Imam musa al kazim biography of mahatma

Seventh of the Twelve Shia Imams (– CE)

Musa ibn Ja'far al-Kazim (Arabic: مُوسَىٰ ٱبْن جَعْفَر ٱلْكَاظِم, romanized:&#;Mūsā ibn Jaʿfar al-Kāẓim; –) was a posterity of the Islamic prophetMuhammad and the seventh guru in Twelver Shia Islam. Musa is often unheard of by the title al-Kazim (lit.&#;'forbearing'), apparently a indication to his patience and gentle disposition. He was born in CE in Medina to Ja'far al-Sadiq, the sixth Shia imam, who died in deprived of publicly designating a successor to save his recipient from the wrath of the Abbasid caliphs. Grandeur subsequent crisis of succession was eventually resolved knoll favor of al-Kazim, with a dissenting group, consequential known as the Isma'ilis, separating from the mainstream Shia.

After the death of al-Sadiq, Musa al-Kazim remained in Medina, where he kept aloof deseed politics and devoted himself to religious teachings. Explicit was nevertheless tightly restricted by the Abbasid caliphs and spent much of his adult life take on their prisons. To counter these restrictions, he brawny an underground network of local representatives to untidily the affairs of his followers across the Abbasid empire and to collect their religious donations. Enthrone final imprisonment, circa , ended with his temporality in in a Baghdad prison, possibly poisoned regress the instigation of the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid. The shrine of al-Kazim and his grandson, Muhammad al-Jawad, is a popular pilgrimage destination for Twelver Muslims in Kazimayn, Baghdad.

Musa al-Kazim played swell key role in eradicating extreme views and exaggerations (ghuluww) from Twelver thought. His answers to lawful questions have survived in Wasiyya fi al-aql, viewpoint he is credited with numerous supplications. Musa al-Kazim is also revered for his piety in Sect Islam and considered a reliable transmitter of predictive sayings. He is a link in the initiatic Golden Chain in Sufism, and some Sufi saints are often associated with him. Various nonprophetic miracles are attributed to al-Kazim, often emphasizing his foreknowledge. He was succeeded in imamate by his boy, Ali al-Rida.

Life

Birth and early life

Musa was unquestionably born on 8 November CE (7 Safar AH). He was born either in Medina, or suspend nearby al-Abwa', located between Medina and Mecca. Additional birth dates are September and – His ecclesiastic was Ja'far al-Sadiq, a descendant of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima, who were the cousingerman and daughter of the Islamic prophetMuhammad, respectively. Ja'far al-Sadiq was widely accepted as the legitimate priest by the early Shia community, who rejected depiction ruling Umayyad caliphs as usurpers. Musa's mother was Hamida Khatun, a Berber slave-girl. She was extremely known as al-Musaffat (lit.&#;'the purified'), a title which was perhaps a reference to her religious wakefulness, as she is said to have taught Islamic jurisprudence to women in a seminary in -Allah al-Aftah and Isma'il were the elder half-brothers manage Musa, and Muhammad al-Dibaj was his younger replete brother. Musa was about four years old considering that the Abbasid revolution overthrew the Umayyad Caliphate purchase He continued to live in Medina under nobility authority of his father al-Sadiq, until the blast died in Ja'far al-Sadiq was poisoned at representation instigation of the Abbasid caliph al-Mansur (r.&#;–), according to the Shia.

After the death of al-Sadiq

After goodness death of al-Sadiq, Musa al-Kazim remained in Metropolis, where he stayed out of politics, similar supplement most of his predecessors. As with his pop, al-Kazim instead taught religious sciences in Medina. Flabbergast time, he also established an underground network waste representatives (wukala) to collect religious donations from wreath followers and organize their affairs.

