Opinioons of Sunni Scholars Regarding Imam Kazims (as) Appointment

Sadruddin-e-Hanafi Kadri in ‘Kitab-e-Rawa-e-hool Mustafa,’ mentions what many a Sunni Aalim has said about Imam Musa Kazim.

In Kitabey Rauzatul Ahbab and Sawaahaydoon Nabooway and Taarikay ibne Khallaykan it is mentioned that Imam Musa Kazim was the seventh of the twelve Imams and his titles are Kazim, Abdus Saleh, Saabir Saleh, Zainul Mujtahaydeen, and the period of his Imamate was 35 years. 

Shaikh Abdul Haq Dehalvi (Hanafi) says in Sher-e-Miskat, that Imam Shafei has said that the Tomb of Imam Musa Kazim has become a sanctified place for the fulfillment of one’s wishes and his wonderful knowledge and dealings with people clearly showed that he was pious, virtuous and endowed with knowledge from the Holy Prophet. In his speech he never hurt anyone and whatever he said no one could dispute or challenge.

Ibne Khallakan says that Khateb-e Bhagdadee has said that Imam Musa was known as the Righteous because of his prayers and supplications; he was well known as Kazim, and he set about his way in such an humble manner, that he even forgave his enemies.

In ‘Sawaaykul Moreka’ Ibne Hazar-e-Hanafi mentions that Imam Musa Kazim was the natural successor of Imam Ja’far Sadiq in knowledge of religion, in his behavior towards the people, and in his miracles; his knowledge was beyond the bounds of ordinary mortals and as he used to restrain his temper and forgive people he was called Kazim; the people of Iraq used to take his name as intercessor to God, and get their supplications granted. He was the greatest religious authority of his times and greatest giver of charity.

Yaafeyee Yemani, in his book ‘Miraatool Jinnan’, mentions that Imam Musa Kazim was pious, charitable, virtuous and a person commanding great respect and was known as Abdus Saleh. He was one of the Twelve Imams, who spent his time in fervent prayer.

The Designation (Nass) of (Imam Musa) for the Imamate by his Father, Peace be on them

Among the shaykhs of the followers of Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, his special group (khassa), his inner circle and the trustworthy righteous legal scholars, may God have mercy on them, who report the clear designation of the Imamate by Abu Abd Allah Ja’fars peace be on him, for his son, Abu al- Hasan Musa, peace be on him, are: al-Mufaddal ibn Umar al-Jufi, Mu'adh ibn Kathir, Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj, al-Fayd ibn al-Mukhtar, Yaqub al-Sarraj, Sulayman ibn Khalid, Safwan al-Jammal, and others whom it would make the book too long to mention.

(That designation) is also reported by his two brothers, Ishaq and Ali, sons of Ja’far, peace be on him. They were men of merit and piety and (therefore reliable witnesses) in so far as two such men did not differ on it.
[Musa al-Sayqal reported on the authority of al-Mufaddal ibn Umar al-Jufi, may God have mercy on him, who said:]

I (i.e. al-Mufaddal ibn Umar al-Jufi) was with Abu Abd Allah (Ja’far), peace be on him. Abu Ibrahim Musa, peace be on him, came in. He was still a boy. Abu Abd Allah Ja’far, peace be on him, said to him: “Indicate to those of your Companions whom you trust that the position of authority belongs to him Musa.”

[Thubayt reported on the authority of Muadh ibn Kathir, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah Ja'far:]
I (i.e. Muadh ibn Kathir) said to (Ja’far): “I ask God, Who provided your father with you for this position, to provide you with one of your offspring for the same position before your death.”
“God has done that,” he answered.
“May I be your ransom, who is it?” I asked.
He indicated al-Abd al-Sarh (the pious worshipper of God) (i.e. Musa) to me. He was asleep.
“This one who is sleeping,” he said. He was at that time a boy.

