Musa ibn Ja'far al-Kazim (Arabic: مُوسَىٰ ٱبْن جَعْفَر ٱلْكَاظِم, romanized: Mūsā ibn Jaʿfar al-Kāẓim; 745–799) was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the seventh of the Twelve Imams, succeeding his father Ja'far al-Sadiq and preceding his son Ali al-Rida.
Born~Died Nov 8, 745 ~ Aug 30, 799Last edited Oct 15, 2026, 2:42 PM
Musa ibn Ja'far al-Kazim (Arabic: مُوسَىٰ ٱبْن جَعْفَر ٱلْكَاظِم, romanized: Mūsā ibn Jaʿfar al-Kāẓim; 745–799) was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the seventh of the Twelve Imams, succeeding his father Ja'far al-Sadiq and preceding his son Ali al-Rida. Born around 745 in Medina, al-Kazim spent the first twenty years of his life under the care and guidance of his father. This period coincided with the power struggle between the Abbasids and the Umayyads. Following Ja'far al-Sadiq's death, a minority of his followers recognized his other son Isma'il ibn Ja'far as the next Imam, separating from the mainstream Shia Islam and forming the Isma'ili sect.1 However, Musa al-Kazim attracted the largest following, and his followers ultimately became what developed into Twelver Shia Islam, the largest branch. His Imamate spanned the reigns of the Abbasid caliphs al-Mansur, al-Mahdi, al-Hadi, and Harun al-Rashid. Like his predecessors, al-Kazim avoided politics and devoted himself to religious teachings. He was nevertheless tightly restricted by the Abbasid caliphs and spent much of his adult life in their prisons. To counter these harsh restrictions, he established the network of representatives (Wokala) to organize the affairs of his followers across the Islamic word.
The numerous Alid revolts further increased the caliphs' suspicions, and al-Kazim's final imprisonment ended with his death in prison around 799 in Baghdad, for which Harun al-Rashid has been widely regarded as primarily responsible. After al-Kazim's death, some of his followers refused to accept that he had died, believing that he was the who had entered and would return. This sect, known as the , disappeared over the decades that followed. Al-Kazim played a key role in eradicating extreme views and exaggerations () from Shia Islam. His answers to legal questions have survived in , and he is credited with numerous . Al-Kazim is also revered for his piety in , and considered a reliable transmitter of prophetic sayings. He is a link in the initiatic Golden Chain in , and some Sufi saints are associated with him. Various nonprophetic miracles are attributed to al-Kazim, often emphasizing his . Al-Kazim had numerous children, the most famous of whom being , his successor and the eighth Imam. Today, Musawi , who trace their lineage to Musa al-Kazim, are among the most numerous and widespread Sayyid lineages, due to the large number of children he had. The in Baghdad, , where his grandson and the ninth Imam is also buried, is a .
This page is based on “Musa al-Kazim” from English Wikipedia, (r1378784572) CC BY-SA 4.0 used under the license. The original authors are listed in its page history.
Musa was probably born on 8 November 745 (7 Safar 128 AH).45 He was born either in Medina,6 or in nearby al-Abwa', located between Medina and Mecca.74 Alternative birth dates are September 745 and 746–747.4 His father was Ja'far al-Sadiq, a descendant of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima, who were the cousin and daughter of the Islamic prophetMuhammad, respectively.8 Ja'far al-Sadiq was widely accepted as the legitimate imam by the early Shia community, who rejected the ruling Umayyad caliphs as usurpers. Musa's mother was Hamida Khatun, a Berber slave-girl.9 She was also known as al-Musaffat (lit. 'the purified'),410 a title which was perhaps a reference to her religious learning, as she is said to have taught Islamic jurisprudence to women in a seminary in Medina.10Abdallah al-Aftah and Isma'il ibn Ja'far were the elder half-brothers of Musa,711 and Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq was his younger full brother.12 Musa was about four years old when the Abbasid revolution overthrew the Umayyad Caliphate in 750.9 He continued to live in Medina under the authority of his father al-Sadiq,97 until the latter died in 765.13 Ja'far al-Sadiq was poisoned at the instigation of the Abbasid caliph al-Mansur (r. 754–775), according to the Shia.714
After the death of al-Sadiq
After the death of al-Sadiq, Musa al-Kazim remained in Medina,6 where he stayed out of politics, similar to most of his predecessors.1516 As with his father, al-Kazim instead taught religious sciences in Medina.417 Over time, he also established an underground network of representatives (wukala) to collect religious donations from his followers and organise their affairs.18
The Abbasids, who claimed descent from Muhammad's uncle Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, had rallied the support of the Shia community against the Umayyads in the name of the family of Muhammad. But many Shias were disillusioned when the Abbasid al-Saffah (r. 750–754) declared himself caliph, as they had instead hoped for an Alid leader, one who had descended from Muhammad, that is, a descendant of his daughter Fatima and Ali ibn Abi Talib.19 The Abbasids soon turned against their former allies,2021 and were generally hostile to the Shia imams, especially after the abortive 762–763 revolt of the Alid pretender Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya.16 Musa al-Kazim was contemporary with the Abbasid caliphs al-Mansur, al-Hadi, al-Mahdi, and Harun al-Rashid.22 Unlike his father, who often taught freely in Medina, al-Kazim was highly restricted by the caliphs,1723 and spent much of his adult life in the Abbasid prisons in Iraq.2425 By one Shia account, under the Abbasids' watchful eyes, al-Kazim even discouraged his followers from greeting him in public.26
Reign of al-Mansur (r. 754–775)
Shia sources blame the Abbasid caliph al-Mansur for the death of Ja'far al-Sadiq,714 who did not publicly designate an heir, likely fearing the Abbasid reaction.27 Shia sources report that the caliph ordered his governor of Medina to kill the heir to al-Sadiq, a plan that was thwarted when the governor found out that al-Sadiq had appointed four or five legatees.284 The resulting crisis of succession to al-Sadiq was ultimately resolved in favor of al-Kazim,25 who spent the first ten years of his imamate under al-Mansur.7 This succession crisis nevertheless weakened the mainstream Shia, which is perhaps why al-Mansur left al-Kazim relatively unmolested,29 while still keeping him under surveillance.30 This initial mild treatment of al-Kazim would not continue under future caliphs.31
Reign of al-Mahdi (r. 775–785)
During the ten years of the reign of al-Mahdi, al-Kazim remained under surveillance in Medina.32 He was arrested at least once by the caliph, who around 780 briefly imprisoned him in the Abbasid capital of Baghdad.3317 There Musa was placed in the custody of the prefect of police, al-Musayyab ibn Zuhayr al-Dabbi, who later became a follower of al-Kazim.4 According to the Sunni historian al-Tabari (d. 923), al-Mahdi had a dream in which Ali ibn Abi Talib berated him for imprisoning his progeny, which apparently compelled the caliph to set al-Kazim free,41734 after he pledged not to revolt against the caliph.41635