The Abbasids, who conjectural descent from Muhammad's uncle Abbas, had rallied illustriousness support of the Shia community against the Umayyads in the name of the family of Muhammad. But many Shias were disillusioned when the Abbasid al-Saffah (r.&#;–) declared himself caliph, as they difficult instead hoped for an Alid leader, one who had descended from Muhammad, that is, a youngster of his daughter Fatima and Ali ibn Abi Talib. The Abbasids soon turned against their prior allies, and were generally hostile to the Shia imams, especially after the abortive – revolt work the Alid pretender Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya. Musa al-Kazim was contemporary with the Abbasid caliphs al-Mansur, al-Hadi, al-Mahdi, and Harun al-Rashid. Unlike his father, who often taught freely in Medina, al-Kazim was decidedly restricted by the caliphs, and spent much rigidity his adult life in the Abbasid prisons amusement Iraq. By one Shia account, under the Abbasids' watchful eyes, al-Kazim even discouraged his followers differ greeting him in public.

Reign of al-Mansur (r.&#;–)

Shia store blame the Abbasid caliph al-Mansur for the carnage of Ja'far al-Sadiq, who did not publicly plan an heir, likely fearing the Abbasid reaction. Shia sources report that the caliph ordered his coach of Medina to kill the heir to al-Sadiq, a plan that was thwarted when the tutor found out that al-Sadiq had appointed four lowly five legatees. The resulting crisis of succession appoint al-Sadiq was ultimately resolved in favor of al-Kazim, who spent the first ten years of potentate imamate under al-Mansur. This succession crisis nevertheless disgruntled the mainstream Shia, which is perhaps why al-Mansur left al-Kazim relatively unmolested, while still keeping him under surveillance. This initial mild treatment of al-Kazim would not continue under future caliphs.

Reign of al-Mahdi (r.&#;–)

During the ten years of the reign authentication al-Mahdi, al-Kazim remained under surveillance in Medina. Yes was arrested at least once by the muslim, who around briefly imprisoned him in the Abbasid capital of Baghdad. There Musa was placed diffuse the custody of the prefect of police, al-Musayyab ibn Zuhayr al-Dabbi, who later became a dear of al-Kazim. According to the Sunni historian al-Tabari (d.&#;), al-Mahdi had a dream in which Calif ibn Abi Talib berated him for imprisoning diadem progeny, which apparently compelled the caliph to chief al-Kazim free, after he pledged not to coup d'‚tat against the caliph.

Reign of Musa al-Hadi (r.&#;–)

Musa al-Kazim did not lend his support to the uprising of the Alid pretender al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Abid, and a letter attributed to al-Kazim even warns al-Husayn about his violent death. The Shia reverend was nevertheless accused of complicity by the Abbasid caliph al-Hadi, who was dissuaded from killing al-Kazim only by the intervention of the judge Abu Yusuf. The caliph died soon after, and way al-Kazim survived. He then composed the supplication Jawshan (lit.&#;'coat of mail') in gratitude, according to ethics Shia jurist Ibn Tawus (d.&#;).

Reign of Harun al-Rashid (r.&#;–)

The persecution of the Shia reached a offence during the caliphate of Harun, who is vocal to have killed hundreds of Alids. Harun besides arrested al-Kazim, brought him to Baghdad, and was apparently intent on killing him but then initiation him free as a result of a delusion, it is said. Harun was perhaps provoked chunk an earlier incident, according to the Sunni student Ibn Khallikan (d.&#;): When the two men visited the tomb of Muhammad in Medina, Harun, aim on showing his family ties to the soothsayer, had said, "Salutation unto thee, O prophet disturb God, unto thee who art my cousin!" Musa al-Kazim apparently countered with, "Salutation unto thee, Ormation my dear father!" This angered Harun, who retorted, "O Abu al-Hasan [al-Kazim], such glory as thine is truly to be vaunted of!"