[Abu Ali al-Arrajani reported on the authority of Abd al Rahman ibn al Hajjaj, who said:]
I (i.e. Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj) visited Ja’far ibn Muhammad, peace be on them, in his house. He was in such-and-such a room in his house which he used as a prayer-room. He was praying there. On his right hand was Musa ibn Ja’far, peace be on them, following his prayer.
“May God make me your ransom,” I said, “you know how I have dedicated my life to you and (you know of) my service to you. Who is the master of the affair (wali al-amr) after you?”
He said: “Abd al-Rahman, Musa has put on the armour and it fitted him.”
“After that, I have no further need of anything,” I replied.

History of the Shrine of Imam Musa Kazim (as)

Anyone approaching Baghdad from the north or the west will be impressed by the sight of the four golden minarets at Kadhmayn, the Shrine of the Two Imams, Imam Musa al-Kadhim(A.S.) and Imam Muhammad Taqi al-Jawad(A.S.). They are respectively the Seventh and the Ninth of the Twelve Imams, at whose tombs we are accustomed to seek healing and to invoke their intercession for the forgiveness of our sins and the fulfilment of our needs.

The present building dates back only to the beginning of the sixteenth century and has been kept in excellent repair. This building represents the restoration of Shah lsmail I Safavi (1502 - 24), though when the Turkish Sultan, Suleman the Great, captured Baghdad and remained there for four months in 1534, he visited this sacred place, and is said to have contributed to the further ornamentation of the Shrine at Kadhmayn.
The tiles for the double cupola, however, were provided in 1796 by Shah Agha Muhammad Khan, who was the first of the Persian Qajar dynasty. In 1870, Nasr-al-Din Shah had these golden tiles repaired on one of the domes and on the minarets. It is interesting that the dates of all these alterations are clearly indicated by inscriptions.

If we bear in mind that the Two Imams who are buried here were martyred in the beginning of the eighth century, it will be evident that there are seven hundred years of the history of their tomb to account for, previous to the comparatively modern restoration of Shah Ismail I. The Imams lived in the early days of Baghdad, while the walls of Mansur's round city on the western side of the Tigris were still standing.
There were cemeteries to the north-west that went by various names - that at the Syrian Gate, that of the Abbasids, and that of the Straw Gate.

His Decision against Abu al-Khattab

Muhammed b. Maqlas al-Asadi, better known as Abu al-Khattab, was among the Imams of the atheists in the Arab and Islamic world. He spoiled the religion of the young Muslims. That was through his originating a belief through which he launched a war against all the Islamic regulations; the principles of his thought has been mentioned by al-Qadi, Abu Hanifa al-Maghribi, who said: "He (Abu al-Khattab) claimed that Ja'far b. Muhammed was Allah, be He raised far above his statement. When his companions were overburdened by performing the religious duties, they came to him and said: 'Abu al-Khattab, make light for us (the religious duties).' So he ordered them to leave them to the extent that they left all the religious duties and performed the prohibited. He permitted them to bear witness to each other through falseness. He said: "He who recognizes the Imam is permitted to perform all the forbidden things."

Abu al-Khattab's destructive beliefs appeared in Kufa at the time when the political disorders reached the zenith and the summons to the 'Abbasids was opening its way firmly and successfully. The conditions helped him gather around him some Kufan men to teach them his beliefs and to show them the plans of the summons, meeting, and appearance.[2] When Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him, heard of his heresy and unbelief, he disavowed him and openly cursed him, for he was among his companions and followers, then he renounced (his doctrine) after that. 'Isa al-Shalqani hurried to Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him, to ask him about his opinion of this dangerous atheist, and he, peace be on him, answered: "Isa, what has prevented you from meeting with my son (Imam Musa) to ask him about all what you desire? Thus, 'Isa went to Imam Musa, who was then a young boy studying in his room. When the Imam, peace be on him, saw 'Isa, he had answered him before he asked him. He said to him: "Isa, surely Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, made a covenant through the prophets for the prophethood and they never turned away from it. He made a covenant through the testamentary trustees for religious obligations and they never turned away from it; He gave faith to a people for a time and then He deprived them of it; as for Abu al-Khattab, he is among those who were given faith and deprived of it."

