Imam Al-Kadhim

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ImamAlKadhim 3

CONTENTS

FoundationsWord .............................................................. 5

Introduction ......................................................................... 7

ImamalKadhim ................................................................. 12

TheDevoted

Worshipper..................................................... 14

GiverofForgivenessandFreedom: ..................................... 17

KindnessandGenerosity:..................................................... 19

HisSchoolandKnowledge................................................. 22

A. HisPositionasaScholar: ................................................ 22

B. SomeofImam'sStatementsonMonotheism: ............... 26

C. ImamStatesKeySourcesofIslamicThoughtandLegislation: 27

D. Reason,itsScientificandBehaviouralValueintheSightof,heImam: 29

E.GuidelinesonEducation: ................................................... 33

PoliticalAnd

Social

Conditions

During

Imam'sTime ....................................................................... 35

A.TheImam(a.s.)andAbuJafaralMansoor: ..................... 38

B.TheImam(a.s.)andMuhammadalMahdi:..................... 38


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ImamAlKadhim4

C.TheImam(a.s.)andMusaalHadi:................................... 39

1. "Fakh":StarintheSkyofHistory: .................................. 40

2. BloodandMartyrdomintheUprisingofFakh:.............. 42

3. AbbassidAuthoritiesBlametheImam(a.s.)forBattleofFakh: 45

TheImam(A.S.)andHaroonalRasheed .......................... 50

A.Concise

Account

of

Al

Rasheed's

Policy:.......................... 50

B.TheImam(a.s.)isAlRasheed'sPrison: ............................ 53

C.TheImam(a.s.)isPrison: ................................................. 58

D.TheMartyredImam: ........................................................ 62

ImamCaliphAlibinMusaalRidha(A.S.).......................... 65

TheEternalBeacon ............................................................ 66


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ImamAlKadhim6

AlBalaghFoundation


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ImamAlKadhim 7

INTRODUCTION

"..Allahonlydesirestotakeawayuncleannessfromyou,Opeopleofthehousehold,andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying."

HolyQur'an(33:33)

The greatmessage begets greatmen. The immortal principles produce immortal leaders. Theuniquely great creed is certainly able to nurture

uniquelygreatmen.

Islam,the

great

faith,

the

immortal

creed

and

the

divine,

uniquely

great

message,

came

to

change

life

for

the

better,

tear

down

the

foundations

of

ignorance,uprootthecausesofbackwardnessandcorruption,andmouldman'scharacteronthebasisofdivineguidance,and inaccordancewiththe

moralvaluesandtheprinciplesofequityandperfection.Bythisreligion,mancanreachperfectionandjoinhimselftotheEternal,AbsoluteTruth.

Islam is practical, taking life's facts into consideration, when it lays the plan for man's life, refines behaviour, leads humankind, and creates

civilization.

The phenomenon of leadership and Imamate is unmistakably the most critical phenomenon in man's social life. The most controversial and

importantissue

faced

by

the

creeds,

principles

and

values

is

the

existence

of

the

pioneering

man,

the

exemplary

personality,

and

the

good

example

who

understandshis role, carriesouthis task,and leads theway forotherpeople tomarch.Allahchose the Imamsand leadersof thisummah from the

Prophetichousehold,CommanderoftheFaithful,ImamAliandhissons(a.s.).TheQur'anicexegetessaythattheabovementionedversewasrevealed

concerningAlibinAbiTalibandhiswifeFatimah(a.s.),thedaughteroftheMessengerofAllah(s.a.w.),andtheirsons,HassanandHussein(a.s.).

AbuHurayrah,quotedUmmSalamah,mayAllahbepleasedwithher,assaying,"FatimahcametoseetheApostleofAllahwithanearthenwarepot

filledwithsweetpastesheherselfhadmade.Sheplacedthepotinatrayandputitinfrontofhim.'Whereisyourcousinandyourtwosons?'askedthe

Prophet.'At

home,'

replied

Fatimah.

'Call

them

over'

ordered

the

Apostle

of

Allah.

She

went

to

Ali

and

said

to

him,

'The

Prophet

(s.a.w.)

wants

to

see

you

andyourtwosons.'