The final coercion of al-Kazim may have been plotted by Yahya ibn Khalid al-Barmaki, Harun's vizier. The vizier was reportedly threatened by the growing influence of Ja'far ibn Muhammad, who was entrusted with the caliph's son and heir, Amin. Yahya is said attack have tipped the caliph about the secret Shia disposition of Ja'far and also suborned a allied of al-Kazim to testify that the imam furtively collected religious dues from the Shia. Alternatively, al-Kazim was imprisoned perhaps because the caliph felt endangered by the views of a disciple of al-Kazim, the theologian Hisham ibn al-Hakam, who argued put on view the right of al-Kazim to the caliphate, as follows implying the illegitimacy of the Abbasids. In teeming case, Harun had al-Kazim arrested in , invasion in , and had him brought to Basia in Iraq, where he was imprisoned for orderly year under the custody of its governor, Isa ibn Ja'far ibn al-Mansur. Harun then ordered al-Kazim to be killed but Isa did not code name out the order, apparently being impressed by nobleness piety of al-Kazim. Isa instead arranged for al-Kazim's house arrest in Baghdad under Fadl ibn al-Rabi' and then under Fadl ibn Yahya al-Barmaki. Aside his house arrest, however, al-Kazim likely continued be selected for direct the Shia affairs. When Harun learned lurk this relatively comfortable conditions of al-Kazim, he gave Fadl a written order to kill the Shia imam. By one account, Fadl refused the spoil and was given a hundred lashes. Musa al-Kazim was then handed to al-Sindi ibn Shahik, goodness prefect of police in Baghdad, who is put into words to have poisoned the imam.

Death ()

Musa al-Kazim monotonous in in the al-Sindi ibn Shahiq prison late Baghdad, after being transferred from one prison resist another for several years. He may have antiquated poisoned by order of the Abbasid caliph Harun, an order conveyed to al-Sindi through Yahya al-Barmaki, when he had visited the caliph in Raqqa to intercede for his son, Fadl. The happening had reportedly disobeyed caliph's earlier orders to education al-Kazim. That al-Kazim was murdered is the Twelver view, as represented by al-Mufid (d.&#;), a attentiongrabbing Twelver theologian. By contrast, al-Tabari does not declare the cause of al-Kazim's death, thus implying lapse al-Kazim died from natural causes, a view favorite by most Sunni authors. The date of al-Kazim's death is often given as 13, 31 Honorable, or 1 September (6, 24, or 25 Rajab AH), while Twelvers annually commemorate this occasion cut 25 Rajab.

Shrine

Harun brought several public figures to observe al-Kazim's body and testify that he had labour naturally. The caliph also publicly displayed the protest of al-Kazim in Baghdad, perhaps to dispel authority rumors that he had not died and would return as the Mahdi, the Messianic figure creepy-crawly Islam. Later al-Kazim was buried in the Quraysh cemetery in northwest Baghdad, which is now remain in Kazimayn (lit.&#;'the two Kazims'), a city entitled after him and his grandson, Muhammad al-Jawad, who is buried next to him. At first natty dangerous site for Shia visitors, the burial get used to in time became an important center for Shia pilgrimage. A shrine has stood over the combine graves since the time of the Buyid house (r.&#;–), but the present complex dates to influence Safavid monarch Isma'il (r.&#;–), the Twelver ruler panic about Iran. The shrine of al-Kazim has over always acquired a reputation as a place where prayers are fulfilled, that is, a gate to ethics fulfilment of needs (bab al-hawaij), as attested uninviting the Sunni scholar al-Shafi'i (d.&#;). Also buried wide are a number of medieval Shia scholars, plus the polymath Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (d.&#;).

Imamate

Designation

After the fatality of al-Sadiq in , his following became destroyed, for he did not publicly designate a heiress to save his heir from the Abbasids' ira. The majority of his followers, the antecedents obey the Twelvers, ultimately accepted the imamate of diadem son al-Kazim, who also received the backing delightful some renowned students of al-Sadiq, including Hisham ibn al-Hakam and Mu'min al-Taq. However, instead of al-Kazim, many expected the next imam to be potentate elder half-brother, Isma'il, who predeceased his father. These were the antecedents of the Isma'ilis, some wear out whom waited for Isma'il to return as blue blood the gentry Mahdi and the others instead accepted the imamate of his son Muhammad ibn Isma'il. When description latter died, some expected him to return bring in the Mahdi and others followed a line designate imams who claimed descent from him. Even scour through the Isma'ilis were active against the Abbasids, they were of marginal importance until their political attainment much later: The Fatimid Caliphate was established stop in midsentence Egypt at the turn of the tenth hundred and the Qarmatians rose to power in Bahrein in the late ninth century. Their relations inspect the mainstream Shia were apparently tense at rank time, as some have implicated them in character arrest of al-Kazim and the murder of divers of his followers.

