Martyrdom of the 7th Infallible Imam

Heartfelt condolences to you all on a very tragic day. Today the 25th of Rajab is the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Musa Kazem (AS), the 7th Infallible Heir of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). Please stay with us for a special feature on the Imam whose shrine in Kazemain, north of Baghdad is overflowing with millions of pilgrims from Iraq and all over the world.

“Indeed, God has two authorities over the people; an apparent one and a hidden one. His apparent authority are the Apostles, Prophets and Imams; and the concealed authority is the intellect of the people.”

These words are food for thought. They clearly point out to the proper paths of guidance. These dynamic words are indeed a safeguard against the pitfalls that the devil has set up to trap the children of Adam, both apparent and concealed – such as kings, presidents, dictators, pseudo scholars, caliphs, and the mindless pursuit of carnal pleasures. Today we are commemorating the martyrdom anniversary of the person who presented to us such pearls of perfection. He was the Imam or Divinely-Designated Leader of his age, and was poisoned to death in prison by a tyrannical caliph of his times.

Born in 128 AH in Abwa between the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, he was the 7^th Infallible Heir of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) and was named “Musa” in honour of another Prophet – Arabic for Moses. During the 35 years of his imamate that coincided with the reigns of four Pharaohs of the usurper Abbasid regime – Mansour Dawaniqi, Mahdi al-Abbasi, Hadi al-Abbasi, and Haroun ar-Rasheed – he displayed such remarkable patience in controlling his emotions that he is known till this day as “Kazem”. If his God-given knowledge was a byword amongst the people, his wisdom exceeded that of Prophet Solomon, and so dedicated was he in worship that he acquired the epithet “Abd Saleh” (most pious servant of God). In addition, he has been immortalized as “Bab al-Hawa’ej” (Gateway of Boons), a title by which he is addressed universally by one and all from all over the world, who reverently bow towards his holy shrine in Kazemayn, the northeastern suburb of Baghdad, where no traces remain of the magnificent palaces built by his assassin, Haroun Rasheed.

Once, an exasperated Haroun, always fearful of the political legitimacy of the Ahl al-Bayt, forced Imam Kazem (AS) to come to his court, where he tried to lay allegations against him. The discourse took the form of debate with the caliph asking how Imam Ali (AS) could be the heir of his cousin the Prophet, while their common uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttaleb, was alive. The 7^th Imam, without mentioning any of the innumerable virtues and services of Imam Ali (AS) to Islam, including his proclamation as the Prophet’s vicegerent at Ghadir following revelation of ayah 67 of Surah Ma’edah, calmly drew attention to ayah 72 of Surah Anfaal, where God Almighty says: "The believers who did not leave their homes are not your guardians…"

He then reminded Haroun that Imam Ali (AS) – after risking his life and limb on volunteering to sleep on the Prophet's bed on the night of migration so that the latter could leave Mecca undetected for Medina -- quickly joined him in migration, while Abbas did not do and stayed behind. When, a dumbfounded Haroun tried to say why the Ahl al-Bayt call themselves the offspring of the Prophet, while Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA) was a daughter and not a son, the Imam gave further proof of his authority by pointing to ayahs of the holy Qur'an that refer to Prophet Jesus as Prophet Abraham's offspring when he had no father and was connected only through his mother Mary.

Then the 7^th Imam reciting ayah 42 of Surah Aal-e Imran that extols the virtues of the Virgin Mary, said:

"Likewise, our Lord chose Fatema (SA), purified her (as testified by ayah 33 of Surah Roum), and gave her distinction over all women – of all times – (through her sons) Imam Hasan (AS) and Imam Husain (AS), the Masters of the Youth of Paradise."

On another occasion, Haroun in trying to show off to Imam Kazem (AS) his palace, asked him about the owner of such a majestic building. The Imam without being the least impressed said: “this is the home of a corrupt person, it is about such people that God says in the Qur’an – in ayah 146 of Surah A’raaf:

“Soon I shall turn away from My signs those who are unduly arrogant in the earth: [even] though they should see every sign, they will not believe in it, and if they see the way of rectitude they will not take it as [their] way, and if they see the way of error they will take it as [their] way. That is because they deny Our signs and are oblivious to them.”

At the recitation of these words of God, the self-styled caliph became so incensed that he lost his composure.

This was not the only instance when the boastful Haroun had lost face vis-à-vis the Prophet’s rightful successor. Another famous encounter between the two took place in Medina at the Prophet’s shrine, where to deceive the people Haroun saluted the sacred tomb with the words: Greetings to you O Messenger of God; greetings to you O Cousin.” Soon Imam Musa Kazem (AS) entered the holy shrine and saluted the Prophet’s tomb with the words: “Greetings to you O Messenger of God; greetings to you O Grandfather.”

The tyrant was dumbfounded and left the Prophet’s Mosque. Some years later, he devised a plan, and after kidnapping the Imam, arranged two canopied litters atop a string of camels, sending one in the direction of Baghdad and the other in the direction of Basra.

To be brief, the 7^th Imam was confined to the house of the governor of Basra, who refused to do any harm to the Prophet’s venerable descendant. Haroun then had the Imam transferred to Baghdad to the custodianship of Fadhl ibn Rabi’, who also treated Imam Kazem (AS) with respect. Haroun went mad with rage and ordered the flogging of Fadhl ibn Rabi’. He then gave charge of the Prophet’s heir to the despicable Sindi bin Shahik, who poisoned the Imam’s food. As a result, after three days of writhing in pain, Imam Musa Kazem (AS) achieved martyrdom on the 25^th of Rajab 183 AH.

Today, it is the sprawling twin-domed shrine of Kazemayn that majestically tower over the former Abbasid capital, Baghdad, with both Sunnis and Shi’ite Muslims saluting the Prophet’s 7^th Infallible Heir, and thronging the shrine despite the bomb blasts triggered by the dastardly terrorists.

As for the tyrant Haroun, his rotten bones lie at the feet of son of his victim in Khorasan, where pilgrims to the shrine of Imam Reza (AS) invoke the curse of God on the tyrannical caliph, while sending blessings on Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) and the Infallible Ahl al-Bayt.

AS/ME