Reign of Musa al-Hadi (r. 785–786)
Musa al-Kazim did not lend his support to the 786 revolt of the Alid pretender al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Abid,36 and a letter attributed to al-Kazim even warns al-Husayn about his violent death.36 The Shia imam was nevertheless accused of complicity by the Abbasid caliph al-Hadi, who was dissuaded from killing al-Kazim only by the intervention of the judge Abu Yusuf.4 The caliph died soon after, and thus al-Kazim survived.437 He then composed the supplication Jawshan Sagheer (lit. 'coat of mail') in gratitude, according to the Shia jurist Sayyed Ibn Tawus (d. 1266).4
Reign of Harun al-Rashid (r. 786–809)
The persecution of the Shia reached a climax during the caliphate of Harun, who is said to have killed hundreds of Alids.33 Harun also arrested al-Kazim, brought him to Baghdad, and was apparently intent on killing him but then set him free as a result of a dream, it is said.3338 Harun was perhaps provoked by an earlier incident, according to the Sunni historian Ibn Khallikan (d. 1282): When the two men visited the tomb of Muhammad in Medina, Harun, intent on showing his family ties to the prophet, had said, "Salutation unto thee, O prophet of God, unto thee who art my cousin!" Musa al-Kazim apparently countered with, "Salutation unto thee, O my dear father!" This angered Harun, who retorted, "O Abu al-Hasan [al-Kazim], such glory as thine is truly to be vaunted of!"39
The final imprisonment of al-Kazim may have been plotted by Yahya ibn Khalid, Harun's vizier. The vizier was reportedly threatened by the growing influence of Ja'far ibn Muhammad, who was entrusted with the caliph's son and heir, Al-Amin. Yahya is said to have tipped the caliph about the secret Shia disposition of Ja'far and also suborned a relative of al-Kazim to testify that the imam secretly collected religious dues from the Shia.3340 Alternatively, al-Kazim was imprisoned perhaps because the caliph felt threatened by the views of a disciple of al-Kazim, the theologian Hisham ibn al-Hakam,4 who argued for the right of al-Kazim to the caliphate, thus implying the illegitimacy of the Abbasids.41 In any case, Harun had al-Kazim arrested in 793,23332342 or in 795,171841 and had him brought to Basra in Iraq, where he was imprisoned for a year under the custody of its governor, Isa ibn Ja'far ibn al-Mansur.4223 Harun then ordered al-Kazim to be killed but Isa did not carry out the order, apparently being impressed by the piety of al-Kazim. Isa instead arranged for al-Kazim's house arrest in Baghdad under Fadl ibn al-Rabi' and then under Al-Fadl ibn Yahya.4 During his house arrest, however, al-Kazim likely continued to direct the Shia affairs.4 When Harun learned about this relatively comfortable conditions of al-Kazim, he gave Fadl a written order to kill the Shia imam. By one account, Fadl refused the order and was given a hundred lashes.4 Musa al-Kazim was then handed to al-Sindi ibn Shahik, the prefect of police in Baghdad, who is said to have poisoned the imam.4223
Death and burial
Musa al-Kazim died in 799 in the al-Sindi ibn Shahak prison of Baghdad,17 after being transferred from one prison to another for several years.22 He was poisoned by order of the Abbasid caliph Harun,33 an order conveyed to al-Sindi through Yahya al-Barmaki,443 when he had visited the caliph in Raqqa to intercede for his son, Fadl.4 The latter had reportedly disobeyed caliph's earlier orders to kill al-Kazim.4 That al-Kazim was murdered is the Twelver view,44 as represented by Al-Shaykh al-Mufid (d. 1022), a prominent Twelver theologian.45 By contrast, al-Tabari does not mention the cause of al-Kazim's death, thus implying that al-Kazim died from natural causes, a view preferred by most Sunni authors.4 The date of al-Kazim's death is often given as 13, 31 August, or 1 September 799 (6, 24, or 25 Rajab 183 AH),4 while Twelvers annually commemorate this occasion on 25 Rajab.5
Shrine
Harun brought several public figures to examine al-Kazim's body and testify that he had died naturally.4233 The caliph also publicly displayed the body of al-Kazim in Baghdad, perhaps to dispel the rumors that he had not died and would return as the Mahdi, the Messianic figure in Islam.33446 Later al-Kazim was buried in the Quraysh cemetery in northwest Baghdad,1722 which is now located in Kazimayn (lit. 'the two Kazims'), a city named after him and his grandson, Muhammad al-Jawad, who is buried next to him.1847 At first a dangerous site for Shia visitors, the burial site in time became an important center for Shia pilgrimage.41748 A shrine has stood over the two graves since the time of the Buyid dynasty (r. 934–1062), but the present complex dates to the Safavid Iran Shah Ismail I (r. 1501–1524), the Twelver ruler of Iran.33 The shrine of al-Kazim has over time acquired a reputation as a place where prayers are fulfilled, that is, a gate to the fulfilment of needs (bab al-hawaij), as attested by the Sunni scholar al-Shafi'i (d. 820).49 Also buried there are a number of medieval Shia scholars,50 including the polymath Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (d. 1274).51
Imamate
Designation
After the death of al-Sadiq in 765, his following became fractured,52 for he did not publicly designate a successor to save his heir from the Abbasids' wrath.27 The majority of his followers, the antecedents of the Twelvers, ultimately accepted the imamate of his son al-Kazim,5213 who also received the backing of some renowned students of al-Sadiq, including Hisham ibn al-Hakam and Mu'min al-Taq.18534 However, instead of al-Kazim, many expected the next imam to be his elder half-brother, Isma'il ibn Ja'far, who predeceased his father.7 These were the antecedents of the Isma'ilis, some of whom waited for Isma'il to return as the Mahdi and the others instead accepted the imamate of his son Muhammad ibn Isma'il.1354 When the latter died, some expected him to return as the Mahdi and others followed a line of imams who claimed descent from him.55 Even though the Isma'ilis were active against the Abbasids,5657 they were of marginal importance until their political success much later:58 The Fatimid Caliphate was established in Egypt at the turn of the tenth century and the Qarmatians rose to power in Bahrain in the late ninth century.59 Their relations with the mainstream Shia were apparently tense at the time, as some have implicated them in the arrest of al-Kazim and the murder of some of his followers.6061