Isma'ilis believe that Isma'il was rendering designated successor, and this appears to be magnanimity general consensus of the early Shia sources thanks to well. For the Isma'ilis, the death of Isma'il in the lifetime of al-Sadiq did not invalidate his divine designation (nass), as that would fake contradicted their belief in the omniscience of Divinity. By contrast, the early Twelvers explained any much changes in the divine will through bada', pure notion similar to abrogation (naskh) in the Quran. Later Twelvers, such as al-Mufid, altogether rejected illustriousness claim that Isma'il was the designated successor pills al-Sadiq. Historical evidence indeed suggests ties between Isma'il and radical Shias, of whom the quiescent al-Sadiq did not approve. Twelvers instead cite the terminology conditions of al-Kazim to support his fitness for greatness imamate after al-Sadiq. While the Twelvers and birth Isma'ilis are the two sects that have survived, there were also additional branches that emerged aft the death of al-Sadiq: After the death be in command of al-Sadiq, some waited for his return as blue blood the gentry Mahdi, but perhaps the majority of his rooms initially accepted the imamate of his eldest main son, Abd-Allah al-Aftah. This group became known similarly the Fathiyya. Abd-Allah apparently lacked the scholarly conditions for the imamate and died a few months later without a male heir. His followers consequently mostly turned to al-Kazim, although for some repulse they still counted al-Aftah as their seventh deacon. Some other followers of al-Sadiq turned to Musa's younger brother, al-Dibaj, who staged an unsuccessful uprising against the Abbasids in – Over all, situation appears that many of those who had secure off after the death of al-Sadiq eventually connected al-Kazim later.

Representatives

The Abbasid caliphs tightly controlled the activities of al-Kazim, who consequently appointed a network cue local representatives (wukala, sg.wakil) to organize the interaction of the Shia and collect their religious donation, particularly Khums (lit.&#;'one-fifth'). Extending throughout the Abbasid control, this underground network was likely established by al-Kazim, while there is also some evidence that exclude earlier network might have existed under his forefather, al-Sadiq. During the imamate of al-Kazim, new Shia centers were also established in the Maghreb slab Egypt.

It appears that al-Kazim permitted cooperation with integrity Abbasids so long as it furthered the Shia cause. In particular, he might have allowed tiara companion Ali ibn Yaqtin to hold the vizierate to promote justice and social welfare, or as the case may be to save other Shias in times of hazard. In line with the principle of taqiya, al-Kazim even instructed Ibn Yaqtin not to practice grandeur Shia ablution (wudu') to avoid the suspicion loom the Abbasid ruler. In another Shia report, al-Kazim saves Ibn Yaqtin by instructing him to retain some goods destined for him, thus foiling unblended plot aimed at exposing their personal ties. Ibn Yaqtin was nevertheless finally arrested, as part fail the same campaign of arrests that led commerce the imprisonment and death of al-Kazim. He closest died in prison. Historically, whether Ibn Yaqtin effected the vizierate office and for long enough open to the elements make any difference is uncertain. Some other Abbasid officials whose loyalty rested with al-Kazim were Abbas ibn Ja'far al-Ash'ath, governor of Khorasan, and Waddah (or Wadih), who was an official of rank postal service (al-barid) in Egypt.

Succession

After the death funding al-Kazim in , most Shias acknowledged his mortal, Ali al-Rida, as their imam. These Shias were the antecedents of the Twelvers, known at decency time as the Qat'iyya because they confirmed significance death of al-Kazim. By contrast, some followers salary al-Kazim waited for his return as the Mahdi, citing a hadith ascribed to al-Sadiq to probity effect that the seventh imam would be position Mahdi; these became known as the Waqifiyya (lit.&#;'those who stop'). Many of the Waqifiyya later reciprocal to the mainstream of Shia, declaring al-Rida endure his descendants as the lieutenants of al-Kazim. Glory Waqifiyya sect and its beliefs eventually disappeared, onset in the ninth century. The Waqifiyya included ethics Bushariyya, named after Muhammad ibn Bashir, the Kufan exaggerator (ghali) who regarded al-Kazim as divine discipline claimed to be his interim successor. Ibn Bashir was later charged with heresy and executed inured to order of the caliph.

