Today, the hearts of the faithful, all over the globe, are turned towards
Kazemayn, northern Baghdad, where reposes in eternal peace the person who was
born this day in 128 AH in Abwa - situated between the holy cities of Mecca and
Medina in the Hijaz.
The phrase frequently coming to their lips is "Ya Bab al-Hawa'ej",
which means "O Gateway of Boons". It is a key that opens the gates of
Divine Mercy, since supplicating to the One and Only God by invoking an
Infallible Member of Prophet Muhammad's (SAWA) blessed household is actually an
undeniable proof of obedience to the Lord Most High, Who has decreed love and
affection for the spotlessly pure Ahl al-Bayt as an article of faith (Holy
Qur'an 42:23).
If that was not the reason the residents of the Iraqi capital, whether Sunnis
or Shi'ites, would not be reverently saluting till this day the Prophet's 7th
Infallible Heir whenever their eyes caught a glimpse of the sprawling
gold-plated twin-domes of the shrine.
He is Imam Musa al-Kazem (AS). For 35 years during the rule of four of the most
bloodthirsty Abbasid caliphs - Mansour Dawaniqi, Mahdi Abbasi, Hadi Abbasi, and
Haroun Rashid - he braved every adversity, including a total of 14 years
intermittently in prisons, to guide the ship of Islam through the stormy
waters.
So dexterous was this helmsman of the Ship of
Salvation that till this day, when there is no trace of even the graves of the
Abbasids whose empire stretched from the fringes of India and China to the
Atlantic coast of Africa, Muslims of all denominations acknowledge the
Prophet's famous saying: "The example of my Ahl al-Bayt is that of
the Ark of Noah, whoever boards it is safe, while whoever abandons it is
drowned.
No doubt, the Abbasids, who were present at the famous Hashemite meeting of
Abwa (the birthplace of 7th Imam) in the waning days of Omayyad tyranny to plan
a strategy for leadership of the Ummah, miserably drowned, because of usurping
the political power that neither God had deemed it their right in the Holy
Qur'an, nor the Prophet had bequeathed to them through any authenticate hadith.
It will not be out of context here to cite a passage regarding God-given wisdom
and authority, from Imam Kazem's (AS) lengthy sermon to the master theologian
of his days, Hesham ibn Hakam.
"O Hesham, the Commander of the Faithful (Imam
Ali - AS) used to say: "No one should sit in the forefront of a session
except those who can answer when they are questioned, speak when others cannot,
and have the most satisfying opinion. He who does not enjoy these three
characteristics and allows himself to sit in the forefront of a session is
surely an idiot."
Thought-provoking words indeed. The passage instantly turns our attention to
not only the Mosque of Kufa where Imam Ali (AS), as the Divinely-Declared
Vicegerent of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) - at Ghadir-Khom near Mecca in 10 AH on
revelation of ayah 67 of Surah al-Ma'edah - used to enlighten minds and souls,
but also the fate of those in history who ended up becoming eternally-damned
idiots by making the fatal mistake of sitting in the place of the Ahl al-Bayt.
Thus, as an Heir of the Almighty's Last and Greatest Prophet, the 7th Imam
spared no efforts to spread the truth even if it meant speaking directly to a
tyrannically murderous caliph, who was eventually destined to martyr him.
Once, when an exasperated Haroun, always fearful of the political legitimacy of
the Ahl al-Bayt, summoned Imam Kazem (AS) and 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 7th Imam, without mentioning any of the
innumerable virtues and services of Imam Ali (AS) to Islam, calmly drew
attention to ayah 72 of Surah Anfaal: "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) as
Prophet Abraham's (AS) offspring when he had no father and was connected only
through his mother Mary (SA). Then the Imam reciting ayah 42 of Surah Aal-e
Imran that extols the virtues of the Virgin Mary (SA), said:
"Likewise, our Lord chose Fatema (SA), purified her (holy Qur'an 33:33),
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."
It is outside the scope of this brief column to mention the other proofs Imam
Kazem (AS) provided on his Divine Right to the usurper Haroun Rashid, who
reluctantly allowed the Imam to leave in peace, but some years later,
imprisoned the Prophet's Righteous Heir, and poisoned him to death at the age
of 55 in 183 AH.
source : www.abna.ir
