In this section of SaedNews, you will read a few interesting stories about the life of Imam Kazim (A.S.) and the qualities of that noble figure. Stay with us.
Musa ibn Ja'far was born in 128 or 129 AH, when Imam Sadiq (A.S.) and his wife, Hamida, were returning from Hajj. Some sources claim his birth took place in Medina. There is some disagreement regarding the exact date of his birth. Tabari states that it occurred in Dhu al-Hijjah, while Tabarsi mentions it in 7th of Safar. His mother, Lady Hamida, was a slave woman from the Maghreb or Andalusia (Spain), and her father's name was Sa'id al-Maghribi (Berber). Imam Kazim's brothers, who were also born to her, were Ishaq and Muhammad al-Dibaj. Even when Imam Kazim (A.S.) was just a child, renowned scholars such as Abu Hanifa would ask him questions to seek knowledge.
Safwan ibn Mehran narrates:
One day, Imam Ja'far Sadiq (A.S.) asked me to prepare the camel he usually rode. Once the camel was ready, and I had brought it in front of the house, Imam Musa ibn Ja'far (A.S.), who was just six years old, hurriedly came out, wearing a protective cloak on his shoulders. He approached the camel, mounted it, and started riding quickly.
I wanted to stop him, but I couldn’t. I thought to myself, "If my master, Imam Sadiq (A.S.), asks about his son Musa and the camel, what will I say?" I was lost in thought when suddenly I noticed that the camel had stopped in front of Imam Sadiq's house, covered in sweat. Imam Musa (A.S.) dismounted and quickly entered the house. At that moment, the servant of Imam Sadiq (A.S.) came out and told me, "O Safwan! Your master ordered you to take the camel's saddle and blanket and return it to its place."
I thought, "Alhamdulillah, I hope Imam Sadiq (A.S.) has changed his mind about riding the camel." As I was thinking this, Imam Sadiq (A.S.) came out and said, "O Safwan, don’t be upset. The purpose was for my son Musa to ride the camel. Do you know where he went and came from in this short time?"
I replied, "I swear by Allah, I have no idea."
Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said, "In the short time that passed, my son Musa traveled a distance that Dhul-Qarnayn covered in a long period of time—he even surpassed that distance many times over. He greeted our friends and Shi’ah, and then he returned. If you wish, you can go to him, and he will tell you everything."
I went inside and saw Imam Musa Kazim (A.S.) sitting, with a plate of fresh fruits in front of him, which were out of season. When he noticed me, he said, "O Safwan! When I mounted the camel, you thought, 'What will I say if my master, Imam Sadiq (A.S.), asks about his son Musa and the camel?' You tried to stop me, but you couldn’t, and you were lost in thought when I returned and dismounted from the camel. You then thought, 'Alhamdulillah.' When my father came out and said, 'O Safwan, don’t be upset. Do you know where Musa went in this short time?' You replied, 'I don’t know.'"
Imam Musa Kazim (A.S.) then continued, "Do you know what I did in that short time? I traveled a distance that Dhul-Qarnayn covered in a long time, and then I returned to my father. As for those fruits in front of me, they were brought to me as a gift. If you want, you can have some too."
One of Imam Ja'far Sadiq’s (A.S.) companions, named Ya'qub al-Sarraj, narrates:
One day, I visited my master, Imam Sadiq (A.S.), and found him standing beside the cradle of his newborn son, Imam Musa Kazim (A.S.). Imam Sadiq (A.S.) was talking to the infant to calm him down and soothe him. I watched for a while, and when the conversation ended, I approached Imam Sadiq (A.S.), and he said to me, "This infant will be your master after me. Go to him and greet him."
I obeyed and went to the cradle, where I greeted the child. Even though he was just an infant, he responded to my greeting in a clear and eloquent manner. He then spoke to me, saying, "Go back home and change the name you have chosen for your daughter. It is a bad name, and Allah is displeased with it. If you don't change it, your daughter will not receive Allah’s mercy."
Ya'qub al-Sarraj continues:
Before meeting Imam Sadiq (A.S.), I had been blessed with a daughter, and I had named her Humayra. Nobody had informed the Imam about this. Despite being an infant, Imam Musa (A.S.) knew about our family matters and advised me to change the name of my daughter. Imam Ja'far Sadiq (A.S.) also advised me to follow the command of my master, as it would bring happiness and success.
Hamid Tusi narrates:
Harun al-Rashid summoned me and ordered me to go to prison and execute Musa ibn Ja'far (A.S.). When I arrived at the prison, it was time for prayer, and I saw Imam Musa Kazim (A.S.) praying with a lion on each side of him. I was terrified by this sight and turned back. I reported this to Harun, and he sent some trusted men with me to verify my account. When we returned to the prison, we saw the same lions again. We reported this to Harun, but he swore that if we shared this with anyone, we would be killed. Therefore, we kept the secret until Harun’s death.
Imam Kazim (A.S.) once approached a black man with a humble and ugly appearance. He greeted him, sat down with him, and spoke with him for some time. He then told the man that if he ever needed anything, he would fulfill his request. At this point, someone asked, "Master, you with your position come to this man and ask about his needs, while he is more in need of you?"
Imam Kazim (A.S.) replied, "He is a servant of Allah, and according to the Quran, he is our brother. We share the same father in Allah. Perhaps one day, we will find ourselves in need of him, and when we have become proud, he will see us humbled."