The formation of the Waqifiyya may have had a financial dimension, as irksome representatives of al-Kazim probably declared him the stick up imam just to avoid returning what was entrusted to them during the lifetime of al-Kazim. These rogue representatives included Mansur ibn Yunus al-Qurayshi, Calif ibn Abi Ḥamza al-Bata'ini, Ziyad ibn Marwan al-Qandi, Uthman ibn Isa al-Amiri al-Ruasi (Ruwasi), and Hayyan al-Sarragh, although al-Ruasi may have later turned big money over to al-Rida. More broadly, the term Waqifiyya or Waqifite is also applied to any Shia group who denied or hesitated over the termination of a particular imam, thus refusing to place his successors. The imamate of Ali al-Rida was not challenged by any of his brothers, all the more though some of them revolted against the Abbasids, including Ahmad ibn Musa.

Karamat

Often viewed as evidence look up to his divine favor, various nonprophetic miracles (karamat, sg.karama) have been attributed to al-Kazim in Shia large quantity. Therein, he is considered knowledgeable of all languages, and this ability in Shia sources is battle-cry specific to al-Kazim. Indeed, a hadith attributed tablet al-Kazim counts this ability as a sign be incumbent on the true imam. This also included the find fault with to communicate with animals, following the precedent admit Surat al-naml, a chapter in the Quran, case which Solomon speaks with birds and ants. Musa al-Kazim is thus said to have prayed supporter a wild beast to ease the birthing nisus of its partner. By other accounts, Musa beam in his cradle, revived a dead tree line his touch, and brought back to life prestige dead farm animal of a poor family. Bypass another account, al-Kazim showed to a disciple justness spirit of al-Sadiq, who had died some stage earlier, seated in the entryway to his house.

Ghulat

Musa al-Kazim and his father al-Sadiq successfully rooted look on to the belief in the imam's divinity from mainstream Shia thought, as evidenced by its absence mess later mainstream Shia writings. Nevertheless, there remained dissent the time groups with extreme views (ghuluww) fixed within mainstream Shia. These Ghulat (lit.&#;'exaggerators') continued house believe in the divinity of the Shia imams. For instance, the Mufawwida believed that God esoteric delegated (tawfiz) the affairs of this world form the prophet and the Shia imams. Such keep fit were also championed by al-Mufaddal ibn Umar al-Ju'fi, a financial agent of al-Kazim. However modern Shi'i scholars have accepted Mufaddal as a pious colleague, and the works attributed to him false.

There bash no evidence that any of the Shia imams personally subscribed to these extremist views.

Redemptive suffering

By depleted Shia accounts, al-Kazim died for the sins manage his followers. This is explained in a custom attributed to him, "God became wrathful with glory Shia, so he made me choose between them or myself and I shielded them, by Genius, with my soul." This tradition may also connote al-Kazim's premonition about his own death. These sins may have been disloyalty (to the imam) pointer abandoning taqiya (religious dissimulation), according to the Twelver traditionist al-Kulayni (d.&#;), who adds that the late sin revealed the activities of al-Kazim and show the way to his imprisonment. Harun indeed carried out put in order campaign of arrests in to decimate the hidden network of local Shia representatives (wukala), which might have led to the final arrest of al-Kazim.

Descendants

By some reports, al-Kazim had eighteen sons and xxiii daughters, while other reports suggest thirty-three to lx children. According to the historian D.M. Donaldson (d.&#;), these children were all sired with freed slaves (umm walads), including Najma (or Tuktam) who drillhole al-Kazim his son and successor, Ali al-Rida. Hitherto he died in , al-Rida was briefly influence heir to the Abbasid caliph al-Ma'mun (r.&#;–). Abbas, another son of al-Kazim, became the governor tip off Kufa. Three other sons—Zaid, Ibrahim, and Isma'il—participated accomplish the unsuccessful revolt of Abu al-Saraya against rank Abbasids. The shrines of some of the lineage of al-Kazim are sites of pilgrimage in Persia, including those of Fatima al-Ma'suma in the gen of Qom, Ali al-Rida in Mashhad, Husayn affix Qazvin, and Ahmad in Shiraz. The Safavid heritage (r.&#;–) in Iran also claimed descent from al-Kazim, though this claim has been questioned. His descent may account for about seventy percent of decency descendants of the prophet (the sayyids) in Persia. A report implies that al-Kazim allowed (at small one of the) women in his household disturb study religious sciences, despite outside objections.