Isma'ilis believe that Isma'il was the designated successor,62 and this appears to be the general consensus of the early Shia sources as well.6312 For the Isma'ilis, the death of Isma'il in the lifetime of al-Sadiq did not annul his divine designation (nass), as that would have contradicted their belief in the omniscience of God.64 By contrast, the early Twelvers explained any such changes in the divine will be through bada', a notion similar to abrogation (naskh) in the Quran.6566 Later Twelvers, such as al-Mufid, altogether rejected the claim that Isma'il was the designated successor of al-Sadiq.67 Historical evidence indeed suggests ties between Isma'il and radical Shias, of whom the quiescent al-Sadiq did not approve.68 Twelvers instead cite the qualifications of al-Kazim to support his fitness for the imamate after al-Sadiq.6936 While the Twelvers and the Isma'ilis are the two sects that have survived,70 there were also additional branches that emerged after the death of al-Sadiq:117172 After the death of al-Sadiq, some waited for his return as the Mahdi,73 but perhaps the majority of his followers initially accepted the imamate of his eldest surviving son, Abd-Allah al-Aftah.1144 This group became known as the Fathites.4 Abd-Allah apparently lacked the scholarly prerequisites for the imamate and died a few months later without a male heir.58 His followers then mostly turned to al-Kazim,117475 although for some time they still counted al-Aftah as their seventh imam.5876 Some other followers of al-Sadiq turned to Musa's younger brother, al-Dibaj, who staged an unsuccessful revolt against the Abbasids in 815–816.12 Over all, it appears that many of those who had split off after the death of al-Sadiq eventually joined al-Kazim later.33
Representatives
The Abbasid caliphs tightly controlled the activities of al-Kazim,16 who consequently appointed a network of local representatives (wukala, sing. wakil) to organize the affairs of the Shia and collect their religious dues, particularly Khums (lit. 'one-fifth').1877 Extending throughout the Abbasid empire, this underground network was likely established by al-Kazim,7879 while there is also some evidence that an earlier network might have existed under his predecessor, al-Sadiq.8081 During the imamate of al-Kazim, new Shia centers were also established in the Maghreb and Egypt.3337
It appears that al-Kazim permitted cooperation with the Abbasids so long as it furthered the Shia cause.417 In particular, he might have allowed his companion Ali ibn Yaqteen to hold the vizierate to promote justice and social welfare,82 or perhaps to save other Shias in times of danger.37 In line with the principle of taqiya, al-Kazim even instructed Ibn Yaqtin not to practice the Shia ablution (wudu') to avoid the suspicion of the Abbasid ruler.83 In another Shia report, al-Kazim saves Ibn Yaqtin by instructing him to withhold some goods destined for him, thus foiling a plot aimed at exposing their personal ties.84 Ibn Yaqtin was nevertheless finally arrested, as part of the same campaign of arrests that led to the imprisonment and death of al-Kazim. He later died in prison.85 Historically, whether Ibn Yaqtin attained the vizierate office and for long enough to make any difference is uncertain.86 Some other Abbasid officials whose loyalty rested with al-Kazim were Abbas ibn Ja'far al-Ash'ath, governor of Khorasan, and Waddah (or Wadih), who was an official of the postal service (Barid) in Egypt.37
Succession
The Imam Reza Shrine is the mausoleum of Ali al-Rida, the eighth Shia Imam, located in Mashhad, the province of Razavi Khorasan, Iran. As one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, nearly 30 million Muslims making pilgrimages to the shrine every year,878889 the most visited site in Islam.9091 He is also part of the chain of mystical authority and asceticism in Sunni Sufism, making him widely respected in Sunni Islam as well. Uyoun Akhbar Al-Ridha recorded miracles which have occurred at the shrine.92 The shrine covers an area of 1,200,000 square meters, the world's largest mosque after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. The Goharshad Mosque, the Astan Quds Razavi Central Museum, The Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi, and the Razavi University of Islamic Sciences, are also contained within the complex. The complex is on the tentative list of UNESCOWorld Heritage Sites. Also buried within the shrine are the members of the Timurid, Safavid and Qajar family members, alongside the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid, polymath Sheikh Bahāʾī, Crown Prince Abbas Mirza, Supreme LeaderAli Khamenei, and many other notable political figures, scholars, and clerics. The city of Mashhad has been named the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.93949596
After the death of al-Kazim in 799, most Shias acknowledged his son, Ali al-Rida, as their imam.979899 These Shias were the antecedents of the Twelvers, known at the time as the Qat'iyya because they confirmed the death of al-Kazim.100101 By contrast, some followers of al-Kazim waited for his return as the Mahdi,10223 citing a hadith ascribed to al-Sadiq to the effect that the seventh imam would be the Mahdi;46 these became known as the Waqifite Shia (lit. 'those who stop'). Many of the Waqifiyya later returned to the mainstream of Shia,4103 declaring al-Rida and his descendants as the lieutenants of al-Kazim.1797 The Waqifite Shia sect and its beliefs eventually disappeared, beginning in the ninth century.104 The Waqifite Shia included the Bushariyya, named after Muhammad ibn Bashir, the Kufa exaggerator (ghulat) who regarded al-Kazim as divine and claimed to be his interim successor.10517106 Ibn Bashir was later charged with heresy and executed by order of the caliph.107
The formation of the Waqifite Shia may have had a financial dimension, as some representatives of al-Kazim probably declared him the last imam just to avoid returning what was entrusted to them during the lifetime of al-Kazim.4108 These rogue representatives included Mansur ibn Yunus al-Qurayshi, Ali ibn Abi Ḥamza al-Bata'ini, Ziyad ibn Marwan al-Qandi, Uthman ibn Isa al-Amiri al-Ruasi (Ruwasi),4 and Hayyan al-Sarragh,109 although al-Ruasi may have later turned possessions over to al-Rida.4110 More broadly, the term Waqifite Shia is also applied to any Shia group who denied or hesitated over the death of a particular imam, thus refusing to recognise his successors.111112 The imamate of Ali al-Rida was not challenged by any of his brothers, even though some of them revolted against the Abbasids,99 including Ahmad ibn Musa.100
Karamat
Often viewed as evidence of his divine favor,113 various nonprophetic miracles (karamat, sing. karama) have been attributed to al-Kazim in Shia sources.4 Therein, he is considered knowledgeable of all languages,114 and this ability in Shia sources is not specific to al-Kazim.115 Indeed, a hadith attributed to al-Kazim counts this ability as a sign of the true imam.114 This also included the ability to communicate with animals, following the precedent of An-Naml, a chapter in the Quran, in which Solomon speaks with birds and ants.116 Musa al-Kazim is thus said to have prayed for a wild beast to ease the birthing pains of its partner.117 By other accounts, Musa spoke in his cradle,4118 revived a dead tree with his touch,4 and brought back to life the dead farm animal of a poor family.119 By another account, al-Kazim showed to a disciple the spirit of al-Sadiq, who had died some years earlier, seated in the entryway to his house.120