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ImamAlKadhim 11

deniedit.Theyshallfight,helpedbyothers,andshallbegivenwhattheyseek.Theyshallnotacceptituntiltheygiveit(theleadership)overtoamanfrom

myfamily,whoshallfilltheearthwithjusticeafterbeingfilledwithinjustice.Whoeverisluckytoliveatthattime,lethimjointhemevenifitishardfor

himtodoso,ashardascrawlingoverasnowyland" 6

MuslimsagreethatthisgreatmanisfromthehouseholdoftheProphet(s.a.w.).HeistheMahdi,thesaviour.Heshallimplementtheshari'ah,and

makethedreamoftheprophets(a.s.)ofastateinwhichjusticeprevails,areality,andraisethebannerofmonotheismoverallpartsoftheworld.

6AlTabari,Ibid,p.17...


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ImamAlKadhim 17

inIslamicsciencesandjurisprudence.Itisreportedthathewouldperformtheoptionalprayersofthenightuntilthemorningprayer.Hewouldperformit

andremain

awake

reciting

some

supplications

until

sunrise.

He

then

would

go

down

in

prostration

during

which

he

praised,

thanked

and

glorified

Allah,

andwouldnotlifthisheaduntil itwasnoon.Hesaid, inhisprostration:"Thesinofyourservantisshamefullyugly.Letyourforgivenessandpardonbe

bountiful" 16

QuotingalIrshad(guidance),abookauthoredbySheikhalMufid,theauthorofBiharalAnwar(SeasofLights),adds:

"HeusedtoweepoutofhisfearofAllahuntilhisbeardgotwet.Hewasdistinguishedbyhiscareforhisfamilyandrelatives,whomhewouldvisit

andhelpiftheyneededhim.Inthedeadofnight,heusedtocallonthepoorpeopleofMadinah,carryingtothem,inabasket,goldDinarsandordinary

Dirhams,flour

and

dates.

He

would

deliver

all

that

to

them

without

letting

them

know

who

he

was,

or

who

the

donor

was."

17

Hisfoeandjaileracknowledgedhisreligiousdevotionandpiety.AlFadhlbinalRabi'quotedHaroonalRasheedassaying,"This iscertainlyasaint

fromtheHashimites;'Then,'enquiredI, 'whyhaveyouharassedhimbythrowinghim intoprison?'"Alas,"repliedhe,"ThisissomethingIcannotresist

doing."18

Hafsreportedfromanumberoftraditiontransmitters,thefollowing:"IhaveneverseenamanmoregodfearingthanMusabinJa'far.NorhaveI

seenamanmorehoping forAllah's kindness thanhe.His recitationof theQur'anaroused sorrow (on thepartof the listener.) Itwasas ifhewas

addressingahuman

being

when

he

read

the

Qur'an."

19

Whatahighminded,devotedmanwasImamalKadhim!

GiverofForgivenessandFreedom:

"Thosewho spend ineaseaswellas inadversityand thosewho restrain (their)angerandpardonpeople.AndAllah loves thedoersofgood (to

others)."

Holy

Qur'an

(3:133)

16AlTabrasi,Ibid.,p.305,3rded

17AllamahalMajlisi,Ibid.,p.101.

18Ibid.,Vol.48,p.220,2nd.ed.

19Ibid.,p.111.


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'OnehundredDirhams,'repliedtheman,'Andwhatprofitdoyouhopetogain?'inquiredtheImam.'Idonotknow,'saidtheman.'Ihaveaskedyou:how

muchdo

you

hope

to

get?'

repeated

the

Imam.

'An

extra

one

hundred

Dirhams,'

answered

the

man.

"The

Imam

(a.s)

got

out

300

Dinars

from

his

pocket

andhandedthemtohim.Theman,movedbyImam'sgesture,rosetohisfeetandkissedtheImam(a.s.)onthehead.WhentheImam(a.s.),afterwards,

enteredthemosque,themansprangup,greetedhim,andsaid,AllahknowsbestwhomtoentrustwithHismessage' 'Whatisthat?'thefriendsofthe

manrebukedhim.Themanreviledthem.Fromthattimeon,themanbegantostandupasasignofreverenceandgreetImamMusa(a.s.)wheneverhe

enteredthemosque.ImamMusa(a.s.)saidtothosewhowantedtogetridoftheman'whatwasbetter,whatyouwantedorwhatIdid?'".28

SuchwasAhlulBait's(a.s.)manners,andtheirtolerance.ThisisoneanecdoteofnumerouswhichreflectsImam'sforgiveness,andthecurbingofhis

anger.He

was

not

called

al

Abd

al

Salih,

Zayn

al

Mujtahideen

and

al

Kadhim

for

nothing.

