Sayings of Imam Musa Kazim (AS)

1.      *Imam al-Kazim (peace of Allah be upon him) said: “On the day of Resurrection, there will stand on the Divine Throne four individuals from the past generations and four from the later generations. Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus are the four individuals from the past generations. Mohammed, Ali, al-Hasan, and al-Hussein are the four individuals from the later generations. Then, food will be served. Those who visited the shrines of the Imams will be invited to that food. The visitors of my son’s shrine will be the foremost and the most favorable.” [Bihar-ul-Anwar; vol. 22, page 6 (as quoted from al-Kafi)]

2.      "My intercession is for those of my Ummah who would have committed big sins; as for the doers of good, there shall be no difficulty for them." He was asked: "O son of the Messenger of Allah! How can the intercession be for those who have committed big sins; while Allah says, `and they do not intercede except for him whom He approves' (21:28); and a committer of big sins cannot be approved?"

3.      Never bother to learn something not knowing which does not do you any harm, and never neglect to learn something whose negligence will increase your ignorance.

4.      Plants grow in plain, not rocky, lands. In the same way, wisdom will grow in the hearts of the modest, not the arrogant, because Allah has made modesty the instrument of the mind and made arrogance the instrument of ignorance.

5. The most high-ranking people are those who disregard the worldly pleasures completely.
6. Whenever you get a pious leader and ruler (then) thank God for this boon.
7. Always say the right thing although it may lead to your loss.
8. The world is soft and beautiful like a snake but there is a (disastrous) killer poison hidden inside it.
9. No charity is superior to giving a helping hand to the weak.
10. Never bother to learn something, not knowing which does not do you any harm, and never neglect to learn something whose negligence will increase your ignorance.
11. Moderation is the half of the livelihood.
12. Amicability is half of the intelligence.
13. Hastiness is the true clumsiness.
14. I found the knowledge of people in four things: firstly, that you know your Lord (recognition of Allah)
15. and secondly that you know it as to what factors He made use of in creating you,
16. and thirdly that you know as to what does he want and intend from you,
17. and fourthly that you learn what is it that will expel you from your religion.
18. Comprehend and understand the religion of Allah, for jurisprudence is the key to vision and the completion of worship and the cause of reaching the lofty grades and magnanimous stations in the world and in the hereafter.
19. The one whose two days are equal is a loser.
20. And the one whose last one of the two days is the evil one of those (two days) is a cursed one.
21. I inform you that the obligatory most right of your brother (in faith) is that you do not hide and conceal anything, which is beneficial and useful for his worldly affairs or affairs of the hereafter, from him.
22. Be cautious! Never at all be arrogant, for, the one who has a Misqal (unit of quantity) smallest amount of arrogance in his heart, will not enter the paradise.
23. Hisham! There is a proof and logic for everything and the proof of the intelligent person is his meditation and the proof of meditation is quietness.
24. Allah has prohibited heaven for all the users of abusive and obscene language.
25. The shameless person, who does neither care about what he says and nor what is said about him.
26. And so combat and fight a holy war against your ego so as to move it away from its lust and passions.
27. Because indeed it is obligatory for you like waging holy war against your enemy.
28. Beware of not spending in (the course of) Allah’s obedience otherwise, you spend twice in the way of Allah’s disobedience (sin, transgression).
29. The worst of the servants of Allah are those whose company is undesirable due to their obscene and filthy language (false, futile, and dirty conversation).
30. The one who squanders, wastes, and spends lavishly, the beneficence and blessings are abated, terminated, and cease to exist in him.
31. Oh Hisham, verily Prophet Luqman said to his son, "Adopt humility and humbleness for the right of Allah and you will be the most intellectual of the people.
32. Oh son! The world is a deep and profound ocean, already many of the worlds creations have immersed and sunk into it.
33. So make piety your ship in it to sail out safely and make the faith its cargo and putting trust in Allah its sails and intellect its sailor and knowledge its guide and patients its passengers.
34. Put in endeavor and exercise effort that your time is schedule into four hours.
35. An hour for the supplication to Allah and an hour of it for the affairs of its economy and livelihood and still another hour for social contact with the brothers and persons of confidence who may let you learn your shortcomings and faults and they have sincere interior heart for you.
36. And a part of it in which you enjoy the unforbidden and lawful entertainments.
37. With this part of the time you get strength and vigor for the rest of the three other times.
38. Bad is the person who has two faces and two tongues (double-cross, and hypocrite).
39. He praises and commends his brother (in faith) in his presence, and when he is absent, he backbites and slanders him.
40. If he achieves (something) he gets jealous of him and if he is afflicted, he leaves and abandons him (does not help him).
41. No one will gain the reward of suffering a misfortune unless he who forbears it and says: We are Allah's, and to Him we will return.
42. The best of generosity is the help to the oppressed.
43. Be tough and strict with the cruel so that you may take the right of the oppressed from him.
44. Always say the right thing although it may lead to your loss.
45. Whenever you get a pious leader and ruler (then) thank God for this boon.
46. Be tough and strict with the cruel so that you may take the right of the oppressed from him.
47. The best of generosity is the help to the oppressed.
48. The world is soft and beautiful like a snake but there is a (disastrous) killer poison hidden inside it.
49. No charity is superior to giving a helping hand to the weak.
50. He (A.S.) said: "No believer commits a sin but he regrets it and feels ashamed. And the Prophet has said:
51. Enough is regret as repentance, 'and also he has said: `Whoever is pleased by a good deed and displeased by a bad deed, he is a believer.' Therefore, if there is someone who does not feel remorse for a sin he has committed, he is not a believer, and intercession will not avail him, and he will be an unjust one. And Allah says: `The unjust shall have no true friend nor any intercessor who should be obeyed' (40:18)."
52. It was said to him: "O son of the Messenger of Allah! How is it that he who is not sorry for a sin he has committed, he does not remain a believer?"
53. He said: 'Anyone who commits a big sin, knowing that he must be punished for it, will certainly feel remorse for what he has done. And as soon as he is sorry, he is repentant, eligible for intercession. But if he is not sorry, then he is persisting in it, and a persistent (sinner) is not forgiven; because he does not believe in the punishment of what he has done. Has he believed in that punishment he would have been sorry.
54. And the Prophet has said: `No big sin abides with apologizing, and no small sin remains (small) with persistence.' And as for the words of Allah, "and they do not intercede except for him whom He approves, " it means that they do not intercede except for him whose religion He approves. Religion is an acknowledgement that good and bad deeds have to be recompensed. If one's religion were approved, one would feel remorse for the sins one would have committed, because he would know what their result would be on the (Day of) Resurrection."
55. `O son of the Messenger of Allah! Tell me about a believer, possessing religious understanding when he reaches (a high point in) knowledge and becomes perfect, does he commit fornication?'
56. He said `By God! No.' I said: `Then does he indulge in sodomy?
57. He said: `By God! No.' I said: `Then does he steal?'
58. He said: 'No.' I said: `Then does he drink intoxicant?'
59. He said: `No.' I said: `Then does he commit any of the big sins or indulge in any of these indecencies?'
60. He said: `No.' I said: `Then does he commit a sin?'
61. He said: `Yes, and he is a believer, sinner, submissive.' I said: `What does submissive mean?'
62. He said: `The submissive (servant) does not persist in it, does not keep doing it..."