Ghulat
Musa al-Kazim and his father al-Sadiq successfully rooted out the belief in the imam's divinity from mainstream Shia thought, as evidenced by its absence in later mainstream Shia writings.121 Nevertheless, there remained at the time groups with extreme views (ghuluww) embedded within mainstream Shia.122 These Ghulat (lit. 'exaggerators') continued to believe in the divinity of the Shia imams.123 For instance, the Mufawwida believed that God had delegated (tawfiz) the affairs of this world to the prophet and the Shia imams.124 Such beliefs were also championed by al-Mufaddal ibn Umar al-Ju'fi, a financial agent of al-Kazim.125 However modern Shi'i scholars have accepted Mufaddal as a pious companion, and the works attributed to him false.126
There is no evidence that any of the Shia imams personally subscribed to these extremist views.122
Redemptive suffering
By some Shia accounts, al-Kazim died for the sins of his followers.4 This is explained in a tradition attributed to him, "God became wrathful with the Shia, so he made me choose between them or myself and I shielded them, by God, with my soul". This tradition may also suggest al-Kazim's premonition about his own death.127 These sins may have been disloyalty (to the imam) and abandoning taqiya (religious dissimulation), according to the Twelver traditionist Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni (d. 941), who adds that the latter sin revealed the activities of al-Kazim and led to his imprisonment.4 Harun indeed carried out a campaign of arrests in 795 to decimate the underground network of local Shia representatives (wukala), which may have led to the final arrest of al-Kazim.85
Descendants
By some reports, al-Kazim had 18 sons and 23 daughters,430 while other reports suggest 33 to 60 children.41736 According to the historian D.M. Donaldson (d. 1976), these children were all sired with freed slaves (umm walads),30 including Najma (or Tuktam) who bore al-Kazim his son and successor, Ali al-Rida.128 Before he died in 818, al-Rida was briefly the heir to the Abbasid caliph al-Ma'mun (r. 813–833).99 Abbas, another son of al-Kazim, became the governor of Kufa.129 Three other sons — Zayd ibn Musa al-Kazim, Ibrahim ibn Musa al-Kazim, and Isma'il — participated in the unsuccessful 815 revolt of Abu'l-Saraya against the Abbasids.36130 The shrines of some of the children of al-Kazim are sites of pilgrimage in Iran, including those of Fatima bint Musa in the city of Qom,36 Ali al-Rida in Mashhad, Husayn in Qazvin, and Ahmad in Shiraz.131 The Safavid dynasty (r. 1501–1736) in Iran also claimed descent from al-Kazim,132133 though this claim has been questioned.134 His lineage may account for about seventy percent of the descendants of the prophet (the sayyids) in Iran.17 A report implies that al-Kazim allowed (at least one of the) women in his household to study religious sciences, despite outside objections.135
Character
Musa is often referred to as al-Kazim (lit. 'forbearing' or 'he who restrains his anger'),736 an honorific title suggesting mild manner and patience.136 For instance, he is said to have kindly treated an abusive opponent, who became an adherent in consequence.36 He was also known by the title al-Abd al-Salih (lit. 'the holy servant' or 'the righteous servant of God').13649 This title was a reference to his piety,64 for he is said to have spent most of his life in prayer and solitary contemplation.174 Musa is also known as Bab al-Hawa'ij (lit. 'gate of needs'), a devotional title reflecting his reputation for answering prayers and interceding for those who seek his aid. Among his predecessors, al-Kazim has been compared in benevolence and asceticism to Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin, the fourth of the Twelve Imams.49 The kunya of al-Kazim was Abu al-Hasan, the first, so as to distinguish him from the eighth and the tenth imams in Twelver Shia who shared the same kunya. Another kunya of al-Kazim was Abu Ibrahim.137
The Sunni historian Ibn Khallikan (d. 1282) praises al-Kazim in his biographical Wafayat al-a'yan: "He [al-Kazim] entered one evening into the mosque of God's Apostle and, just as the night was setting in, he made a prostration [in worship] which lasted until the morning, and during that time he was heard to request without intermission, "O thou who art the object of our fear! O thou whom it becometh to show mercy! Let thy kindly pardon be granted to me whose sin is so grievous!"138 The same source extols al-Kazim as generous and benevolent, "When a man had spoken ill of him, he sent him a purse containing one thousand dinars", and, "He used to tie up in packets sums of three hundred, or four hundred, or two hundred dinars and distribute them in the city of Medina."136 Musa al-Kazim was also probably a gifted polemicist: The celebrated Sunni jurist Abu Hanifa (d. 767) was apparently once silenced by a young al-Kazim, while a group of Christians who came to dispute with him about religion subsequently came to accept Islam.417
Legacy
All successors of al-Sadiq, including al-Kazim, were largely removed from public life by the Abbasids, through imprisonment or surveillance.2524 Musa al-Kazim nevertheless taught Shia beliefs,417 and played a key role in eradicating extreme views (ghuluww) from mainstream Shia thought.139 Some letters attributed to al-Kazim in his captivity years have survived,36 and his answers to legal questions are available in Wasiyya fi al-aql.17 He advised others that supplication (dua) could avert even predestined calamities,49 and numerous supplications are credited to him.4 His saying, "The jurists (fuqaha, sing. faqīh) who are believers (mu'min, i.e., Shia) are the citadels of Islam", has been reinterpreted in recent times to encourage an active social role for religious scholars.140
Musa al-Kazim is revered in Sunni Islam and considered a reliable traditionist by Sunni scholars,1617 including Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 855), who quotes from al-Kazim in support of the Alids.36 Some traditions attributed to al-Kazim were collected by the Sunni scholar Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah al-Bazzaz (d. 965) in his Musnad al-Kazim, which is extant.4 Musa al-Kazim is also venerated among the Sufis.417 Among Sufi saints, Shaqiq al-Balkhi (d. 809–810), for instance, regarded al-Kazim as a holy person (Wali Allah, min al-abdal) and a devout worshipper,17141 while Ma'ruf al-Karkhi (d. c. 815) and Bishr the Barefoot (d. 841) were affiliated with the imam.17 In particular, a historical account credits al-Kazim with the spiritual awakening of Bishr.142 Musa al-Kazim is also a link in the Golden Chain (Silsilat al-dhahab), which is the initiatic line connecting the Sufis with the Islamic prophet Muhammad.143
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Rizvi, Sajjad H. (2006a). "'Ali al-Rida". In Meri, Josef W. (ed.). Medieval Islamic Civilization. Vol. 1. Taylor & Francis. pp. 35–36. ISBN 9780415966917.
