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.
By: Seyyed Ali Shahbaz
(Courtesy: Kayhan International, Wednesday 7th Safar, January 12)
source : irib
