][6][7][8]

Almahdi.png

Ali · Hasan · Husayn

al-Sajjad · al-Baqir · al-Sadiq
al-Kadhim · al-Rida · al-Taqi
al-Hadi · al-Askari · al-Mahdi

Mūsá ibn Ja‘far al-Kāżim / al-Kādhim (Arabic: موسى بن جعفر الكاظم‎) (November 6, 745 AD - September 1, 799 // Safar 7, 128 AH – Rajab 25, 183 AH)[1] was the seventh of the Twelve Imams. He was the son of the sixth Imam, Ja‘far aṣ-Ṣādiq and his mother was Hamidah Khātūn, a student and former slave of African descent. His wife Najmah was also a former slave purchased and freed by Hamidah, his mother.

Mūsá al-Kāżim was born during the power struggles between the Umayyad and the Abbasid. Like his father, he was assassinated by the Abbasids. He bore three notable children: the eighth Imām, ‘Alī ar-Riżá, and two daughters, Fāṭimah al-Ma‘sūmah and Hājar Khātūn.

The Festival of Imam Musa al-Kadhim celebrates his life and death.

Contents

Background

Mūsá al-Kāżim was in Abwa between Mecca and Medina. His mother was originally a slave of African origin (from Berber), but was freed and trained as an Islamic scholar through his father.[9][10]

Designation of the Imamate

Mūsá al-Kāżim became the seventh Shi’ah Imam at the age of 21. According to the Kitab al-Irshad of Sheikh al-Mufid:

Among the shaykhs of the followers of Abu Abd Allah Ja'far al-Sadiq, peace be on him, his special group (khassa), his inner circle and the trustworthy righteous legal scholars, may God have mercy on them, who report the clear designation of the Imamate by Abu Abd Allah Jafars peace be on him, for his son, Abu al-Hasan Musa, peace be on him, are: al-Mufaddal b. Umar al-Jufi, Mu'adh b. Kathir, Abd al-Rahman b. al-Hajjaj, al-Fayd b. al-Mukhtar, Yaqub al-Sarraj, Sulayman b. Khalid, Safwan al-Jammal... [That designation] is also reported by his two brothers, Ishaq and Ali, sons of Jafar, peace be on him.[11]

Some Shi‘ah believe that the eldest son of Imam Ja‘far, namely Isma'il ibn Jafar, received the Imamate rather than Mūsá al-Kāżim. They also believe Isma'il went into hiding at his father's command (known as the Lesser Occultation) while Twelvers believe he predeceased his father and therefore was never appointed Imam. The descendents of the supporters of Isma'il's Imamate today comprise the Ismaili, which includes several independent groups.

Other Shia believed that Imam al-Sadiq's eldest surviving son Abdullah al-Aftah was the Imam to succeed his father. This sect was known as the Aftahiyya/Fathiyya/Fathites.

Al Kadhimiya Mosque

His death

In 795, Harun al-Rashid imprisoned Mūsá al-Kāżim; according to Twelver Shia tradition, four years later, he ordered Sindi ibn Shahiq to poison Musa. Mūsá al-Kāżim's body is now said to rest within al Kadhimiya Mosque in Kadhimayn, Iraq. He left nineteen sons and eighteen daughters.

A group of Shia rejected the death of Musa al-Kadhim. They were called the Waqifite Shia. They believed Musa was the Mahdi and was alive, but in occultation.

Quotes

  1. The best generosity is the help to the oppressed.
  2. The world is soft and beautiful like a snake but there is a fatal poison hidden inside.
  3. Reliance on Allah has grades. One of them is that you rely on Him in every matter and be pleased with whatever He decides for you and know that He never hesitates in providing you any good and grace and that every decision is from Him so leave every affair to His Will and rely and put trust only in Him[12]
  4. One who gives circulation to a sin is banished and forsaken and the one who covers a sin will be forgiven by God[13]
  5. Every person who strives to obtain Halaal (permissible) sustenance or provision is like a fighter in the path of God [14]
  6. After the acknowledgement of God, the best acts of the offertory to God are the prayers, piety to the parents, and evasion of envy, self-conceit, and pride [15]
  7. The few deeds of the intelligent will be accepted and doubled, while the many deeds of the followers of passions and the ignorant will be rejected.[16]

Timeline

Musa al-Kadhim
of the Ahl al-Bayt
Panjetan.jpg
Banu Hashim
Clan of the Banu Quraish
Born: 7th Safar 128 AH ≈ 6th November 745 CE Died: 25th Rajab 183 AH ≈ 1st September 799 CE
Shī‘a Islam titles
Preceded by
Jafar al-Sadiq		 7th Imam of Twelver Shi'a Islam
765 – 799		 Succeeded by
Ali al-Ridha

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 A Brief History of The Fourteen Infallibles. Qum: Ansariyan Publications. 2004. pp. 131. 
    "The Infallibles Taken from Kitab al Irshad By Sheikh al Mufid". al-islam.org. http://www.al-islam.org/masoom/bios/7thimam.html. Retrieved 2008-11-20. 
  2. ↑ A Brief History of The Fourteen Infallibles. Qum: Ansariyan Publications. 2004. pp. 131. 
    al-Qurashi, Baqir Shareef. "1". The Life of Imam Musa bin Ja'far al-Kazim. Qum: Ansariyan Publications. pp. 60. 
  3. ↑ A Brief History of The Fourteen Infallibles. Qum: Ansariyan Publications. 2004. pp. 137. 
  4. ↑ al-Irshad, by Shaikh Mufid [p.303]
  5. ↑ Kashf al-Ghumma, by Abu al-Hasan al-Irbili [vol.2, p.90 & 217]
  6. ↑ Tawarikh al-Nabi wa al-Aal, by Muhammad Taqi al-Tustari [p. 125-126]
  7. ↑ al-Anwar al-Nu`maniyya, by Ni`mat Allah al-Jaza’iri [vol.1, p.380]
  8. ↑ Umdat al-Talib, by Ibn Anba [p. 266 {footnote}]
  9. ↑ Slavery in the History of Islam: Slaves' Children - Imams and Caliphs
  10. ↑ ShiaStudies.com: Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (AS) - Birth and Childhood
  11. ↑ Imam al-Musa al-Kadhim (a.s.)
  12. ↑ Al Kafi 2:65
  13. ↑ Al Kafi
  14. ↑ Bihar al-Anwar 103: 4, 7, 113
  15. ↑ "Maxims of Imam Al-Kadhim". Tuhaful Uqool/Tuhaf ul-Uqoul. Compiled by Abu Muhammed Al-Hasan bin Ali bin Al-Hussein bin Shu’ba Al-Harrani, Translated by Badr Shahin. Iran: Ansariyan Publications. 2000. 
  16. ↑ Tuhaful Uqool, Ch: Maxims of Imam Al-Kadhim.