Yavari, Neguin (2004). "'Atabat". In Martin, Richard C. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim world. Vol. 1. Macmillan Publishers. p. 88. ISBN 0028656040.
Musa ibn Ja'far al-Kazim (Arabic: مُوسَىٰ ٱبْن جَعْفَر ٱلْكَاظِم, romanized: Mūsā ibn Jaʿfar al-Kāẓim; 745–799) was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the seventh of the Twelve Imams, succeeding his father Ja'far al-Sadiq and preceding his son Ali al-Rida. Born around 745 in Medina, al-Kazim spent the first twenty years of his life under the care and guidance of his father. This period coincided with the power struggle between the Abbasids and the Umayyads. Following Ja'far al-Sadiq's death, a minority of his followers recognized his other son Isma'il ibn Ja'far as the next Imam, separating from the mainstream Shia Islam and forming the Isma'ili sect.1 However, Musa al-Kazim attracted the largest following, and his followers ultimately became what developed into Twelver Shia Islam, the largest branch. His Imamate spanned the reigns of the Abbasid caliphs al-Mansur, al-Mahdi, al-Hadi, and Harun al-Rashid. Like his predecessors, al-Kazim avoided politics and devoted himself to religious teachings. He was nevertheless tightly restricted by the Abbasid caliphs and spent much of his adult life in their prisons. To counter these harsh restrictions, he established the network of representatives (Wokala) to organize the affairs of his followers across the Islamic word.
The numerous Alid revolts further increased the caliphs' suspicions, and al-Kazim's final imprisonment ended with his death in prison around 799 in , for which Harun al-Rashid has been widely regarded as primarily responsible. After al-Kazim's death, some of his followers refused to accept that he had died, believing that he was the who had entered and would return. This sect, known as the , disappeared over the decades that followed. Al-Kazim played a key role in eradicating extreme views and exaggerations () from Shia Islam. His answers to legal questions have survived in , and he is credited with numerous . Al-Kazim is also revered for his piety in , and considered a reliable transmitter of prophetic sayings. He is a link in the initiatic Golden Chain in , and some Sufi saints are associated with him. Various nonprophetic miracles are attributed to al-Kazim, often emphasizing his . Al-Kazim had numerous children, the most famous of whom being , his successor and the eighth Imam. Today, Musawi , who trace their lineage to Musa al-Kazim, are among the most numerous and widespread Sayyid lineages, due to the large number of children he had. The in Baghdad, , where his grandson and the ninth Imam is also buried, is a .
Musa was probably born on 8 November 745 (7 Safar 128 AH).45 He was born either in Medina,6 or in nearby al-Abwa', located between Medina and Mecca.74 Alternative birth dates are September 745 and 746–747.4 His father was Ja'far al-Sadiq, a descendant of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima, who were the cousin and daughter of the Islamic prophetMuhammad, respectively.8 Ja'far al-Sadiq was widely accepted as the legitimate imam by the early Shia community, who rejected the ruling Umayyad caliphs as usurpers. Musa's mother was Hamida Khatun, a Berber slave-girl.9 She was also known as al-Musaffat (lit. 'the purified'),410 a title which was perhaps a reference to her religious learning, as she is said to have taught Islamic jurisprudence to women in a seminary in Medina.10Abdallah al-Aftah and Isma'il ibn Ja'far were the elder half-brothers of Musa,711 and Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq was his younger full brother.12 Musa was about four years old when the Abbasid revolution overthrew the Umayyad Caliphate in 750.9 He continued to live in Medina under the authority of his father al-Sadiq,97 until the latter died in 765.13 Ja'far al-Sadiq was poisoned at the instigation of the Abbasid caliph al-Mansur (r. 754–775), according to the Shia.714
After the death of al-Sadiq
After the death of al-Sadiq, Musa al-Kazim remained in Medina,6 where he stayed out of politics, similar to most of his predecessors.1516 As with his father, al-Kazim instead taught religious sciences in Medina.417 Over time, he also established an underground network of representatives (wukala) to collect religious donations from his followers and organise their affairs.18
The Abbasids, who claimed descent from Muhammad's uncle Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, had rallied the support of the Shia community against the Umayyads in the name of the family of Muhammad. But many Shias were disillusioned when the Abbasid al-Saffah (r. 750–754) declared himself caliph, as they had instead hoped for an Alid leader, one who had descended from Muhammad, that is, a descendant of his daughter Fatima and Ali ibn Abi Talib.19 The Abbasids soon turned against their former allies,2021 and were generally hostile to the Shia imams, especially after the abortive 762–763 revolt of the Alid pretender Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya.16 Musa al-Kazim was contemporary with the Abbasid caliphs al-Mansur, al-Hadi, al-Mahdi, and Harun al-Rashid.22 Unlike his father, who often taught freely in Medina, al-Kazim was highly restricted by the caliphs,1723 and spent much of his adult life in the Abbasid prisons in Iraq.2425 By one Shia account, under the Abbasids' watchful eyes, al-Kazim even discouraged his followers from greeting him in public.26
Reign of al-Mansur (r. 754–775)
Shia sources blame the Abbasid caliph al-Mansur for the death of Ja'far al-Sadiq,714 who did not publicly designate an heir, likely fearing the Abbasid reaction.27 Shia sources report that the caliph ordered his governor of Medina to kill the heir to al-Sadiq, a plan that was thwarted when the governor found out that al-Sadiq had appointed four or five legatees.284 The resulting crisis of succession to al-Sadiq was ultimately resolved in favor of al-Kazim,25 who spent the first ten years of his imamate under al-Mansur.7 This succession crisis nevertheless weakened the mainstream Shia, which is perhaps why al-Mansur left al-Kazim relatively unmolested,29 while still keeping him under surveillance.30 This initial mild treatment of al-Kazim would not continue under future caliphs.31
Reign of al-Mahdi (r. 775–785)
During the ten years of the reign of al-Mahdi, al-Kazim remained under surveillance in Medina.32 He was arrested at least once by the caliph, who around 780 briefly imprisoned him in the Abbasid capital of Baghdad.3317 There Musa was placed in the custody of the prefect of police, al-Musayyab ibn Zuhayr al-Dabbi, who later became a follower of al-Kazim.4 According to the Sunni historian al-Tabari (d. 923), al-Mahdi had a dream in which Ali ibn Abi Talib berated him for imprisoning his progeny, which apparently compelled the caliph to set al-Kazim free,41734 after he pledged not to revolt against the caliph.41635