"Wefeedyou,forAllah'spleasureonly Wedesirefromyouneitherrewardnorthanks."

HolyQur'an(76..9)

Suchgenerosity,forgiveness,openhandednessandloveoffreedomaredifferentwhentheyissuefromtheImam(a.s.).Otherpeoplespendliberally,

givelavishly,andgrantboundlessly,buttheydothisonlyinpursuitoffame,socialstatus,andthebuyingofotherpeople'sconscience.

AsfortheImam(a.s.),hisselfistoosereneandperfecttoseekpraise,socialpositionandreputation.Hedidgood,gavelavishly,helpedtheneedy,

andemancipated

the

slaves

for

the

sake

of

Allah,

demanding

nothing

in

return.

28Ibid.


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ImamAlKadhim24

FollowingareverybriefbiographiesoffourofImam'sstudentsandfollowers.Thesemightgiveusanideaofhowgreatwastheimpactoftheschool

ofImam

Musa

bin

Ja'far

(a.s.)

on

the

ummah.

AlibinSuwaydalSoo'i:

HetransmittedtraditionsfromImamalKadhim(a.s.)andImamalRidha(a.s.).HecorrespondedwithAbulHassanI,namelyImamalKadhim(a.s.)

whenthelatterwasinprison.JudgingfromtheletterstheImam(a.s.)senthim,hewasamanofgreatsocialposition,andwasawellknownscholar.He

authoredabookmentionedbyAhmadbinZaydalKhuza'i.35

MuhammadbinSinan:

MuhammadbinalHassanbinSinanwasknownbythenameofhisgrandfatherbecausehisfatherdiedwhilehewasstillachild.Hisgrandfathertook

custodyofhim.HewasnicknamedAbuJa'farandalZahiri,afterthenameofZahir,theservantofUmarbinalHumqalKhuza'i,awellknowncompanion

of both Imam AbulHassan alKadhim (a.s.) and Imam AbulHassan alRidha (a.s.). He authored books mentioned by, among others, alHassan bin

Sham'oon,MuhammadbinalHussein,AhmadbinMuhammad,andMuhammadbinAlialSayrafi.AnumberofreputedpeoplelikeSafwanandalAbbas

binMa'roof,

and

Abdul

Rahman

bin

al

Hajjaj

36

,quoted

him.

MuhammadbinAbiUmayralAzdi:

HisfatherisZiyadbinIsa.HewasBaghdadibybirthandlivedinBaghdad.Inthesightofallpeople,thecommonandthoseclosetotheImams,he

wasoneofthemosttrustworthy,piousanddevoutamongpeople."Hewasunique,amongallpeople, inallhisqualities,"wrotealJahidh."Hewasa

leadingShi'ite,"addsalJahidh."UnderalRasheedhewasthrowninprison,soastoforcehimtonametheShi'ites,andespeciallythefollowersofMusa

bin

Ja'far

(a.s.).

He

was

so

severely

beaten

that

he

was

about

to

confess,

when

he

heard

Muhammad

bin

Yunus

bin

Abdul

Rahman

saying

to

him,

'Fear

Allah,MuhammadbinUmay.'HebravelyenduredtortureuntilAllahgrantedhimfreedom."

35AllamahalMajlisi,hid.,Vol.48,p.178,quotedfromSharhMashyakhatalFaqih(CommentariesonBiographyofIminentFuqaha')byalSadooq,p.89.

36AllamahalMajlisi,Ibid.,p.179,quotedfromSharhMashyakhatalFaqih,p.15.


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ImamAlKadhim 33

reason,ripeawarenessof life,deepspiritualsense,and thegiftof taking thewholeshari'ah,fromtheirgrandfather,theApostleofAllah

(s.a.w.),who,

in

turn,

had

gotten

it

through

Jabra'il

(a.s.),

from

Allah.

