Name: Musa

Father: Jaafar ibn Mohammed Al-Sadiq, the sixth Imam

Most Famous Title: Al-Kadhim

Nickname: Abul-Hasan & Abu-Ibrahim

Place & Date of Birth: Abwaa on the 7th Safar, 128 A.H., approx. the 6th Nov., 745 A.D.

Lifetime: 55 years

Duration of Imamate: 35 years

Date of Martyrdom: 25th Rajab, 183 A.H., approx. 1st Sept., 799 A.D.

Cause of Death: poisoned to death when he was in the prison of Haroon Al-Rasheed.

Place of Burial: Quraish Cemetery (currently, Kadhimiya District), Baghdad, Iraq.

His Birth

Imam Musa ibn Jaafar (peace be upon him) was born in a village named Abwaa, located midway between Mecca and Medina. His mother’s name was Hameeda daughter of Saaid, from Andalus, originally from tribes in Morocco. She was famous for her title ‘Al-Musaffat’ meaning ‘The Purified’. Her husband Imam Jaafar Al-Sadiq described her saying, “Hameeda is purified of all evils like a bar of gold”.

Imam Al-Kadhim was brought up under the care of his father. His father was the sixth Imam of the Ahlulbayt (peace be upon them) whose knowledge and Fiqh prevailed worldwide. Imam Al-Sadiq was the Imam that Abu Haneefa Al-Nu’man, a prominent scholar and the imam of one of the sects widely followed in the Islamic world in the past and today, referred to saying: “I have never seen a jurist so knowledgeable as Jaafar Bin Mohammed”.

His Titles

His most famous title was Al-Kadhim (Anger Controller). He was known also as Al-Abed Al-Salih (The Righteous Servant of Allah). In Medina, he was known as Zain Al-Mutahajjideen (The Greatest Worshipper).

After his death, another title was made for him that superseded other titles. That was Babul-Hawaij (the Gate to fulfilling needs), as he was known for his miracles and that his prayers for people were met with favorable responses.

His Offspring

The old references did not agree on the exact number of his offspring. They were ranging among thirty, thirty seven and forty, including males and females. The most prominent male among them was Ali Al-Ridha (peace be upon him) who was the eighth Imam that succeeded him in Imamate, and was buried in Mashhad city in Iran, while the famous one among the females was Lady Masooma (peace be upon her) who was buried in Qom city in Iran, as well.

His Imamate

Imam Musa Al-Kadhim became the Imam after his father’s martyrdom in 148 A.H. He lived under the reigns of Caliphs Al-Mansur, Al-Mahdi, Al-Hadi, and Al-Rasheed. Despite Al-Mansur’s initial hostility, Imam Musa spread knowledge in Medina. Caliph Al-Mahdi briefly imprisoned him but later released him after a dream he had involving Imam Ali (peace be upon him).

Under Al-Hadi, the Fakh Revolution broke out, led by a descendant of Imam Al-Hasan. Although Imam Musa was invited to join, he refused, predicting it would bring more suffering. After the revolution failed, he was falsely accused of being its instigator, leading to his imprisonment.

When Al-Rasheed became caliph, Imam Musa’s life became even more difficult. He was imprisoned multiple times and faced severe mistreatment. His imprisonment intensified after a public encounter where Imam Musa proclaimed his closer blood relation to the Prophet, diminishing Al-Rasheed’s claims to legitimacy.

Imam Musa was eventually poisoned in prison by Al-Rasheed’s orders. He died a martyr and was buried in Baghdad, where his tomb became a place of reverence and spiritual significance. His shrine in Kadhimiya is now known as "Babul-Hawaij" (Gate to Fulfilling Needs), where believers seek his intercession.

Imam’s Intellectual School

Imam Jaafar Al-Sadiq, father of Imam Musa Al-Kadhim, established a groundbreaking intellectual school that advanced knowledge in various fields, including Islamic sciences and natural sciences. This school flourished during the early Abbasid period, producing over 4,000 graduates, including prominent figures who founded the four main Islamic sects. Imam Al-Sadiq’s teachings revived the Quran and Prophet’s traditions and were seen as divinely inspired by Shia Imamists, who believed in the infallibility of the Imam.

After Imam Al-Sadiq’s death, his intellectual legacy was continued by Imam Musa Al-Kadhim, who taught many students, despite growing restrictions from successive rulers. His teachings were documented by his students, becoming a vital source for future generations of scholars.

Source: Imam Al-Khoei Foundation