Reign of Musa al-Hadi (r. 785–786)
Musa al-Kazim did not lend his support to the 786 revolt of the Alid pretender al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Abid,36 and a letter attributed to al-Kazim even warns al-Husayn about his violent death.36 The Shia imam was nevertheless accused of complicity by the Abbasid caliph al-Hadi, who was dissuaded from killing al-Kazim only by the intervention of the judge Abu Yusuf.4 The caliph died soon after, and thus al-Kazim survived.437 He then composed the supplication Jawshan Sagheer (lit. 'coat of mail') in gratitude, according to the Shia jurist Sayyed Ibn Tawus (d. 1266).4
Reign of Harun al-Rashid (r. 786–809)
The persecution of the Shia reached a climax during the caliphate of Harun, who is said to have killed hundreds of Alids.33 Harun also arrested al-Kazim, brought him to Baghdad, and was apparently intent on killing him but then set him free as a result of a dream, it is said.3338 Harun was perhaps provoked by an earlier incident, according to the Sunni historian Ibn Khallikan (d. 1282): When the two men visited the tomb of Muhammad in Medina, Harun, intent on showing his family ties to the prophet, had said, "Salutation unto thee, O prophet of God, unto thee who art my cousin!" Musa al-Kazim apparently countered with, "Salutation unto thee, O my dear father!" This angered Harun, who retorted, "O Abu al-Hasan [al-Kazim], such glory as thine is truly to be vaunted of!"39
The final imprisonment of al-Kazim may have been plotted by Yahya ibn Khalid, Harun's vizier. The vizier was reportedly threatened by the growing influence of Ja'far ibn Muhammad, who was entrusted with the caliph's son and heir, Al-Amin. Yahya is said to have tipped the caliph about the secret Shia disposition of Ja'far and also suborned a relative of al-Kazim to testify that the imam secretly collected religious dues from the Shia.3340 Alternatively, al-Kazim was imprisoned perhaps because the caliph felt threatened by the views of a disciple of al-Kazim, the theologian Hisham ibn al-Hakam,4 who argued for the right of al-Kazim to the caliphate, thus implying the illegitimacy of the Abbasids.41 In any case, Harun had al-Kazim arrested in 793,23332342 or in 795,171841 and had him brought to Basra in Iraq, where he was imprisoned for a year under the custody of its governor, Isa ibn Ja'far ibn al-Mansur.4223 Harun then ordered al-Kazim to be killed but Isa did not carry out the order, apparently being impressed by the piety of al-Kazim. Isa instead arranged for al-Kazim's house arrest in Baghdad under Fadl ibn al-Rabi' and then under Al-Fadl ibn Yahya.4 During his house arrest, however, al-Kazim likely continued to direct the Shia affairs.4 When Harun learned about this relatively comfortable conditions of al-Kazim, he gave Fadl a written order to kill the Shia imam. By one account, Fadl refused the order and was given a hundred lashes.4 Musa al-Kazim was then handed to al-Sindi ibn Shahik, the prefect of police in Baghdad, who is said to have poisoned the imam.4223
Death and burial
Musa al-Kazim died in 799 in the al-Sindi ibn Shahak prison of Baghdad,17 after being transferred from one prison to another for several years.22 He was poisoned by order of the Abbasid caliph Harun,33 an order conveyed to al-Sindi through Yahya al-Barmaki,443 when he had visited the caliph in Raqqa to intercede for his son, Fadl.4 The latter had reportedly disobeyed caliph's earlier orders to kill al-Kazim.4 That al-Kazim was murdered is the Twelver view,44 as represented by Al-Shaykh al-Mufid (d. 1022), a prominent Twelver theologian.45 By contrast, al-Tabari does not mention the cause of al-Kazim's death, thus implying that al-Kazim died from natural causes, a view preferred by most Sunni authors.4 The date of al-Kazim's death is often given as 13, 31 August, or 1 September 799 (6, 24, or 25 Rajab 183 AH),4 while Twelvers annually commemorate this occasion on 25 Rajab.5
Shrine
Harun brought several public figures to examine al-Kazim's body and testify that he had died naturally.4233 The caliph also publicly displayed the body of al-Kazim in Baghdad, perhaps to dispel the rumors that he had not died and would return as the Mahdi, the Messianic figure in Islam.33446 Later al-Kazim was buried in the Quraysh cemetery in northwest Baghdad,1722 which is now located in Kazimayn (lit. 'the two Kazims'), a city named after him and his grandson, Muhammad al-Jawad, who is buried next to him.1847 At first a dangerous site for Shia visitors, the burial site in time became an important center for Shia pilgrimage.41748 A shrine has stood over the two graves since the time of the Buyid dynasty (r. 934–1062), but the present complex dates to the Safavid Iran Shah Ismail I (r. 1501–1524), the Twelver ruler of Iran.33 The shrine of al-Kazim has over time acquired a reputation as a place where prayers are fulfilled, that is, a gate to the fulfilment of needs (bab al-hawaij), as attested by the Sunni scholar al-Shafi'i (d. 820).49 Also buried there are a number of medieval Shia scholars,50 including the polymath Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (d. 1274).51
Imamate
Designation
After the death of al-Sadiq in 765, his following became fractured,52 for he did not publicly designate a successor to save his heir from the Abbasids' wrath.27 The majority of his followers, the antecedents of the Twelvers, ultimately accepted the imamate of his son al-Kazim,5213 who also received the backing of some renowned students of al-Sadiq, including Hisham ibn al-Hakam and Mu'min al-Taq.18534 However, instead of al-Kazim, many expected the next imam to be his elder half-brother, Isma'il ibn Ja'far, who predeceased his father.7 These were the antecedents of the Isma'ilis, some of whom waited for Isma'il to return as the Mahdi and the others instead accepted the imamate of his son Muhammad ibn Isma'il.1354 When the latter died, some expected him to return as the Mahdi and others followed a line of imams who claimed descent from him.55 Even though the Isma'ilis were active against the Abbasids,5657 they were of marginal importance until their political success much later:58 The Fatimid Caliphate was established in Egypt at the turn of the tenth century and the Qarmatians rose to power in Bahrain in the late ninth century.59 Their relations with the mainstream Shia were apparently tense at the time, as some have implicated them in the arrest of al-Kazim and the murder of some of his followers.6061