'Isa admired the Imam's answer, so he rose for him embraced him and kissed his forehead and said: "May my father and mother be your ransom, offspring, one of the other; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing."

Then he turned to Imam Abu 'Abd Allah (al-Sadiq) and told him about the wonderful talents of his son Imam Musa, peace be on him. So Abu 'Abd Allah (al-Sadiq) said to him: "Isa, If you ask this son of mine about what is between the two covers of the Qur'an, he will give you an answer to it with knowledge."

Then he ordered his son to be brought out of the study. At that time 'Isa believed that Musa, peace be on him, was an Imam, that he was the heir apparent and successor of his father over all the people.[1] Yet another example of Imam Musa's immoderate cleverness is that he came to his father carrying a tablet (lawh) with him. His father made him sit in his lap and said to him: "My little son, write: Abandon ugly things and do not perform them!" When he wrote that, his father said to him: "My little son, complete it." He completed it saying: "If you perform good deeds to someone, then increase them." Then the Imam gave another statement to his son and ordered him to complete it, saying: "You will meet from your enemy all tricks." He completed it saying: "If the enemy schemes against you, do not scheme against him." The Imam became happy with his son' talents and genius; he embraced him, showed his admiration toward him, and said: "Offspring, one of the other!"[2] Another example of the sings of his genius in his childhood is that which has been reported by Saffwan al-Jammal, who said: "I (Saffwan al-Jammal) asked Abu 'Abd Allah (al-Sadiq), peace be on him, about the leader of this affair (after him). He said: 'The leader of this affair is one who does not fool and play.'"

Saffwan said: "While he was relating to me about that, Abu al-Hasan Musa, who was then a young boy, came towards us along with a young sheep. He addressed the young sheep, saying: 'Prostrate to your Lord!' So Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be on him, took and embraced him, and then he said to him: 'May my father and mother be ransom to you, O you who do not fool and play!'"

Abu Hanifa and Imam Musa Kazim (as)

Abu Hanifa was among those who believed in the (doctrine) of compulsion and summoned (the people) to believe in it. This belief maintains that the act that issues from man is not created by him and does not issue from him through his choice. Rather it is created by Allah and issues through Allah's will, and that man's will and power has no relationship in finding any deed whether it issues from him through his choice or he is forced to perform it. The Shi'ites have unanimously agreed that such a belief is invalid and incorrect. Besides the jurists have established that it is false; they have conscientiously decided that any optional act should be preceded by some voluntary prerequisites which are as follows:

1. One must imagine the thing in mind.

2. His soul must incline to it.

3. He should perfectly be sure of its advantage.

When these prerequisites are perfect in the horizon of soul, the will clings to deed, and man strives to find it or orders it to be performed, whether it is good or ugly, and there is no coercion or compulsion on man to perform it.[1]

Any way, Abu Hanifa was on top of those who believed in compulsion; he traveled to Yethrib (Medina) to debate with Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him, on this belief, while he was famous for his being the opponent of it. When he arrived in it, he headed for the Imam's house. He sat in the corridor waiting for a permission to enter. While he was sitting there, a boy came out walking slowly. He asked the boy: "Where does the stranger relieve nature?"

The boy turned to him and said to him: "Slowly!" Then he sat down politely, leaned against the wall, and began to give him an answer to his question, saying: "Avoid the banks of rivers, the places where fruit fall, the courtyards of mosques, and the middle of a road. Hide yourself behind a wall; you should not face the qibla (direction to the Kaaba) nor have your back towards it; and relieve nature where you wish." He explained to him the places where it is detested or forbidden to relieve nature, so Abu Hanifa was dazzled and astonished because he had not thought that there was a boy who had such a scientific ability.

"What is your name?" asked Abu Hanifa.

"Musa b. Ja'far b. Muhammed b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn b. 'Ali b. Abi Talib," was theanswer.