63.  Imam Abu Al-Hassan Al-kadhim (a.s) said: "Poverty shall not enter a house inhabited by people having the names Muhammad... and Fatima from among women."

64.  "Why did you permit people to trace your ancestry back to Allah's Messenger (p.b.u.h) and call you sons of Allah's Apostle while you are descendants of Ali? Men are traced to their fathers; Fatima was not but a vessel and her father, the Prophet (p.b.u.h) your maternal grandfather!"

65. The Imam (a.s) replied: "Had the Prophet been brought back to life and asked you for your daughter's hand in marriage, would you fulfill his wish?"Rashid answered: "Glory be to Allah! Why wouldn't I fulfill his wish? Indeed I would be honored among the Arabs, non-Arabs, and Quraish to do so."
66. The Imam then said: "But he would not ask to marry my daughter, nor could I give her to him in marriage." Rashid exclaimed: "Why not?"
67. The Imam said: "For he has begotten me and has not begotten you." Rashid then said: "You are right, Musa;" and added; "but why do you claim to be the Prophet's offspring while he did not beget sons? And since offspring are sons not daughters and you are Fatima s children, she did not have offspring."
68. Upon hearing this, the Imam apologized to Rashid and asked to be excused; he did not want to answer him in observance to the law of prudence (taqiya). Nevertheless, Rashid insisted on hearing his arguments and said:
69. "You are obligated to bring me your arguments from the Quran, you children of Ali, and since you are their Imam of the time and chief as I was told, I will not excuse you until you bring me proof from Allah s Book, from which you know the interpretation of every letter, as has been written in this verse:
70. 'Nothing have We left unattended from the Book.'
71. Furthermore, you dispensed with the opinions of other scholars and qiyas' (inference)."
72. The Imam then said: "Am I permitted to give you the answer?" Rashid said: "indeed you are."
73. The Imam then said: "I seek refuge in Allah from the cursed devil. In the name of Allah, the Beneficent the Merciful:
74. 'And among his progeny, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron; Thus do We reward those who do good; And Zakariya and John, and Jesus (Isa)."
75. The Imam continued, "Who is Isa's Father?
76. The Imam then said: "Therefore, he is considered among the Prophet's offspring through Maryam; likewise, we are the offspring of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) through our Mother, Fatima (a.s)…"
77. These were some of the verses which Ahlul-Bayt (a.s) used as proof of their lineage to Allah's Apostle through Fatima Zahra.
78. There are a great number of narrations which declare the same thing; among them are:
79. Furthermore, it has already been verified that the Prophet (p.b.u.h) said to Imam Hassan (a.s): "This son of mine is a Master."
80. He also said: "Al-Hassan and Al-Hussain, these two sons of mine, are Imams whether they rise or forebear. "and:
81. "Every daughter's children are called to their Father, save Fatima's children; for I am their Father."
82. In another debate, which took place between Haroun Al-Rashid and Imam Musa Ibn Ja'far (A.S.) mentioned by Bihar Majlisi on the authority of 'Oyun Akhbar Al-Redha, Haroun said to the Imam: "Why did you permit people to trace your ancestry back to Allah's Messenger (P.B.U.H.) and call you sons of Allah's Apostle while you are descendants of Ali? Men are traced to their fathers; Fatima was not but a vessel and her father, the Prophet your maternal grandfather!"
83. The Imam (A.S.) replied: "Had the Prophet been brought back to life and asked you for your daughter's hand in marriage, would you fulfill his wish?"
    Rashid answered: "Glory be to Allah! Why wouldn't I fulfill his wish? Indeed I would be honored among the Arabs, non Arabs, and Quraish to do so."
84. The Imam then said: "But he would not ask to marry my daughter, nor could I give her to him in marriage." Rashid exclaimed: "Why not?"
85. The Imam said: "For he has begotten me and has not begotten you. "
    Rashid then said: "You are right, Musa;" and added: "but why do you claim to be the Prophet's offspring while he did not beget sons? And since offspring are sons not daughters and you are Fatima's children, she did not have offspring."
86. Upon hearing this, the Imam apologized to Rashid and asked to be excused; he did not want to answer him in observance to the law of prudence (taqiya). Nevertheless, Rashid insisted on hearing his arguments and said: "You are obligated to bring me your arguments from the Quran, you children of Ali, and since you are their Imam of the time and chief, as I was told, I will not excuse you until you bring me proof from Allah's Book, from which you know the interpretation of every letter, as has been written in this verse:
87. `Nothing have We left unattended from the Book.'
88. Furthermore, you dispensed with the opinions of other scholars and `qiyas' (inference)."
89. The Imam then said: 'am I permitted to give you the answer?" Rashid said: "Indeed you are."
90. The Imam then said: "I seek refuge in Allah from the cursed devil. In the name of Allah, the Beneficent the Merciful: And among his progeny, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron; Thus do We reward those who do good; "And Zakariya and John, and Jesus (Isa). "
91. The Imam continued, "Who is Isa's Father?"
92. The Imam then said: "Therefore, he is considered among the Prophet's offspring through Maryam; likewise, we are the offspring of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.) through our Mother, Fatima (A)..."
93. No charity is superior to giving a helping hand to the weak.