Theseare thepeoplewhom the faithful should follow, in the lightof theirguidance the reformersand righteousmen shouldwalk,and to their

principlesthereligiousgoodmen,whoseektheshortestwaystoAllah'spleasure,shouldcling.

E.GuidelinesonEducation:

Followingareeducationalguidelinesandgeneralteachingsonsocialbehaviour,ethics,worship,andmediation,quotedfromtheImamofMuslims,

theguide

of

people,

martyr

Musa

bin

Ja'far

al

Kadhim

(a.s.).

Heisreportedtohavesaid,

"ThatwhoknowsAllahwell,shouldnevermistrustAllahwithregardtoHissustenance,norshouldhethinkillofthewayHemanagesHisservants'

lives."

Askedaboutcertitude,hesaid,

"Itisputtingone'strustinAllah,submittingtoAllah,beingsatisfiedwithAllah'sordinance,andcommendingoneselftoAllah."

Healso

said,

"HewhodiscussesthenatureofAllahisdoomed.Hewhoseeksleadershipisdoomed.Hewhothinksveryhighlyofhimselfisdoomed"

"Goodneighborlinessisnotrefrainingfrommischief.Itispatienceandtolerancetowardsmischief."

Oncehesaidtooneofhissons,

"Mylittleson,takecarenottoletAllahseeyoucommittingasinHeforbidsyoutodo.TakecarenottoletAllahmissyoudoingaritualofdevotionHe

ordersyoutodo.NeverthinkthatyouarenotremissinworshipandobediencetoAllah,forAllahisneverservedasHeshouldbeserved.Bewareofjoking,

for it removes the lightofyourfaith,anddeprivesyouof solemnity.Bewareofdisinterestand laziness,as theyblockyoursuccess in this lifeand the

hereafter."

HesaidtoZiyadbinAbiSalamah,pointingouttheattitudeoneshouldtaketowardstheoppressors,emphasizingthenecessitytoboycottthem,


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I Al K dhi42


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ImamAlKadhim42

"No,"saidtheImam(a.s.),"butamanfrommyhouseholdwillbekilledrighthere,fightingalongsideabunchofmenwhosesoulswillflyaheadoftheir

bodiestowards

Paradise."

60

ZaydbinAlibinalHusseinisreportedtohavesaidthattheApostleofAllah(s.a.w.)hadperformedprayeratFakhandsaid,

"Righthere,amanfrommyownfamilywillbekilledalongwithagroupofdevoutmen.Theirshroudsandperfume(whichisrituallyappliedtothe

dead)shallbebroughttothemfromParadise.TheirsoulswilloutruntheirbodiestoParadise."61

IftheApostleofAllah(s.a.w.)andAhlulBait(a.s.),whodidn'twitnessthemassacre,weregreatlyshockedatthehorrendousnews,ImamMusabin

Ja'faralKadhim(a.s.),theImamofMuslimsandthechiefofAhlulBait(a.s.)ofthetime,musthavebeenmovedbeyonddescriptionbythetragedyasit

unfolded

in

front

of

him.

That

tragedy

had

a

heavy

impact

on

his

life

and

mission.

That

is

because

the

day

of

Fakh

was

a

terribly

saddening

memory

in

the

historyofAhlulBait(a.s.).ImamMuhammadalJawad(a.s.),thegrandsonofImamalKadhim(a.s.),wasquotedassaying,

"Afteral TaffwewitnessednomassacremorehorriblethanthatofFakh."62

MusaalHadi, theAbbassid caliph,onwhoseorder themassacrewasperpetrated,blamed theuprisingon ImamMusaalKadhim (a.s.)and the

survivorsfromthehouseofAbuTalib.ImamKadhim(a.s.)enduredalltheatrocitiesagainsthimandhisfollowerswithhisgreatheart,endlesspatience

andironwill.