When Abu Hanifa came to know that the boy was a branch of the Tree of the Prophecy and the Imamate, he became tranquil, and then he asked him about the question he had prepared for Imam al-Sadiq, saying: " Boy, from whom does disobedience (issue)? Does it issue from Allah or from the servant?"

The Imam answered him, saying: "Either it issues from Allah and not from the servant at all, so Allah does not punish the servant for what he does not do; or it issues from the servant and Allah, and Allah is a stronger partner. Therefore, the stronger partner has no right to punish the weak for a sin in which they are equal; or it issues form the servant and not from Allah. So If He wills to pardon (him), (He will pardon him), and If He wills to punish (him), (He will punish him); and Allah is He whose help is sought." According to the rational restriction, this conclusion is full of all the elements of the firm scientific proofs man cannot invalidate or refute.

Abu Hanifa became dazzled and astonished, so he raised his voice, saying: "I am satisfied with what I have heard!"

He went out defeated; inability appeared on his face. He did not met with Imam al-Sadiq; the Imam's answer to him and his inability to replay him became famous among the scientific circles; accordingly, a poet composed a poem on the answer of the Imam, peace be on him, to Abu Hanifa, saying:

Our deeds through which we are dispraised have three meanings when we perform them: either our Lord create them by Himself, so we are not blameworthy when we perform them,

Or He shares them with us, so the sin that befalls us will befall Him,

Or my Lord has no sin in performing them, so the sin belongs to him who performs them.[1]

This attitude indicates that Imam Musa had abundant sciences and knowledge during his early age. For he understood what the intellects of the great religious scholars did not understand. For example, Abu Hanifa was unable to stand before his flowing thinking. He found no way to safe and preserve his position except withdrawing from him and avoiding discussing with him any subject matter; this attitude shows that the Imam had abundant knowledge and cleverness none had in such an age except his forefathers, who were singled out with the Imamate. 

His Kunniyas and Title (Alqab)

His Kunyas

(His kunyas are): Abu al-Hasan, Abu al-Hasan al-Madi, Abu Ibrahim, Abu ''Ali, Abu Isma'il.

His Nicknames

As for his nicknames, they indicate the aspects of his personality and sides of his greatness; they are as follows:

Al-Sabir (the Patient)

Because he was patient toward the pain and the misfortunes he met form the tyrannical rulers, who punished him severely and treated him with all kinds of wrong and detested things.

Al-Zahir (the Brilliant)

Because he was brilliant through his holy ethics and his bright generosity through which he represented the ethics of his grandfather, the Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family.

Al-'Abd al-Salih (the pious worshipper)

He was given the nickname of al-'Abd al-Salih because of his (too much) worship and exertion in obedience (to Allah) to the extent that proverbs were coined about him throughout times and generations. He is famous for this nickname with the narrators of hadith; those who narrated on his authority said: "Al-'Abd al-Salih has related to me."

Al-Sayyid (the Master)

Because he was one of the Muslim masters and one of their Imams; due to this nickname he was praised by the famous poet, Abu al-Fath who says:

I am the servant of the noble master; wherever I am, he is given my best regards. And if I am the servant of the noble, them I am free and the time is my servant.[1]

Al-Wafi (the Faithful)

Because he was the most faithful human being who was created in his time; he was loyal and kind to his companions and followers; rather he was loyal even to his opponents and those who harbored malice against him.

Al-Amin (the Trusted one)

He was trusted in the full meaning of the word; rather his great personality was full of trust-he was entrusted with the affairs and precepts of the religion and with the affairs of the Muslims. He gained this nickname just as his grandfather, the great Prophet, had gained it and attained through it the confidence of all the people.