94.  For everything God's command is the sole and ultimate command.

95.  One of the qualities of an holy Imam is that He is bestowed with the power of understanding the language of every living creature on earth whether its a human being , animal or a bird.

96.  The fifth progeny of the seventh Imam [Musa Kazim] will be the Mahdi. However, he will disappear. It is not proper for you to name him.

97.  “Dua reverts both what has been destined and what has not been destined.”

98.  “Recite “Dua”, for “Dua” and begging from god Almighty repels afflictions even if it has been destined. If you ask God to revert it, He will certainly revert it.”

99.  Never bother to learn something not knowing which does not do you any harm,
and never neglect to learn something whose negligence will increase your ignorance.

100.                      Imam Reza (A.S.) said: My father, talked of his father, Imam Sadeq (A.S.), as saying that the Ghadir feast is much more famous in heaven than on Earth.

101.                      Imäm Musa Kazim (AS) stated: ‘Taking a bath every other day would fatten one’

102.                      Yunus b. 'Abd al-Rahman asked Imam Musa b. Ja'far: "Are you the rightful Qa'im?" He replied:
Yes, I am the rightful Qa'im. But the Qa'im who will purify the earth from the enemies of God and will fill it with justice and equity, is my fifth descendant. Since he is afraid for his life, he will be in occultation for a long time. During this period of occultation, a group will turn away from religion. But some will remain steadfast in their faith.

103.                      Indicate to those of your Companions whom you trust that the position of authority belongs to him Musa.

104.                      He went on to add:
Blessed are those Shi'a who during this period of occultation will continue to be faithful to us and remain steadfast in their loyalty to us and their hostility toward our enemies. Truly, they are from us and we are from them. They are convinced about our Imamate and we acknowledge their fealty to us. By God, blessed are they! They will be with us in Paradise.

105.                      As a man asked him about conviction, Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.) answered: the conviction is to depend upon Allah, submit to Him, consent to His acts, and entrust Him with the affairs.

106.                      Abdullah-bin-Yahya said: Within the supplication that I wrote to Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.), there was the sentence, 'Praise be to Allah as much as the utmost of His knowledge.' The Imam answered my missive saying: Do not say, 'the utmost of his knowledge,' because His knowledge has no limits. You may say, 'the utmost of His satisfaction.'

107.                      As a man asked him about the munificent, Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.) answered: Your question has two references. If you refer to the created munificent, I can tell you that he is the one who fulfills what Allah has imposed upon him, while the miserly is the one who witholds what Allah has imposed upon him. If you refer to the All-munificent Allah, I can tell you that He is the All-munificent whether He gives or not. If He gives, he gives you what is not yours, and if He does not give, He deprives you of what in not yours.

108.                      Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.) said to one of his adherents: Fear Allah and say the truth even if it will cause you to perish, for your salvation lies in telling the rtuth. Fear Allah and leave the wrong even if it will save you, for your perdition lies in telling the wrong.

109.                      As his agent swore he had not betrayed him, Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.) said to him: To betray me and waste my wealth are the same. However, betrayal is more harmful for you.

110.                      Beware of depriving anyone in fields of obedience to Allah lest, you will lose two folds in fields of disobedience to Allah.

111.                      The believer is like the two pans of a balance-the more faith he enjoys the more misfortunes he faces.

112.                      Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.) said as he stopped near a grave: It is quite proper to leave the first of a matter the end of which is this (grave). It is also quite proper to fear the end of a thing the first of which is this (grave).

113.                      He who speaks in the Essence of Allah will perish, he who seeks power will perish, and he who feels self-conceited will perish.

114.                      The supplies of this world and the religion are difficult. Whenever you extend your hand towards any source of the worldly supplies, you will found out that a sinful has preceded you there. When you intend to obtain a source of the religious supplies, you will not find anyone helping you.

115.                      Four deeds are originated from extreme solicitude. They are eating soil, crumbling the clay, clipping the nails with the teeth, and biting the hair of the beard. Looking at three things improves the sight. They are verdure, flowing water, and handsome faces.

116.                      Good neighborhood is not the abstinece from harm. It is to tolerate the harm (of the neighbors).

117.                      Do not take liberties with your friend. You should keep any quantity of respect among you lest you will lose pudency.

118.                      Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.) said to one of his sons: O son, let not Allah see you committing an act of disobedience against which he warned you, and let Him not miss you in an act of obedience to him of which He ordered you. Keep serious and do not convince yourself that you are worshipping and obeying Allah perfectly, because no one can achieve perfection in the fields of worshipping Allah. Beware of joking because it extinguished the illumination of your faith and disgraces your personality. Beware of indolence and laziness because they both prevent you from receiving your shares of the pleasures of this world and the world to come.

119.                      When injustice predominates over the right, it is unacceptable to expect good from anybody before investigation.

120.                      Kissing on the mouth is not acceptable except for the wife and the little child.

121.                      Try to divide your time into four parts. The first part should be dedicated to (secret) supplication to Allah, the second to seeking earnings, the third to associating with the friends and the trusty people who show you your defects and treat you sincerely, and the fourth to your legal pleasures. Through this part, you can manage the other three parts. Do not think of poverty and long age. He who thinks of poverty will be stingy and he who thinks of long age will be acquisitive. Offer a share of the worldly pleasures to yourselves by enjoying moderately the legal pleasures that do not injure your personalities. Make such pleasures help you fulfill your religious duties perfectly. It is said that, "As for those who neglect the legal worldly pleasures completely and adhere to the religious duties or neglect the religious duties and adhere to the worldly affairs, they are not from us.