Isma'ilis believe that Isma'il was the designated successor,62 and this appears to be the general consensus of the early Shia sources as well.6312 For the Isma'ilis, the death of Isma'il in the lifetime of al-Sadiq did not annul his divine designation (nass), as that would have contradicted their belief in the omniscience of God.64 By contrast, the early Twelvers explained any such changes in the divine will be through bada', a notion similar to abrogation (naskh) in the Quran.6566 Later Twelvers, such as al-Mufid, altogether rejected the claim that Isma'il was the designated successor of al-Sadiq.67 Historical evidence indeed suggests ties between Isma'il and radical Shias, of whom the quiescent al-Sadiq did not approve.68 Twelvers instead cite the qualifications of al-Kazim to support his fitness for the imamate after al-Sadiq.6936 While the Twelvers and the Isma'ilis are the two sects that have survived,70 there were also additional branches that emerged after the death of al-Sadiq:117172 After the death of al-Sadiq, some waited for his return as the Mahdi,73 but perhaps the majority of his followers initially accepted the imamate of his eldest surviving son, Abd-Allah al-Aftah.1144 This group became known as the Fathites.4 Abd-Allah apparently lacked the scholarly prerequisites for the imamate and died a few months later without a male heir.58 His followers then mostly turned to al-Kazim,117475 although for some time they still counted al-Aftah as their seventh imam.5876 Some other followers of al-Sadiq turned to Musa's younger brother, al-Dibaj, who staged an unsuccessful revolt against the Abbasids in 815–816.12 Over all, it appears that many of those who had split off after the death of al-Sadiq eventually joined al-Kazim later.33
Representatives
The Abbasid caliphs tightly controlled the activities of al-Kazim,16 who consequently appointed a network of local representatives (wukala, sing. wakil) to organize the affairs of the Shia and collect their religious dues, particularly Khums (lit. 'one-fifth').1877 Extending throughout the Abbasid empire, this underground network was likely established by al-Kazim,7879 while there is also some evidence that an earlier network might have existed under his predecessor, al-Sadiq.8081 During the imamate of al-Kazim, new Shia centers were also established in the Maghreb and Egypt.3337
It appears that al-Kazim permitted cooperation with the Abbasids so long as it furthered the Shia cause.417 In particular, he might have allowed his companion Ali ibn Yaqteen to hold the vizierate to promote justice and social welfare,82 or perhaps to save other Shias in times of danger.37 In line with the principle of taqiya, al-Kazim even instructed Ibn Yaqtin not to practice the Shia ablution (wudu') to avoid the suspicion of the Abbasid ruler.83 In another Shia report, al-Kazim saves Ibn Yaqtin by instructing him to withhold some goods destined for him, thus foiling a plot aimed at exposing their personal ties.84 Ibn Yaqtin was nevertheless finally arrested, as part of the same campaign of arrests that led to the imprisonment and death of al-Kazim. He later died in prison.85 Historically, whether Ibn Yaqtin attained the vizierate office and for long enough to make any difference is uncertain.86 Some other Abbasid officials whose loyalty rested with al-Kazim were Abbas ibn Ja'far al-Ash'ath, governor of Khorasan, and Waddah (or Wadih), who was an official of the postal service (Barid) in Egypt.37
Succession
The Imam Reza Shrine is the mausoleum of Ali al-Rida, the eighth Shia Imam, located in Mashhad, the province of Razavi Khorasan, Iran. As one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, nearly 30 million Muslims making pilgrimages to the shrine every year,878889 the most visited site in Islam.9091 He is also part of the chain of mystical authority and asceticism in Sunni Sufism, making him widely respected in Sunni Islam as well. Uyoun Akhbar Al-Ridha recorded miracles which have occurred at the shrine.92 The shrine covers an area of 1,200,000 square meters, the world's largest mosque after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. The Goharshad Mosque, the Astan Quds Razavi Central Museum, The Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi, and the Razavi University of Islamic Sciences, are also contained within the complex. The complex is on the tentative list of UNESCOWorld Heritage Sites. Also buried within the shrine are the members of the Timurid, Safavid and Qajar family members, alongside the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid, polymath Sheikh Bahāʾī, Crown Prince Abbas Mirza, Supreme LeaderAli Khamenei, and many other notable political figures, scholars, and clerics. The city of Mashhad has been named the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.93949596
After the death of al-Kazim in 799, most Shias acknowledged his son, Ali al-Rida, as their imam.979899 These Shias were the antecedents of the Twelvers, known at the time as the Qat'iyya because they confirmed the death of al-Kazim.100101 By contrast, some followers of al-Kazim waited for his return as the Mahdi,10223 citing a hadith ascribed to al-Sadiq to the effect that the seventh imam would be the Mahdi;46 these became known as the Waqifite Shia (lit. 'those who stop'). Many of the Waqifiyya later returned to the mainstream of Shia,4103 declaring al-Rida and his descendants as the lieutenants of al-Kazim.1797 The Waqifite Shia sect and its beliefs eventually disappeared, beginning in the ninth century.104 The Waqifite Shia included the Bushariyya, named after Muhammad ibn Bashir, the Kufa exaggerator (ghulat) who regarded al-Kazim as divine and claimed to be his interim successor.10517106 Ibn Bashir was later charged with heresy and executed by order of the caliph.107
The formation of the Waqifite Shia may have had a financial dimension, as some representatives of al-Kazim probably declared him the last imam just to avoid returning what was entrusted to them during the lifetime of al-Kazim.4108 These rogue representatives included Mansur ibn Yunus al-Qurayshi, Ali ibn Abi Ḥamza al-Bata'ini, Ziyad ibn Marwan al-Qandi, Uthman ibn Isa al-Amiri al-Ruasi (Ruwasi),4 and Hayyan al-Sarragh,109 although al-Ruasi may have later turned possessions over to al-Rida.4110 More broadly, the term Waqifite Shia is also applied to any Shia group who denied or hesitated over the death of a particular imam, thus refusing to recognise his successors.111112 The imamate of Ali al-Rida was not challenged by any of his brothers, even though some of them revolted against the Abbasids,99 including Ahmad ibn Musa.100
Karamat
Often viewed as evidence of his divine favor,113 various nonprophetic miracles (karamat, sing. karama) have been attributed to al-Kazim in Shia sources.4 Therein, he is considered knowledgeable of all languages,114 and this ability in Shia sources is not specific to al-Kazim.115 Indeed, a hadith attributed to al-Kazim counts this ability as a sign of the true imam.114 This also included the ability to communicate with animals, following the precedent of An-Naml, a chapter in the Quran, in which Solomon speaks with birds and ants.116 Musa al-Kazim is thus said to have prayed for a wild beast to ease the birthing pains of its partner.117 By other accounts, Musa spoke in his cradle,4118 revived a dead tree with his touch,4 and brought back to life the dead farm animal of a poor family.119 By another account, al-Kazim showed to a disciple the spirit of al-Sadiq, who had died some years earlier, seated in the entryway to his house.120