Qa'id al-'Askar (the Commander of the Troops)

Among his nicknames is Qa'id al-'Askar.[2] Shaykh 'Abbas al-Qummi, Thiqatual Islam and a famous researcher, may Allah make bloom his grave, has said: "The reason for giving such a nickname to the Imam, peace be on him, is that he represented al-Mansur on the Day of al-Nouruz. Meanwhile the troops and their commanders paid a visit to him. None of his forefathers and sons had undertaken such a ceremony, so he was given this nickname on this occasion."[3]

Al-Kazim (the Restrained)

He was given this nickname because he restrained his anger toward those wrongdoers who severely punished him and subjected him to exhaustion, to the extent that he died a martyr of poison in a dark prison. He did not show his pain and sorrows to anyone; rather he thanked Allah for that. Ibn al-Athir has said: "He (Musa) is known for this nickname due to his patience, gentleness, and repelling evil with kindness."[4]

Dhu al-Nafs al-Zakiya (the One with a pure soul)

He was given this nickname because he had a clear soul which was not spoiled by neither the sins of life nor by the defilement of material, to the extent that it became high and unique.

Bab al-Hawa'ijj (the Gate of Needs)

This is the greatest of his nicknames in mentioning, the most famous of them in circulation and spreading. The non-Shi'a and the Shi'a know well that when a distressed or a sad person visit the grave of Musa, Allah relieves his pain and sorrows, and that when someone seeks sanctuary in his holy shrine, his needs are granted. He returns home cool-hearted and tranquil, free from sudden events and the calamities of days. All Shi'a, rather all Muslims, of different classes and tendencies, believe in that; for example, Shaykh and head of the Hanbalis, says: "When a certain matter worries me, and I visit the grave of Musa b. Ja'far, Allah, the Exalted, make easy to me what I like."[5]

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[1] Ibid., p. 133.

[2] Tuhfat al-Azhar wa Zulal al-Anhar.

      [3] Al-Kuna wa al-Alqab, vol. 1, p. 167.

      [4] Mukhteser Tarikh al-'Arab, p. 209.


[5] Tarikh Baghdad, vol. 1, p. 120. Al-Shi'a wa al-Tarikh.

Features of Imam Musa Kazim (as)

The narrators of traditions have described Imam Musa's features, saying: "He was very brunet."[1] It was said that he had a black color.[2] It was said that he had a bright color, of medium height, and had a thick beard.[3] Shaqiq al-Balakhi has described him, saying: "He had a good face, was very brunet and weak-bodied."

Imam Musa had veneration similar to that of the prophets. The features of the pure Imams from among his forefathers appeared on his face. When some saw him, he respected and admired him. His veneration and esteem was described by Abu Nu'as, the poet of the 'Abbasid royal palace, when he met him on the road, saying:

If the eye sees you without doubt and doubt opposes you, the heart will confirm you.

And if some riders appoint you as an Imam, your knowledge will lead them, so the riders see guidance through you.

I have made you as my sufficiency in my affairs, and he whose sufficiency is you does not fail.[4]

These poetry lines are one of the gushes of the soul and one of the kinds of awareness of living conscience. That is because Abu Nu'as spent the days of his life in amusement and impudence and lived on the dining tables of the 'Abbasids. He showed this sweet-smelling praise toward the Ahl al-Bayt at the time when someone praised them faced punishment and displeasure. He was urged to declare such praise by the Imam's reality and ideals of which there was no like during his time.

The lights of the Imam dazzled the poet of al-Ma'arra, Abu al-'Ala, and he composed a poem on lamenting Abu Ahmed, the Imam's grandson, saying:

Because of his majesty in the soul, your grandfather, Musa, is regarded as the character in Surat al-'Araf.[5]

Abu al-'Ala had no good opinion of anyone, nor did he praise anyone unless he tested him and came to know of his reality, but when he heard of Imam Musa and knew that he was unique, he praised and described him.

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[1] Ibn al-Sebbagh, al-Fusool al-Muhimma. Akhbar al-Duwal, p. 112.

[2] 'Umdat al-Talib, p. 185. Al-Nefha al-'Anberiya, p. 15. In it the author has added             that he was self-possessed and open handed.

[3] A'yan al-Shi'a, vol. 4, p. 9.

[4] Al-Menaqib, vol. 4, p. 318.

[5] Seqeta al-Zind.