122.                      Learn the religious question, for jurisprudence is the key of intelligence, the perfection of worship, and the means to the high standings and the respectful positions in this world and the world to come. The priority of the knowledgeable over the worshipper is as same as the priority of the sun over the stars. Allah will not accept the deeds of those who avoid learning the religious questions.

123.                      Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.) said to Ali-bin-Yaqtin: The expiation of working with the (unjust) rulers is to treat the friends with kindness.

124.                      Whenever people perpetrate unprecedented sins, Allah will inflict upon them unexpected misfortunes. 22 - In the time of the just ruler, you should thank and he will gain rewards, In the time of the unjust ruler, you should tolerate and he will burden the punishment of the sin.

125.                      Abu-Hanifa related: After I had performed the hajj I went to Medina to visit Abu-Abdillah As-Sadiq(A.S.). I entered his house and sat in the entrance waiting for his permission. After a while, a male toddler went out. "O boy," I asked, "where should the stranger excrete in your country?" The boy asked for a respite before he sat to a wall and spoke: You should be away from riversides, places were fruits fall, yards of mosques, and roadbeds. You should also hide agaist a wall, lift up your dress, avoid turnng the face or the back to the Qiblah and then you can excrete any where. I was highly admired by the wording of that boy. I therefore asked about his name. "I am, Musa-bin-Ja'far-bin-Mohammed-bin-Ali-bin-Al-Hussein-bin-Ali-bin-Abi Talib", answered he. I then asked him about the source of the acts of disobedience to Allah, He answered: the source of any sin is unquestionably one of three: either the Allah, the Allah and the servant, or the servant. If Allah is the source of sins - yet. He is not-, then it is improper for Him to punish the servants for what they did not commit. If Allah and the servants are together the source of sin-yet this is not accurate-, then it is improper for the stronger partner to wrong the weak partner. If the servant is the source of the sins-and this is quite accurate-, then the Lord may pardon out of His generosity and liberty of punish for the commitment of such a sin. After I had heard so, I left before I could meet Abu-Abdillah since that wording was sufficient for me.

126.                      Abu-Ahmed Al-Khurasani asked Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.) whether atheism preceded polytheism or the opposite. "You have not been accustomed to ask such questions,' answered the Imam, 'I do not know that you intrude yourself in the theological discussions.' Abu-Ahmed confessed that it had been Husham-bin-Al-Hakam who ordered him to put such a question before the Imam. The Imam, then, answered: Atheism preceded polytheism. The foremost atheist was Eblis about whom Allah says: He refused and he was proud, and he was one of the unbelievers-atheists. Holy Qur'an( 2:34) Atheism is one thing while polytheism is not. Polytheism is to believe in one (god) and associate others with him.

127.                      As he noticed two men reviling at each other, Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.) commented: The first person to revile is the more wrongful. He should burden-the inconvenience-of his sin as well as the sin of the other unless the other was the aggressor.

128.                      On the Day of Resurrection, a caller will summon those whose rewards should be presented by Allah individually. Except those who forgave and reformed themselves, no one will attend.

129.                      The liberal well-mannered ones are in the shelter of Allah Who will not abandon them until they reside in Paradise,. Prophets of Allah are all liberal. My fatehr incessantly commanded me to hold on liberality and noble manners untill he departed.

130.                      As-Sindi-bin-Shahek narrated: When Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.) was dying, I offered to enshroud him. He answered: We, the prophet's family, should cover the expenditure of our first pilgrimage, the dowries of our women, and our coffins from our legal fortunes.

131.                      Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.) said to Fadhl-bin-Younus: Convey the good, say the good, and do not be yes-man. "What is yes-man?" asked Fadhl, and the Imam instructed: Do not say, 'I am with people,' or 'I am like others,' for the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.) said: O people, they are only two ways-either good or evil. Do not prefer the way of evil to that of good."

132.                      Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.) passed by an ugly villager, greeted him, sat with him, talked with him for a considerable time, and then asked him to settle his needs when he would be in need for him. Some said, "O son of Allah's Messenger, how do you sit with this one and ask him to settle your needs while he is in need for you?" The Imam(A.S.) answered: He was one of Allah's servants, a brother in the Book of Allah, and a neighbor in the lands of Allah. He and we enjoy the same best father-Adam(A.S.) and the same best religion that is Islam. Perhaps, our need will some day be in his hand and we will have to sit modestly before him. Imam Al-Kazim(A.S.) then recited a poetic verse: We regard even those who do not deserve our regard so that we will not be friendless.

133.                      Asking for-financial-help is acceptable only in blood money that is imposed on an insolvent, heavy debts, and extreme poverty.

134.                      The best kind of alms-giving is to help the weak.

135.                      The astonishment of the ignorant at the intelligent is greater than the astonishment of the intelligent at the ignorant.

136.                      For the steadfast, the misfortune is one, while it is two for the impatient.

137.                      Only the sufferers of injustice can realize its intensity.

138.                      O thou who hearest every voice,

139.                      O thou who lettest no opportunity escape;

140.                      O thou who clothest the bones with flesh and who wilt raise them up after death;

141.                      I invoke thee by thy Holy name, and by that great and splendid name which is treasured up and closely hidden, by that name which no created thing shallever know;

142.                      O thou who art so mild and whose patience is never equalled;

143.                      O thou whose favours never cease and can not be numbered, set me free. (Masudi, Muruj el Dhahab)

144.                      [Thubayt reported on the authority of Muadh b. Kathir, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah Ja'far:] I (i.e. Muadh b. Kathir) said to (Jafar): "I ask God, Who provided your father with you for this position, to provide you with one of your offspring for the same position before your death." "God has done that," he answered. "May I be your ransom, who is it?" I asked. He indicated al-Abd al-Sarh (the pious worshipper of God) (i.e. Musa) to meHe was asleep. "This one who is sleeping,"

145.                      "May God make me your ransom,"

146.                      Since that is so," replied Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be on him, "he is your leader."s

147.                      I (i.e. 'Isa b. Muhammad) asked (Ja'far): "If something happened - may God not make me see such a thing - who should I follow?" (Ja'far) pointed to his son, Musa. "If anything happened to Musa, who should I follow?" I asked. "His son," he replied "If anything happened to his son?" "Then his son." "If something happened to him," I went on, "and he left a big brother and a small son?" "His son; it is always thus," he answered.