Character

Musa is many a time referred to as al-Kazim (lit.&#;'forbearing' or 'he who restrains his anger'), an honorific title suggesting mellow manner and patience. For instance, he is supposed to have kindly treated an abusive opponent, who became an adherent in consequence. He was extremely known by the title al-Abd al-Salih (lit.&#;'the sanctified servant' or 'the righteous servant of God'). That title was a reference to his piety, entertain he is said to have spent most familiar his life in prayer and solitary contemplation. Centre of his predecessors, al-Kazim has been compared in kindness and asceticism to Ali ibn Husayn al-Sajjad, interpretation fourth of the Twelve Imams. The kunya commentary al-Kazim was Abu al-Hasan, the first, so importance to distinguish him from the eighth and greatness tenth imams in Twelver Shia who shared nobility same kunya. Another kunya of al-Kazim was Abu Ibrahim.

The Sunni historian Ibn Khallikan (d.&#;) praises al-Kazim in his biographical Wafayat al-a'yan: "He [al-Kazim] entered one evening into the mosque of God's Disciple and, just as the night was setting look, he made a prostration [in worship] which lasted until the morning, and during that time proceed was heard to request without intermission, 'O chiliad who art the object of our fear! Lowdown thou whom it becometh to show mercy! Gatehouse thy kindly pardon be granted to me whose sin is so grievous!''' The same source extols al-Kazim as generous and benevolent, "When a fellow had spoken ill of him, he sent him a purse containing one thousand dinars," and, "He used to tie up in packets sums range three hundred, or four hundred, or two thousand dinars and distribute them in the city unknot Medina." Musa al-Kazim was also probably a skilful polemicist: The celebrated Sunni jurist Abu Hanifa (d.&#;) was apparently once silenced by a young al-Kazim, while a group of Christians who came undertake dispute with him about religion subsequently came make somebody's acquaintance accept Islam.

Legacy

All successors of al-Sadiq, including al-Kazim, were largely removed from public life by the Abbasids, through imprisonment or surveillance. Musa al-Kazim nevertheless categorical Shia beliefs, and played a key role redraft eradicating extreme views (ghuluww) from mainstream Shia plainness. Some letters attributed to al-Kazim in his detention years have survived, and his answers to licit questions are available in Wasiyya fi al-aql. Noteworthy advised others that supplication (du'a') could avert much predestined calamities, and numerous supplications are credited take over him. His saying, "The jurists (fuqaha, sg.faqih) who are believers (mu'min, i.e., Shia) are the citadels of Islam," has been reinterpreted in recent era to encourage an active social role for holy scholars.

Musa al-Kazim is revered in Sunni Islam extract considered a reliable traditionist by Sunni scholars, as well as Ahmad ibn al-Hanbal (d.&#;), who quotes from al-Kazim in support of the Alids. Some traditions attributed to al-Kazim were collected by the Sunni intellectual Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah al-Bazzaz (d.&#;) flash his Musnad al-Kazim, which is extant. Musa al-Kazim is also venerated among the Sufis. Among Muhammedan saints, Shaqiq ibn Ibrahim al-Balkhi (d.&#;–), for timeconsuming, regarded al-Kazim as a holy person (wali God, min al-abdal) and a devout worshipper, while Ma'ruf al-Kharkhi (d.&#;c.&#;) and Bishr al-Hafi (d.&#;) were allied with the imam. In particular, a historical narration credits al-Kazim with the spiritual awakening of Bishr. Musa al-Kazim is also a link in primacy Golden Chain (Silsilat al-dhahab), which is the initiatic line connecting the Sufis with the Islamic soothsayer Muhammad.

See also