That isthegreat leader.Muslim leadershavetobegreaterthantribulations,firmerthanthehardshipsplaced intheirpath,andbraverthantheir

adversaries,sothattheycangoonwiththeirtasks.TheImamsofAhlulBait(a.s.)wereallpossessedofsuchqualities.Howtruthfularethewordsofthe

ApostleofAllah(s.a.w.),

"Wearemembersofahouseholdtowhomnoonecouldeverbecompared"

2.BloodandMartyrdomintheUprisingofFakh:

MusaalHadiwas in constant fearofAhlulBait (a.s.),whoenjoyed the supportof themasses.Heparticularly feared ImamMusa (a.s.)andhis

leadership.His

fear

intensified

when

the

Alawite

revolutionary

Abu

Abdullah

al

Hussein

bin

Ali

bin

al

Hassan

bin

al

Hassan

bin

al

Hassan

bin

al

Hassan

bin

60Ibid.

61Ibid.,p.437.

62AllamahalMajlisi,Ibid.,Vol.48,p.165.


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ImamAlKadhim 49


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'OLord,howmanyafoehassharpenedthebladeofhisknife,honedtheedgeofhissword,preparedformethefatalistofhispoisons,whoseeye

neverslept,

always

watching

me.

Seeing

me

unable

to

endure

disasters

and

ward

off

the

disastrous

calamities,

You

turned

all

that

away

from

me

with

Your

powerandmight.Youthrewhimintheholehehaddugforme,disappointedatnotachievingwhathehadhopedforinthisworld,beingdistancedfrom

whathewishedforinthenextworld.Forthat,IpraiseYouasmuchasYoudeserve.

"'MyLord,OAllah!PunishhimwithYourmight,weakenhisstrengthwithYourpower,keephimbusyfindingnowaytoachievehisends,andunable

todowhatheintendsto.OmyLord!Grantmeaquickvictoryoverhimthatwouldhealmeofmyanger,andrestoremyright.OLord!Acceptmyprayer,

andbringaboutthechangeIdesireasaresultofmycomplaint.ShowhimsoonwhatYoupromisedtheunjust,andshowmewhatYoupromisedasan

answertotheprayeroftheneedy.CertainlyYouaretheOnewhosegraceisinfiniteandfavoursareabundant'

"IbnYaqtinthensaid,'Thereafter,thepeopleScattered.TheygatheredafterthatonlytoreadthelettersenttoImamalKadhim(a.s.)informinghim

ofthedeathofMusabinalMahdi."74

Thus the strugglebetween thisAbbassid rulerand ImamMusabin Ja'far (a.s.) came toanend,but it restartedwith thenew ruler,Haroonal

Rasheed.

74SheikhalSadooq,UyoonAkhbaralRidha(KeyNarrativesaboutalRidha),p.65.AlHaydariyyahPressNajaf,Iraq.


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ImamAlKadhim 67

Th i ibl f th l t l k t b t th d d t t i th i t th i id d t d f th i


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Thecorpsewasvisibleforthepeopletolookat,butthemurderersandtyrantswereintheirtowers,amongtheirmaidsandservants,proudoftheir

temporarypower,clingingtotheirswordsandspears.Theythought,thewayallmurderersandoppressorsdo,thatthecurtainwasdrawnonthishistoric

chapter,andthatthisshiningpageofhistoryofAhlulBait(a.s.)hadmeltedinthedepthsofcellsanddungeons.

ImamMusaalKadhim (a.s.)hadactuallywentoutofhisprisononly tomakeway for theoppressorsandmurderers to"live" there forever.He

answered the callofhis Lord, contentedandpleased.Theearthhuggedhispurebody.Therea shrinewentupasahistoricdocument,eternaland

everlasting,relatingtotheMuslimgenerationsthestoryoftheprolongedstruggleofAhlulBait(a.s.)withtheirfoesthroughoutthehistoryof Islam.It

warnstheoppressorsofeveryagethatthebond,prison,hangman'snooseandexecutioner'sswordcannotsubduethewillofright,orhidethelandmarks

ofguidanceinthecellsofprisonsandonthepagesofdistortedhistory.Itgivesgreatlessonstothecowardly,thedefeated,andthosewithweakfaith,

whoavoid

fighting

the

oppressors

and

find

satisfaction

in

humiliation

and

servitude,

that

the

faithful

should

always

stand

steadfast

and

determined

in

defendingtheirbeliefs.

AllpraiseisduetoAllah,theLordoftheworlds.

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Imam Al-Kadhim