148.                      "Prostrate yourself to your Lord."

149.                      The people had agreed that Abd Allah b. Jafar was the leader of the affair (sahib al-amr) after his father. We went to visit him and the people were with him. We questioned him about how much poor-tax (zakat) had to be paid. "Five dirhams on two hundred dirhams," he answered. "How much on a hundred dirhams?" we asked. "Two and a half dirhams," he answered. "By God, you are declaring the doctrine of the Murji'a," we said. "By God," he retorted, "I do not know the doctrine of the Murji'a."

150.                      Abu al-Hasan Musa, peace be on him. He spoke to me before ( I could speak): "To me, to me; not to the Murji'ites, nor to the Qadarites, nor to the Mutazilites, nor to the Zaydites." "May I be your ransom," I replied, "your father has gone." "Yes," he answered. "He has left through death," I said. "Yes," he retorted. "Then who is in charge of the people after him?" I asked. "If God wills, He will guide you to that man," he answered. "May I be your ransom," I said, "your brother Abd Allah claims that he is the Imam after his father." "Abd Allah intends that God should not be worshipped (properly)," he declared. "May I be your ransom, who is in charge of us after him?" I asked (again). "If God wills, He will guide you to that man," he repeated. "May I be your ransom, are you him?" I questioned. "I am not saying that," he replied. I thought to myself that I had not used the correct method of questioning. So I said to him: "May I be your ransom, do you have an Imam over you?" "No," he replied. Something came to me which only God knew with regard to honouring and showing respect (to Musa). So I said to him: "May I be your ransom, may I question you like I used to question your father?" "Question," he said. "You will be informed but do not spread (the answer) around. For if you do spread it around, then slaughter will take place." I questioned him. Indeed he was like a sea (of knowledge) which could not be exhausted. I said to him: "May I be your ransom, the Shia of your father is lost (without a leader). May I put this matter to them and summon them (to follow) you? For you have taken (a promise of) secrecy from me." "Tell those of them whose righteousness you are familiar with," he said, "but take (a promise of) secrecy from them. For if it gets spread around, there will be slaughter," and he pointed to his neck with his hand. I left him and met Abu Jafar al-Ahwal. "What happened to you?" he asked. "Guidance,' I said and I told him the story.

151.                      There was Abu al-Hasan Musa, peace be on him. He beckoned to him and (my uncle) went to him. (Musa) said to him: "Abu Ali, nothing is more pleasing to me and gives me greater joy than the way you behave. Despite that, you do not have true knowledge (marifa). Seek for true knowledge."

152.                      "May I be your ransom," he said to him, what is true knowledge?" "Go so that you may learn,"

153.                      He told him. "Seek out traditions." "From whom?" he asked. "From the jurists of Medina," he answered, "and then bring the additions to me." He went and wrote down (what he learnt). Then he came and read to him. However (Musa) invalidated all of it.

154.                      He told him: "Go and learn." The man was concerned about (his own attitude to) his religion. He continued to search for Abu al-Hasan until he went to (visit) an estate of his. On the road he met him.

155.                      He said to him: "May I be your ransom, I have sought for you (by begging) God. Guide me to what is necessary for me to know." Then Abu al-Hasan, peace be on him, informed him about the authority and rights of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and what it was necessary for him to know. (He told him of) the authority of al-Hasan, al- Husayn, Ali b. al-Husayn, Muhammad b Ali and Jafar b. Muhammad. Then he was silent. (Al-Hasan) said to him: "May I be your ransom, who is the Imam today?"

156.                      "If I tell you," he answered, "will you come close to me?" "Yes," he replied. "I am he," he said. "Is there anything by which this could be proved?" he asked. "Go to that tree," he said - and he pointed towards one of the trees of Umm Ghaylan, "and tell it that Musa b. Jafar tells you to draw near." [He reported:] I went to it and I saw it furrow through the ground until it stopped in front of him. Then he indicated to it to go back and it went back. He went up to him and cleaved to silence and worship. No one ever saw him talking after that. [Ahmad b. Mihran reported on the authority of Muhammad b. Ali, on the authority of Abu Basir, who said:]

157.                      I (i.e. Abu Basir) said to Abu al-Hasan Musa b. Jafar, peace be on them: "May I be your ransom, by what is the Imam known?" "By special characteristics,' he answered. "The first of them is something by which preference has been given him by his father and an indication (has been made) by his (father) that he should be proof (hujja) (to the world). When he is asked (anything), he can answer it. If (a person) holds back from speaking to him, he may begin (the conversation) by telling him what will happen tomorrow and speaking to each person in his own tongue.

158.                      " Then he said: "Abu Muhammad (i.e. Abu- Basir) I will give you a sign before you rise to go." I did not wait long before a man from the people of Khurasan entered. The Khurasani spoke to him in Arabic and Abu al-Hasan, peace be on him, answered him in Persian. "By God, what prevented me speaking to you in Persian was that I thought you were not fluent in it," the Khurasani said to him. "Praise be to God," he replied, "if I was not fluent enough to reply to you, I would not have the merit over you, by which I am entitled to the Imamate.

