Pars Today – Imam Musa Kazem was a descendent of the Prophet of Islam and a key figure in the history of Islam, especially in the second century AH. He set the ground for political and social enlightenment.
Abul Hassan Musa ibn Ja’afar (Peace upon him) (128-183 AH, corresponding with 745-799 AD), also known with the epithets of Kazem, Abd Saleh and Bab-al-Hawaej, was the seventh Infallible Imam of the Ahl al-Bayt of Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny).
He attained the status of Imamate after the martyrdom of his father, Imam Sadeq (Peace upon him) and was the Imam of the Islamic Ummah for 35 years. His era of Imamate coincided with the reign of several oppressive Abbasid caliphs who had come to Iraq from Medina. The Imam spent several years in the dungeons of the Abbasid rulers because of his enlightening and justice-seeking activities.
His most famous child was Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Reza (Peace upon him) whose golden-domed shrine is in the city of Mashhad, north of Iran. His other famous child is Lady Fatimah Masoumeh (Peace upon her) whose shrine is located in the city of Qom in the center of Iran.
Imam Musa Kazem has bequeathed to posterity a legacy of religious teachings including monotheism, prophethood, Imamate, the Day of Resurrection, Islamic laws, educational and moral topics in the form of thousands of short and long hadiths. He also taught and trained learned scholars who were torch-bearers of various sciences.
A number of debates have also been reported in history books between Imam Musa Kazem and Christian and Jewish scholars in which the Imam responded to the questions posed by them in a variety of subjects. There are over 3,000 hadiths in the book, Musnad al-Imam al-Kazem, a number of which have been gathered by some of the scholars of other Islamic denominations.
After being imprisoned several times because of social activities and enlightening people, Imam Kazem (Peace upon him) was finally poisoned and martyred upon the direct order of Harun, the despotic and ruthless Abbasid ruler.
Shia and Sunni sources have praised Imam Musa Kazem’s knowledge, worship, asceticism, forebearance and generosity. Great Sunni figures used to respect this descendent of the Prophet as a top religious scholar and, like the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet, would visit his shrine. The twin shrine of Imam Kazem and his grandchild, Imam Javad, in the north of Baghdad, is called Kazemain and highly venerated by Muslims and lovers of the Ahl al-Bayt.
Pars Today has embarked on some of his maxims and pieces of advice here:
Status of those who meet needs of servants of God
Muamar ibn Khalad narrated from Imam Kazem as saying, “God has servants on the earth who try to meet the needs of people. They will be secure on the Day of Resurrection.”
Knowledge in four things
Imam Kazem (Peace upon him) said, “I found people’s knowledge in four things: the first is to know your Lord; the second is to know what He has done to you; the third is to know what He wants from you; and the fourth is to know what expels you from your religion.”
Being learned in God’s religion
Imam Kazem (Peace upon him) said, “Gain deep knowledge in God’s religion, as knowing the religion deeply is the key to insight and perfection of worship.”
World resembles sea water
Among the recommendations of Imam Kazem is that: “The example of the world is that of the sea water; the more a thirsty person drinks from it, the more he will become thirsty so that it kills him.”
Importance of patience
Imam Kazem (Peace upon him) said, “Calamity is one for a patient person and double for an impatient one.”
Being ashamed of God in secret
Imam Kazem (Peace upon him) said, “Be ashamed of God in secret just as you are ashamed of people in public.”
Wisdom is hidden proof
Imam Kazem (Peace upon him) said, “God has two proofs on people: a clear proof and a hidden proof. As for the clear proof, they are the prophets; and the hidden proof are intellects.”
RM/MG
