Imam Musa b. Ja'far al-Kazim (a): Difference between revisions

According to Shiite and Sunni sources, Imam al-Kazim (a) frequently practiced worshiping God. Thus, he came to be known as "al-'Abd al-Salih" (the righteous worshiper or servant of God)<ref>Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī, ''Tārīkh Baghdād'', vol. 13, p. 32-33.</ref>. According to some reports, Imam al-Kazim (a) worshiped so much that his prisoners were impressed.<ref>Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī, ''Tārīkh Baghdād'', vol. 13, p. 32-33.</ref> According to [[al-Shaykh al-Mufid]], Musa b. Ja'far (a) 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 [[sujud|prostrations]], he repeated the supplication: "If Thy servant's sin is great, then the Forgiveness from Thee is the best" ({{ia| عَظُمَ الذَّنْبُ مِنْ عَبْدِكَ فَلْيَحْسُنِ الْعَفْوُ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ}}) and the supplication: "O God! I ask Thee the comfort at the time of death and forgiveness at the time of Judgment" ({{ia| اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الرَّاحَةَ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَ الْعَفْوَ عِنْدَ الْحِسَابِ}}).<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 231-232.</ref> Even when he was imprisoned at the command of Harun, he thanked God for having an opportunity to worship Him: "I always asked Thee an opportunity to worship and Thou Have Provided it for me, so I thank Thee".<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 240.</ref>

There are reports about Imam al-Kazim's (a) patience<ref>Ibn al-Athīr, al-Kāmil, vol. 6, p. 164; Ibn al-Jawzī, ''Tadhkirat al-khawāṣ'', p. 312.</ref> and generosity in Shiite and Sunni sources<ref>Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī, ''Tārīkh Baghdād'', vol. 13, p. 30-33; Qarashī, ''Ḥayāt al-Imām Mūsā ibn Jaʿfar'', vol. 2, p. 154-167.</ref>. [[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] believed that the Imam (a) was the most generous man of his time who secretly took provisions and food to the poor in Medina overnight.<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 231-232.</ref> [[Ibn 'Inaba]] said about Musa b. Ja'far's (a) generosity: he left home overnight with bags of dirhams and gave them to every person in need whom he met. His bags of dirhams were well-known among the people at the time.<ref>Ibn ʿInaba, ''ʿUmdat al-ṭālib'', p. 177.</ref> It is also said that Musa b. Ja'far (a) was also generous to those who bothered him, and whenever he learned that someone was seeking to bother him, he sent gifts to him.<ref>Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī, ''Tārīkh Baghdād'', vol. 13, p. 29.</ref> Al-Shaykh al-Mufid has also considered Imam al-Kazim (a) as persistent on [[Silat al-Rahim]] (family ties).<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 232.</ref>

[[Al-Bushr al-Hafi]] was also impressed by the Imam's (a) remarks and moral practice and then [[tawba|repented]] to God and turned into a [[Sufi]] master.<ref>Ḥillī, ''Minḥāj al-kirāma'', p. 59.</ref>

According to some sources, Imam al-Kazim (a) 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.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Ḥayāt-i fikrī wa sīyāsī-yi Imāmān-i Shīʿa'', p. 385.</ref> The following are cases of his attempts to question the legitimacy of the Abbasids: