Introduction
Musa ibn Jafar (b. 128/745 – d. 183/799) was a member of the Prophet Household and the seventh Shi’a Imam. After the martyrdom of his father, Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq, he succeeded him to become the divine leader (Imam) of the Islamic community. The period of his divine leadership coincided with the caliphate of four Abbasid Caliphs: al-Mansur, al-Hādi, al-Mahdi, and Harun al-Rashid. Imam Al-Kazim (PBUH) lived twenty years with his father and his Imamate lasted for thirty-five years.
His Lineage
His father was the sixth Imam from the pure Prophet’s Household [Ahl al-Bayt], Imam Jafar Sadiq (PBUH), the son of Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir, the son of Ali al-Sajjad, the son of Husain, the son of Ali ibn Abi Talib. His mother was Hamida al-Barbariyya.
His birth
Imam Musa Ibn Ja’far (PBUH) was born on the seventh of Safar in the year 128 A.H (equivalent to November 8, 745) or Safar 7, 129 (October 28, 746)[1] in a village called Abwa’ between Mecca and Medina while they were returning from Hajj[2]. Some have mentioned his place of birth to be Medina[3]. It is pertinent to mention that Musa ibn Jafar (PBUH) was born in the period of the transfer of power from the Umayyads Dynasty to the Abbasids. At the age of four years, the first Abbasid caliph took over the power.
His Nicknames and Titles
His nicknames were Abu al-Hasan, Abu ‘Ibrahim, Abu Ali, and Abu ‘Isma’il and his titles were ‘Abd Ṣālih, Nafs Zakiyyah, Zayn al-Mujahidin, Ṣābir, Amin, Zāhid, and Ṣālih. His most famous title is Al-Kazim. Imam Musa (PBUH) was known as al-‘Abd al-Salih due to his great piety and worshiping[4], and al-Kazim (forbearing), apparently a reference to his patience and mild demeanor[5]. His other title is Bab al-Hawā’ij (i.e., the door through which the people’s needs are fulfilled)[6].
His Personality
Imam Musa al-Kazim (PBUH) -based on reliable hadith traditions from both the Shiite and Sunni sources- was known to be a devoted worshipper to the extent that he came to be known as “al-‘Abd al-Salih” (the righteous worshiper or servant of God)[7]. In the report by Sheikh al-Mufid, he described Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (PBUH) thus: He was the greatest worshiper of his time and he cried out of the fear of God so much that his beard got wet. In his prostration, he used to repeat the supplication: “If Thy servant’s sin is great, then the forgiveness from Thee is the best” and the supplication: “O God! I ask Thee the comfort at the time of death and forgiveness at the time of Judgment[8]“ Moreover, during his imprisonment, Imam al-Kazim used to appreciate and thank God for allowing him to call upon and worship Him alone in solitude: “I always asked Thee an opportunity to worship and Thou have provided it for me, so I thank Thee[9]“.
Another distinguished attribute of Imam al-Kazim (PBUH) is his patience, forbearance and generosity. According to Sheikh al-Mufid, he believed that Imam al-Kazim (PBUH) was the most generous man of his time, as he used to provide food and other provisions secretly to the poor in Medina overnight[10]. Also, it is documented that when the news of the martyrdom of Imam al-Kazim spread in Baghdad, an old man started crying incessantly. When he was asked for the reason, he narrated his encounter with the Imam on the day when his farmland was afflicted with pests and his entire crops were destroyed, he said: “I lived honestly and never did I stretch out my hand towards the people, but since I was in debt, I wondered how I could repay my loan. I was in that state of confusion when I saw Imam Kazim (PBUH) approach me and ask about the amount of loss I incurred. I said 120 Dinars. The Imam smiled and handed me a purse containing 150 Dinars. The Imam’s kind and affectionate look, which was without any air of pride or superiority, fascinated me. I pressed his kind hands in gratitude. Although I was very embarrassed, I accepted his financial help and the Imam advised me never to be disappointed in God’s mercy. Now I am crying this day because a great man has left us. The one whose humbleness and kindness was a byword and who always cared about the needy.”
The Imam (PBUH) was known to be “al-Kazim” because he greatly controlled his anger[11]. There are different reports that he controlled his anger against his enemies and people who hurt him[12]. In addition, the Imam (PBUH) was known for his attitude of unifying family ties. Sheikh al-Mufid in his al-Irshād has also considered Imam al-Kazim (PBUH) as persistent in keeping the family ties[13].
His Imamate
After the martyrdom of the sixth Imam, Imam Ja’far in 148/765, Musa ibn Ja’far succeeded him at the age of twenty years old to become the seventh Shia Imam[14]. His Imamate lasted for thirty-five years and the period of his leadership coincided with the periods of four Abbasid caliphs[15]: ten years in the period of the caliphate of al-Mansur’s (reign: 136/754-158/774-5); eleven years in the period of the caliphate of al-Mahdi al-‘Abbasi (reign: 158/775-169/785-6); one year in the period of the caliphate of al-Hadi al-‘Abbasi (reign: 169/785-6; -170/786-7); and thirteen years of it occurred in the period of caliphate Harun Rashid (reign: 170/786-7; -193/809)[16].