Ghulat
Musa al-Kazim and his father al-Sadiq successfully rooted out the belief in the imam's divinity from mainstream Shia thought, as evidenced by its absence in later mainstream Shia writings.121 Nevertheless, there remained at the time groups with extreme views (ghuluww) embedded within mainstream Shia.122 These Ghulat (lit. 'exaggerators') continued to believe in the divinity of the Shia imams.123 For instance, the Mufawwida believed that God had delegated (tawfiz) the affairs of this world to the prophet and the Shia imams.124 Such beliefs were also championed by al-Mufaddal ibn Umar al-Ju'fi, a financial agent of al-Kazim.125 However modern Shi'i scholars have accepted Mufaddal as a pious companion, and the works attributed to him false.126
There is no evidence that any of the Shia imams personally subscribed to these extremist views.122
Redemptive suffering
By some Shia accounts, al-Kazim died for the sins of his followers.4 This is explained in a tradition attributed to him, "God became wrathful with the Shia, so he made me choose between them or myself and I shielded them, by God, with my soul". This tradition may also suggest al-Kazim's premonition about his own death.127 These sins may have been disloyalty (to the imam) and abandoning taqiya (religious dissimulation), according to the Twelver traditionist Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni (d. 941), who adds that the latter sin revealed the activities of al-Kazim and led to his imprisonment.4 Harun indeed carried out a campaign of arrests in 795 to decimate the underground network of local Shia representatives (wukala), which may have led to the final arrest of al-Kazim.85
Descendants
By some reports, al-Kazim had 18 sons and 23 daughters,430 while other reports suggest 33 to 60 children.41736 According to the historian D.M. Donaldson (d. 1976), these children were all sired with freed slaves (umm walads),30 including Najma (or Tuktam) who bore al-Kazim his son and successor, Ali al-Rida.128 Before he died in 818, al-Rida was briefly the heir to the Abbasid caliph al-Ma'mun (r. 813–833).99 Abbas, another son of al-Kazim, became the governor of Kufa.129 Three other sons — Zayd ibn Musa al-Kazim, Ibrahim ibn Musa al-Kazim, and Isma'il — participated in the unsuccessful 815 revolt of Abu'l-Saraya against the Abbasids.36130 The shrines of some of the children of al-Kazim are sites of pilgrimage in Iran, including those of Fatima bint Musa in the city of Qom,36 Ali al-Rida in Mashhad, Husayn in Qazvin, and Ahmad in Shiraz.131 The Safavid dynasty (r. 1501–1736) in Iran also claimed descent from al-Kazim,132133 though this claim has been questioned.134 His lineage may account for about seventy percent of the descendants of the prophet (the sayyids) in Iran.17 A report implies that al-Kazim allowed (at least one of the) women in his household to study religious sciences, despite outside objections.135
Character
Musa is often referred to as al-Kazim (lit. 'forbearing' or 'he who restrains his anger'),736 an honorific title suggesting mild manner and patience.136 For instance, he is said to have kindly treated an abusive opponent, who became an adherent in consequence.36 He was also known by the title al-Abd al-Salih (lit. 'the holy servant' or 'the righteous servant of God').13649 This title was a reference to his piety,64 for he is said to have spent most of his life in prayer and solitary contemplation.174 Musa is also known as Bab al-Hawa'ij (lit. 'gate of needs'), a devotional title reflecting his reputation for answering prayers and interceding for those who seek his aid. Among his predecessors, al-Kazim has been compared in benevolence and asceticism to Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin, the fourth of the Twelve Imams.49 The kunya of al-Kazim was Abu al-Hasan, the first, so as to distinguish him from the eighth and the tenth imams in Twelver Shia who shared the same kunya. Another kunya of al-Kazim was Abu Ibrahim.137
The Sunni historian Ibn Khallikan (d. 1282) praises al-Kazim in his biographical Wafayat al-a'yan: "He [al-Kazim] entered one evening into the mosque of God's Apostle and, just as the night was setting in, he made a prostration [in worship] which lasted until the morning, and during that time he was heard to request without intermission, "O thou who art the object of our fear! O thou whom it becometh to show mercy! Let thy kindly pardon be granted to me whose sin is so grievous!"138 The same source extols al-Kazim as generous and benevolent, "When a man had spoken ill of him, he sent him a purse containing one thousand dinars", and, "He used to tie up in packets sums of three hundred, or four hundred, or two hundred dinars and distribute them in the city of Medina."136 Musa al-Kazim was also probably a gifted polemicist: The celebrated Sunni jurist Abu Hanifa (d. 767) was apparently once silenced by a young al-Kazim, while a group of Christians who came to dispute with him about religion subsequently came to accept Islam.417
Legacy
All successors of al-Sadiq, including al-Kazim, were largely removed from public life by the Abbasids, through imprisonment or surveillance.2524 Musa al-Kazim nevertheless taught Shia beliefs,417 and played a key role in eradicating extreme views (ghuluww) from mainstream Shia thought.139 Some letters attributed to al-Kazim in his captivity years have survived,36 and his answers to legal questions are available in Wasiyya fi al-aql.17 He advised others that supplication (dua) could avert even predestined calamities,49 and numerous supplications are credited to him.4 His saying, "The jurists (fuqaha, sing. faqīh) who are believers (mu'min, i.e., Shia) are the citadels of Islam", has been reinterpreted in recent times to encourage an active social role for religious scholars.140
Musa al-Kazim is revered in Sunni Islam and considered a reliable traditionist by Sunni scholars,1617 including Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 855), who quotes from al-Kazim in support of the Alids.36 Some traditions attributed to al-Kazim were collected by the Sunni scholar Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah al-Bazzaz (d. 965) in his Musnad al-Kazim, which is extant.4 Musa al-Kazim is also venerated among the Sufis.417 Among Sufi saints, Shaqiq al-Balkhi (d. 809–810), for instance, regarded al-Kazim as a holy person (Wali Allah, min al-abdal) and a devout worshipper,17141 while Ma'ruf al-Karkhi (d. c. 815) and Bishr the Barefoot (d. 841) were affiliated with the imam.17 In particular, a historical account credits al-Kazim with the spiritual awakening of Bishr.142 Musa al-Kazim is also a link in the Golden Chain (Silsilat al-dhahab), which is the initiatic line connecting the Sufis with the Islamic prophet Muhammad.143
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