159.                      " Then he said: "Abu Muhammad, no speech of the people is hidden from the Imam, nor the language of birds, nor the speech of anything which has a soul." Abd Allah b. Idris reported on the authority of Ibn Sinan, who said:] One day al-Rashid sent some robes to Ali b. Yaqtin to honour him. Among their number was a black woollen cloak adorned with gold like the robes of kings. Ali b. Yaqtin dispatched those robes to Musa b. Jafar, peace be on them. Among their number he (also) sent that cloak. He added some money which he had already prepared specifically for him as the fifth of his money (khums - tax for the Imams) which he was going to pay him. When that reached Abu-al- Hasan Musa, peace be on him, he accepted the money and the robes but returned the cloak by the hand of the messenger to Ali b. Yaqtin.

160.                      He wrote to him: "Keep it and do not let it leave your hands. For an event will occur to you because of it when you will have the need of it with him (al-Rashid)."

161.                      Ali b. Yaqtin was suspicious about it being returned to him and did not understand the reason for that. Some time later, Ali b. Yaqtin changed (his attitude) towards a servant who had a special position with him and he left his service. The servant knew about Ali b. Yaqtin's inclination towards Abu al-Hasan Musa, peace be on him. He was acquainted with the money, garments and other things (Ali) had sent to (Musa) on every occasion. He (went and) informed on him to al-Rashid. He told (al-Rashid) that (Ali) maintained the Imamate of Musa b. Jafar and paid him a fifth of his money each year, and also that he had given him the cloak with which the Commander of the faithful (al-Rashid) had honoured him at such-and-such a time Al-Rashid burned with anger and was furious. He declared: "I will expose this situation. If the matter is as you say, his life will be destroyed." He immediately sent for Ali b. Yaqtin to be brought. When he appeared before him, he said: "What have you done with the cloak which I bestowed upon you?" "Commander of the faithful," (Ali) replied,

162.                      "I still have it in a sealed chest and there I keep perfume with it. In the mornings I open it and look at it to gain blessings from it. I kiss it and then put it back in its place. Every night I do the same thing."

163.                      "Bring it, immediately," he ordered. "Yes, Commander of the faithful," he answered. He summoned one of his servants and told him: "Go to such-and-such a room in my house. Take the key for it from my custodian and open it. Open such-and-such a box and bring me the sealed chest which is in it." It was not long before the servant returned with the chest still sealed. He put it before al-Rashid and told him to break the seal and open it. When he opened it, he saw the cloak in it folded and laid out in perfume. Al-Rashid's anger became pacified and he said to `Ali b. Yaqtin: "Return it to its place and go away righteously. I will never disbelieve you again on the word of an informer." He ordered a magnificent gift to be sent after him and he had the informer flogged with a thousand lashes. After he had been flogged about a hundred lashes, he died. [Muhammad b. Ismail reported on the authority of Muhammad b. al-Fadl, who said:] The tradition concerning rubbing the two feet (mash al-rijlayn) in the ritual ablution (wudu') was a subject of dispute among our companions - whether (it should be done) from the toes to the ankles or from the ankles to the toes. Ali b. Yaqtin wrote to Abu al-Hasan Musa, peace be on him: "May I be your ransom, our companions are in dispute over rubbing the feet. If you would think fit to write to me in your own handwriting what my practice should be with regard to it, I would carry it out, God, the Exalted, willing."

164.                      Abu al-Hasan Musa, peace be on him, wrote back to him: "I have understood what you have mentioned about the dispute concerning ritual ablution. What I order you to do with regard to that is: you should rinse your mouth three times; you should sniff water into your nostrils three times; you should wash your face three times; you should rub between the interstices of the hair of your beard; you should wash your arms from the finger to the elbows; you should rub the whole of your head and the outside and inside of your ears; you should wash your feet up to the ankles three times. Do not transgress that for anything else." When the letter came to Ali b. Yaqtin, he was surprised at the details he had given in it which were different from what the group had agreed upon.

165.                      He said: "My master (mawla) knows better what he has said and I will obey his command."

166.                      He used to practise it in his ablution and was in conflict with the practice of all the Shi'a out of submission to the command of Abu al-Hasan, peace be on him. Information was given to al-Rashid against 'Ali b. Yaqtin and he was accused of being a Rafidite, who is opposed to (al-Rashid). Al- Rashid said to one of his close associates: "Much talk is coming to me about 'Ali b. Yaqtin, and the suspicion of him being in opposition to me and being of Rafidite leanings. Yet I cannot see any deficiency in his service to me. I have examined him several times and have not been able to find any suspicious thing about him. I would like to examine his (position) without him being aware of it and thus being able to guard himself against me."

167.                      He was told: "Commander of the faithful, the Rafidites oppose the general view (jamaa) with regard to ritual ablution and reduce its form. They do not accept washing the feet. Therefore examine him-without his knowledge - on his practice in ritual ablution." "Yes," he replied, "this method will reveal his views." He left it for a while. Then when 'Ali was away at his house doing some work, he came at the time for prayer. 'Ali b. Yaqtin was alone in one of the rooms of the house in order to perform his ablution and prayer. Al-Rashid stood behind the wall where he could see 'Ali b. Yaqtin without him seeing him. He ('Ali) called for water for the ablution. He rinsed his mouth out three times; he sniffed water into his nostrils three times; he washed his face three times; he rubbed between the interstices of his beard; he washed his arms to the elbows three times; he rubbed his head and his ears; and he washed his feet three times. Al-Rashid watched him. When he saw him do that, he could not contain himself from looking down on him from a position where ('Ali) could see him and calling to him: "Ali b. Yaqtin, those who claim that you are one of the Rafidites are liars." Thus ('Alis) situation with (al-Rashid) was restored.

168.                      A letter came to him from Abu al-Hasan, peace be on him: "Beginning from now 'Ali b. Yaqtin, you will perform the ablution as God ordered it. Wash your face once as is mandatory and another time (as a voluntary act) within the ablution; similarly wash your arms from the elbows and rub the front of your head and the outer part of your feet with the remnants of the dampness from the ablutionary water (on your hands). What was feared for you has now been removed. Greetings."