After the martyrdom of his father, Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH), Imam Musa al-Kazim remained in Medina, where he kept aloof from politics and devoted himself to religious teachings. However, according to some sources, Imam al-Kazim (PBUH) emphasized the illegitimacy of the Abbasid caliphs in different ways, such as having debates and refusing to cooperate with them and thus he tried to undermine people’s trust in them[17]. Therefore, he was tightly under strict restriction from the Abbasid caliphs and much of his adult life was spent in their prisons. However, to counter these restrictions, Imam al-Kazim (PBUH) established an underground network of local representatives to organize the affairs of his followers across the Abbasid Empire and to collect their religious donations.
His Imprisonment
During the Imamate of Imam al-Kazim (PBUH), he was repeatedly summoned and imprisoned by Abbasid caliphs at different locations. This was because in any prison he was taken to, it would not take long for the prisoners there to become devoted to the Imam.
For the first time, he was taken from Medina to Baghdad at the command of al-Mahdi al-‘Abbasi[18]. Harun al-Rashid also imprisoned the Imam two times. According to Sheikh al-Mufid, Harun wrote a letter to ‘Isa ibn Ja’far in 180/796-7 and asked him to kill the Imam (PBUH), but he refused to do so[19]. After a while, he (PBUH) was moved to the prison of al-Fadl ibn Rabi’. Meanwhile, the last years of the life of Imam al-Kazim (PBUH) were spent in the prisons of al-Fadl ibn Yahya and al-Sindi ibn Shahik[20].
His Martyrdom
In the first instance, it is pertinent to mention that all of the infallible Imams, except for the Imam of the Time (Imam al-Mahdi) who is still alive, died as martyrs. None of them died a natural death or as a result of an illness. This was one of their great glories.
According to Sheikh al-Mufid, Imam Musa Al-Kazim (PBUH) was poisoned by al-Sindi at the command of Harun al-Rashid, and three days later, the Imam was martyred in the prison of Sandi Ibn Shahak in Baghdad[21]. His martyrdom occurred on Rajab 25, 183 (September 1, 799) at the age of 55 years old.
When Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (PBUH) was martyred, his corpse was put on Baghdad’s bridge and it was announced that he died of natural causes[22]. After discovering the corpse of the Imam (PBUH), the Shi’a gathered for a funeral and buried his body in the Quraysh cemetery of Kazimayn, Baghdad. The shrine of al-Kazimayn remains the burial place of both Imam al-Kazim and his grandson, Muhammad al-Jawad, and it is a popular pilgrimage destination for Twelver Shia Muslims.
Merits of his Ziyarah
On the virtues of visiting the Shrine of Imam Musa al-Kazim (PBUH), Imam al-Rida (PBUH) was reported to have said: “Anyone who visits the grave of my father is like the one who visits the graves of the Prophet (PBUHH) and Ali ibn Abi Talib (PBUH).” In another narration, he (PBUH) is also narrated saying that the reward given for visiting the grave of his father is like the reward given for visiting the grave of Imam al-Husain (PBUH)[23].
Conclusion
The martyrdom of Imam Musa ibn Jafar al-Kazim (PBUH) stands as a profound symbol of patience, faith, and resistance against tyranny. Despite enduring oppression and imprisonment under the Abbasid Caliphate, the Imam’s steadfast commitment to justice and spiritual integrity left a lasting legacy. His life and teachings continue to inspire believers, emphasizing the importance of upholding truth and moral values in the face of adversity. Commemorating his martyrdom not only strengthens community bonds but also serves as a timeless reminder of the sacrifices made to preserve the principles of Islam. His enduring example calls upon individuals to embody faith, resilience, and the pursuit of justice in their lives.
References
[1] . Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī, Tārīkh Baghdād, vol. 13, p. 29.
[2] . Masʿūdī, Ithbāt al-waṣīyya, p. 356-357.
[3] . Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī, Tārīkh Baghdād, vol. 13, p. 29.
[4] . Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī, Tārīkh Baghdād, vol. 13, p. 29.
[5] . Ibn al-Athīr, al-Kāmil, vol. 6, p. 164; Ibn al-Jawzī, Tadhkirat al-khawāṣṣ, p. 312.
[6] . Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 2, p. 227-236.
[7] . Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī, Tārīkh Baghdād, vol. 13, p. 32-33.
[8] . Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 2, p. 231-232.
[9] . Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 2, p. 240.
[10] . Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 2, p. 231-232.
[11] . Ibn al-Athīr, al-Kāmil, vol. 6, p. 166; Ibn al-Jawzī, Tadhkirat al-khawāṣṣ, p. 312.
[12] . Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 2, p. 233; Qarashī, Ḥayāt al-Imām Mūsā b. Jaʿfar, vol. 2, p. 160-162.
[13] . Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 2, p. 232.
[14] . Jaʿfarīyān, Ḥayāt-i fikrī wa sīyāsī-yi Imāmān-i Shīʿa, p. 385
[15] . Ṭabrisī, Iʿlām al-warā, vol. 2, p. 6.
[16] . Pīshwāyī, Sīra-yi pīshwāyān, p. 413.
[17] . Jaʿfarīyān, Ḥayāt-i fikrī wa sīyāsī-yi Imāmān-i Shīʿa, p. 385.
[18] . Ibn al-Jawzī, Tadhkirat al-khawāṣṣ, p. 313.
[19] . Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 2, p. 239.
[20] . Qummī, al-Anwār al-bahīyya, p. 192-196.
[21] . Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 2, p. 242.
[22] . Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 2, p. 242-243.
[23] . Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 4, p. 583.
