Sunday, August 12, 2007

Three Million...

Last Thursday was the anniversary of the 7th Shia Imam Moosa Ibn Jaffar Al-Khadim, as with everything I believe credit should be given where due. For those who are a bit vague on the subject, Imam Al-Khadim rests in Khadimiya in Iraq, where his tomb was blown up twice.
Looking at this situation from a different perspective, and not comparing it to other religious sites or to the number of visitors, and basically not wanting to get into a religious debate, etc..

In reality to see 3 million visitors flock into Khadmiya to pay their respects to the late Imam is touching, amazing and well deserved, and calls for some light to be shed on the life of Imam Moosa Al-Khadim.
Whether you are religious or not, whether you are Sunni or Shia, it does not really matter, call it knowledge if you may… Next time you hear that name pop up, you’ll know who they are referring to. So here is a brief wrap-up to bring you up to date..

Name: Moosa Ibn Jaffar Ibn Mohammed Ibn Ali Ibn Hussain Ibn Ali Ibn Abi Taleb.
Epithet: Abul-Hassan, Khadim (one who swallows his anger), Al-Abd Al-Saleh (virtuous slave of Allah), Bab-Al-Hawaaj (door to fulfilling ones needs)
Date of Birth: 7th Safar 128 Hijri (6th November, 745)
Place of Birth: Abwa (between Mecca and Medina Al-Munawara)
Date of Martyrdom: 25th Rajab 183 Hijri (31st August, 799)
Place of Martyrdom: Baghdad (Iraq)
Father: Imam Jaffar Ibn Mohammed Al-Sadiq (6th Imam)
Mother: Hameeda Bint Saeed

Prior to his Imamate period, he spent around 20 years under the guidance of his father (Imam Jaffar Al-Sadiq). One of documented conversations between the Imam Moosa (who was 5 years old at the time) and Abu-Hanifa:

Abu-Hanifa: “O son of the Prophet! What is your opinion about the deeds of a man? Does he do them by himself, or does Allah make him do them?”

Imam Moosa Al-Khadim: “O Abu Hanifa!” the 5-year-old Imam replied. The doings of a man are confined to three possibilities: (i) That Allah alone does them while the man is quite helpless; (ii) That both Allah and the man equally share the commitment; (iii) That man does them alone. Now, if the first assumption is true, it obviously proves the injustice of Allah who punishes His creatures for sins, which they have not committed. If the second condition be accepted, even then Allah is unjust if He punishes a man for sins in which he is equally a partner. But the undesirability of both these conditions is evident in the case of Allah. Thus, we are naturally left with the third alternative to the problem that men are absolutely responsible for their actions!”

Imamate
Imam Moosa Al-Khadim succeeded the imamate after the death of his father on 25th Shawwal, 148 Hijri (13th December, 765). During the first ten years he practiced the execution of religious responsibilities and teaching of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), the period after that was spent being pursued by the Caliphs (Mansoor Al-Diwaniqi, Al-Mahdi and Haroun Al-Rasheed) of his time, with a great number of years being spent in various prisons under various managements.
The Imam was known for his generosity and virtue, his help for the poor by secretly providing them with the basic necessities was a riddle for the beneficiaries. The secret was only revealed after his death by his followers, that the Imam was the benefactor.
Due to the period that the Imam lived in he was not able to establish religious institutions like his father and grand-father had previously done, he was banned from addressing congregations, delivering sermons and addressing the people directly. He managed to sustain the teachings through secret meetings with his close aides and followers, he authored a number of books, the most famous being (Musnad Al-Imam Moosa Al-Khadim).

Martyrdom
Caliph Haroun Al-Rasheed visited Medina in 179 Hijri (796 Georgian), and was unhappy with the popularity, influence and respect the Imam enjoyed amongst the people. He ordered the arrest of the Imam during prayer time in the Mosque of the Holy Prophet, and was sent to a prison in Baghdad where he would live for the next four years under the close observation of the Caliph’s government, and intimidated by various jailers.
On 25th Rajab 183 Hijri (31st August, 799), the Imam was poisoned and his body was handed to his followers, where his funeral procession took place over the Bridge of Baghdad to his final rest place in Khadmiya.

Imam Moosa Al-Khadim has earned his place in history, the historical facts from various schools of thought, his literature and sayings contribute to that. Definitely a great man, who lived in a perilous era. Salaam Allah Alayk Ya Abul-Hassan.

The way it is....
12/8/2007 Capt. Arab

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