169.                      One day Abu al-Hasan Musa; peace be on him, left Medina for one of his estates outside the town. I (i.e. Ali b. Abi Hamza) accompanied him. He, peace be on him, was riding on a mule and I was on a donkey of mine. As we were going along one of the paths, a lion blocked our way. I stared at it in terror but Abu al-Hasan, peace be on him, went forward without worrying about it. I saw the lion become subdued and mutter before Abu al-Hasan, peace be on him. Abu al-Hasan, peace be on him, stood as if he was listening to the muttering. The lion put its paw on the saddle of his mule. My soul trembled at that and I was absolutely terrified. Then the lion turned away to the side of the road. Abu al-Hasan turned his face toward the qibla (direction of Mecca) and began to pray. He moved his lips in such a way that I could not understand him. Then he indicated to the lion with his hand that it should go. The lion muttered for a long time and Abu al-Hasan said: "Amen, amen."

170.                      The lion went away until it disappeared from our sight. Abu al Hasan, peace be on him, went straight on and I followed him. When we were far from the place, I came up to him and said: "May I be your ransom, what was that business of the lion? By God, I was frightened for you and surprised at its attitude towards you."

171.                      "He came out to complain of the difficulty his lioness was having in giving birth," Abu al-Hasan, peace be on him, told me.

172.                      "He asked me to ask God to make it easier for her and I did that for him.

173.                      He asked whether (I knew) in my heart if she would bear a male and I told him that. Then he told me: "Go in the protection of God. God will never impose on you, nor on your offspring, nor on any of your Shia, any trouble from wild beasts.' I said: Amen." Reports of this kind are numerous. What we have set out of them is sufficient according to the scheme which has been set out, through the grace of God, the Exalted

174.                      O God, I ask of you ease at death and forgiveness on the Day of Reckoning. He would repeat that

175.                      Another of his prayers, peace be on him was: How great is sin to You. Therefore let forgiveness seem good to You. He used to weep so much out of fear of God that his beard would be wet with tears.

176.                      . [Al-Sharif Abu- Muhammad al-Hasan b. Muhammad b. Yahya informed me: My grandfather Yahya b. al-Hasan b. Ja'far told us: Isma'il b. Yaqub told us: Muhammad b. Abd Allah al-Bakri told us.] I (i.e Muhammad b. 'Abd Allah) came to Medina to ask for repayment of a debt and it made me weary. I said (to myself): "If I had gone to Abu al-Hasan Musa , peace be on him, and complained to him."So I went to him at Naqma at his estate. He came out to me. With him was a servant carrying a basket in which there was some chopped-up meat. He had no one else with him. He ate and I ate with him. Then he asked me what I wanted. So I told him my story. He went inside and it was only a short time before he came out to me. He told his servant to go and then he stretched out his hand towards me. He gave me a purse in which was three hundred dinars. Then he arose and turned away. I mounted my animal and went away.

177.                      He asked about the descendant of Umar and was told that he had a farm on the outskirts of Medina. He rode out to him and found him at his farm. As he entered the farm with his donkey, the descendant of Umar cried out: "Do not tread on my sown land." Yet Abu al-Hasan, peace be on him, continued to tread on it with his donkey until he reached him. He dismounted and sat with him. He greeted him with a smile and laughed at him. "How much have you paid to sow your land?" he asked. "One hundred dinars,'' (the other man) answered. "How much do you hope to acquire from it?" "I do not know the unknown," was the reply. "I only asked you about what you hope it would bring you," retorted (Abu al-Hasan). "I hope that it will bring me two hundred dinars,'' he answered. Abu al-Hasan took out a purse in which was three hundred dinars and said: "This is (the price) of what you have sown in its present condition (i.e. what you have spent to sow it and what you hope to gain from it.) May God provide you with what you hope for from it." The descendant of Umar kissed his head and asked him to forgive his (former) hasty words about him. Abu al-Hasan, peace be on him, smiled at him and went away.

178.                      "What ! Is this the animal on which you will meet the Commander of the faithful" al-Rabi' asked him. "If you were seeking (something) on it, you would not obtain it and if you were being sought (while you were) on it, you would not escape." "It is beneath the vanity of horses and above the lowliness of asses and the best of matters are those which are moderate," he replied. When Harun al-Rashid entered Medina, he went to pay a visitation to (the tomb of) the Prophet, may God bless him and his family.

179.                      "Greetings to you, Apostle of God! Greetings to you, father."

180.                      Muhammad b. al-Hasan asked Abu al-Hasan Musa, peace be on him, about attending al-Rashid while they were in Mecca. "Is it permitted of the person consecrated as a pilgrim (muhrim) to be shaded (from the sun) by his camel train?" (Muhammad b. al-Hasan) asked him. "It is not permitted for him if there is any choice available for him,"

181.                      Musa, peace be on him, told him. "Is it permitted for him to walk in the (natural) shade by choice?" Muhammad b. al-Hasan asked. "Yes," replied Musa. Muhammad b. al-Hasan laughed at that.

182.                      Abu al-Hasan Musa, peace be on him, said: "Does the sunna of the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, surprise you and are you scoffing at it? The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, took advantage of the (natural) shade during his state of ritual consecration (ihram) and walked in the (natural) shade while he was consecrated for the pilgrimage (muhrim). The laws of God, Muhammad, are not subject to analogy. Anyone who makes analogies of some of them on the basis of others, has strayed from the straight path.

183.                      Musa, peace be on him, was concerned and summoned Ali. "Where are you going, cousin?" he asked. "Baghdad," was the reply. "Why are you doing that?" he enquired. "I am in debt and I am poor," he answered. "I will pay your debt and act for you and carry out (what you need),"

184.                      Musa, peace be on him, told him. He did not pay attention to that and began to set about (preparations for his) departure.

185.                      Abu al-Hasan, peace be on him, asked him to come and said to him: "Are you leaving?" "Yes," he replied, "I must do that." "Look, cousin," he said to him, "fear God and do not give away any confidences against my children."

