Worshiping Allah and Serving The People
Imam Musa ibn Ja`far al-Kazim was the most pious, the most versed in jurisprudence and the most generous of the people of his time. It has been reported that he performed supererogatory prayers linking them to the Morning Prayer and then he was engaged in benedictions until dawn. He would fall in prostration without raising his head until noon. The Imam prayed a lot and repeated the following invocation:
أللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أسْألُكَ الرَّاحَةَ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَالْعَفْوَ عِنْدَ الْحِسَابِ.
O Lord! I ask you ease at death bed and forgiveness on the Day of Reckoning. The sin of Your servant is great but forgiveness is with You.
The Imam always cried out of fear of Allah so much so that his face became wet with tears. He would look into the affairs of his family and relatives more than anyone else and would appease the needy in Medina at night. He would always carry a basket of flour and dates as well as a purse of Dirhams and Dinars to give to them but no one knew where this favor came from.[1]
Contentment and Generosity
Muhammad ibn `Abdullah Bakri has reported: I went to Medina to take a loan but no one offered me any. So I said to myself, “I would better go to Imam Musa and tell him about my grievances.” Hence, I went to his plantation which stood on the heights of the city. The Imam came to me along with his servant. He had a basket in his hand with pieces of meat which I shared with him and then he asked about my needs. I told him the story and we set out for his house. He went inside and after a few seconds, he came out giving me a purse of three hundred Dinars. Being satisfied, I mounted the mule and left Medina.[2]
An Extraordinary Example of Generosity
Mansur Dawaniqi (the `Abbasid ruler) asked Imam al-Kazim (a.s) to attend the Festival of Nowruz (New Day) to receive of the gifts from all walks of life. The Imam answered, “The Nowruz Festival is a tradition for the Persians.” Mansur said, “I observe this festival as a policy for strengthening ties with the army. I ask you by God to attend this festival.” The commanders of the army came to the Imam, congratulated him on the occasion and presented him with gifts. The servant of Mansur who was standing next to the Imam, counted the gifts one by one. At the end of the festival, an aged man came to the Imam saying, “O Son of daughter of Allah’s Messenger! I am a needy man who cannot present you with a gift. Instead, I have three lines of poem which my grandfather has composed for your grandfather, Husayn ibn `Ali. He thus recited the poem. Imam Musa said, “I accepted your gift. Please sit beside me. May Allah bless you.” Raising his hand towards the servant of Mansur, Imam Musa said, “Go to the Emir, inform him of the gifts and ask what he is going to do with all these gifts.” The servant did the mission, came back and said, “Mansur says: All the gifts belong to you. Do as you wish.” Imam Musa said to the old man, “Take all these gifts which is my grant to you.”[3]
[1] Al-Khara'ij wa’l-Jara'ih, 896/2.
[2] Kitab al-Irshad: 232/2.
[3] Al-Manaqib: 319/4.
source : http://www.maaref-foundation.com