186.                      He ordered him to be given three hundred dinars and four thousand dirhams. (When he stood up in front of him, Abu al-Hasan Musa, peace be on him, spoke to those who were present: "By God, he will strive against my blood and he will confide against my children."

187.                      "May God make us your ransom," they said to him, "did you know this from his state when you were giving him gifts and being generous to him?" "Yes," he said, "my father told me on the authority of his ancestors, on the authority of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, that when kin cut themselves away, then they should be brought back, for if they cut themselves away, God will cut them off. I wanted to bring him back after he had cut himself off from me for if he cuts me off, God will cut him off.) 'Ali b. Ismail set out until he reached Yahya b. Khalid. He gave him news of Musa b. Jafar, peace be on him, and (Yahya b. Khalid) reported to al-Rashid and added additional material to it.

188.                      Peace be upon thee, O Friend of God! Peace be upon thee, O Proof of God! Peace be upon thee, O Light of God! O Light in the dark place of the earth! Peace be upon him whom God advances in thy regard, Behold I come as a pilgrim, who acknowledges your right, Who hates your enemies and befriends your friends, So intercede for me therefore with your Lord.

189.                      The nafilas are the offertories of every believer to Allah.

190.                      Hajj is the jihad of every weak.

191.                      Everything has its tax and the tax of the body is the recommendable fasting.

192.                      After the acknowledgment of Allah, the best worship is expecting the Relief.

193.                      He who supplicates to Allah before he praises Him and blesses the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.) is as same as throwing an arrow without the existence of a string.

194.                      'When the fifth one (i.e. Mahdi) from the progeny of the seventh one (i.e. Musa-ibn-Jafar) disappears, then fear Allah with regards to your faith and be careful to see that nobody ruins your religion. this is because the master of the affair will be compelled to conceal himself until a group who have faith in his imamate will turn back from their belief. this occultation is a test from Allah who wishes to examine his servants by this means.

fifthly: fear of getting killed

one of the reasons of seclusion of the prophets was the fear of being killed. thus, they would coneal themselves so that in this manner they could protect themselves and hence achieve their aim later on.
about hazrat Musa, Allah says:- ---

'so i fled from you when i feared you'

again, about hazrat Musa, another verse says:- ---

'surely the chiefs are consulting together to slay you, therefore depart (at once)....'

verily, fear and anxiety was one of the reasons which solicited Musa-ibn-Imran (a.s.) to flee from egypt and go to Shuaib (a.s.). it was fear and apprehension that caused the holy prophet of islam to take retreat first in the mountain-pass of Abu-Talib and then to seek shelter in a cave.
the un-believers decided to kill him and Allah commanded him to flee towards medina along with Ali (a.s.).

due to absence of the ordinary channels through which Mahdi (a.s.) could invite the people and also due to the strength of the enemies, hazrat fears from such matters as imprisonment, exile, murder and the gallows. thus he has no alternative but to retire and go into occultation until the time when the divine command is issued. besides, Allah has set a limit for all matters.

195.                      He who is certain of the reward will give generously.

196.                      The moderate will never be needy.

197.                      Moderation is the half of the livelihood.

198.                      'Hazrat Musa-ibn-Jafar approached haroon for the reason that the letter wished to inquire from him the (false) things which people have ascribed to Hazrat before haroon. so he took out a lengthy scroll which contained accusations about his shias and read it out. then Hazrat said: 'O Haroon, we are a family which have been afflicted with such accusations and Allah is 'all-forgiving' and 'one veils the vices' and he refrains from lifting the veil from the deeds of his servants except when he will be taking their account and that will be the day when wealth and children shall be of no avail and only the one who comes in the presence of Allah with a pure heart shall benefit. thereafter he said: 'my father narrated (for me) from Ali who in turn narrated from the holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) as such:-

«whenever the ties of relationship are felt and maintained with the other. there occurs some movement and excitement and then it calms down.» if . haroon deems it advisable to maintain relationship and shake hands with me, he can do so.

then haroon came down from his throne and stretched out his right hand and caught hold of Hazrat's hand. he embraced him and made him sit besides him and said: i bear witness that you are truthful and your father and grand-father too were truthful. when you came to inquire i was the most harshful person towards you because of the hatred and anger which i had acquired about you. since you spoke to me in the manner which you did and so shook hands with me, the feeling of hatred and anger has disappeared from my heart and i have become satisfied with you. thereafter, he felt silent for some moment and then said: 'i wish to ask you something about Abbas and Ali. on what basis was Ali more worthy of inheritance (from the holy prophet) than Abbas , the uncle of the holy Prophet.

Hazrat replied: 'you excuse me from this matter.'

he said: 'i swear by Allah that i shall not excuse you until you answer me.'

Hazrat replied: 'if you do not excuse me then grant me safety.'

he said: 'i gaurantee your safety.'

Hazrat said: 'surely, the holy prophet did not nominate as heir the one who was able to migrate but did not migrate. indeed, Abbas your father was amongst those who brought faith but did not migrate and Ali brought faith and migrated too. Allah says:

haroon turned pale and then said: 'on what basis do you relate yourself to the holy Prophet and not Ali notwithstanding the fact that Ali was your father and the holy prophet your grand-father!

Hazrat replied: surely Allah related Isa-ibn-Maryam to Hazrat Ibrahim, his «khaleel» through Isa's mother who was a virgin. as Allah says:

thus he related Isa to Ibrahim through Maryam only, just as he related Sulaiman, Ayub, Yousuf, Musa and Haroon to their father and mother. from the view-point of excellence of isa which concluded in him only from his mother's side without any other person, it has come in the holy quran in the verse below that:-

('O Maryam! surely Allah has chosen you and purified you and he has chosen you above the women of the world) because of messiah.

so in the same manner, Allah chose Fatima and purified her and made her superior to all the women of the world through Hassan and Hussein, the two youthful chiefs of paradise

199.                      Amicability is half of the intelligence.

200.                      Very much care drives into senility.