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Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Taliqani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Sowly quoted on the authority of Abul Abbas Ahmad ibn Abdullah, on the authority of Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Soleiman al-Nowfali, on the authority of Salih ibn Ali ibn Atay’yat that, “The reason for taking Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) to Baghdad was that Harun had decided to entrust the affairs (of the government) to his son Muhammad ibn Zubaydeh. He was one of his fourteen sons. He chose three of them. He chose Muhammad ibn Zubaydah to be his successor to the throne, Abdullah Al-Ma’mun to be his successor, and Al-Qasim al-Mo’taman to be the one to follow them. Harun decided to announce this so that everyone - the general public and the elites - knew about it. Then in the year 179 A.H. (794 A.D.) he set out for a Hajj pilgrimage. He issued an order to all towns and ordered that the jurisprudents, the scholars, the Quran recitors, and the military commanders all be present there during the time of the Hajj pilgrimage. He himself set out for Medina.
Ali ibn Muhammad al-Nowafali added, “My father narrated for me that the reason why Yahya ibn Khalid’s (Harun’s vizier) vilification of Musa ibn Ja’far in the presence of Ar-Rashid was that Harun had entrusted his son Muhammad ibn Zubaydah to Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash’ath to be educated. Yahya did not like this and told himself that when (Harun) Ar-Rashid dies Muhammad (Al-Amin) will become the ruler, and this will be the end of the period of his power and that of his children. He thought that Muhammad would turn the affairs over to Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash’ath and his children.
Yahya knew that Ja’far was a Shiite. Therefore, he acted as if he was of the same sect. Then Ja’far became happy and told him about all of his affairs, and what he thought about Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.). Once Yahya became informed of his beliefs, he talked about him with (Harun) Ar-Rashid.
However, (Harun) Ar-Rashid supported Ja’far and took into consideration his position in the government. Thus he did not make any rush decisions about him. But Yahya kept on talking bad about him with (Harun) Ar-Rashid. One day Ja’far went to see (Harun) Ar-Rashid. Harun honored him, and they talked about his nobility and that of his father. On that day Ar-Rashid ordered that Ja’far be paid twenty-thousand Dinars. Therefore, Yahya hesitated and did not tell Ar-Rashid anything until the night.
Then he told Ar-Rashid, “O Commander of the Faithful (Ar-Rashid)! I had told you some things about Ja’far and his religion before. However, you defended him and did not accept what I said. Now there has come up an issue which will make things clear.” Harun said, “What is it?” Yahya said, “Ja’far sends one-fifth of whatever property he gets to Musa ibn Ja’far. I have no doubt that he has done the same with the twenty-thousand Dinars which you ordered to be paid to him.”
Then Harun said, “Yes. This could finish things off.” Then he sent for Ja’far at night. Ja’far had become informed of Yahya’s vilification behind his back, did not inform him of everything he did, and their friendship had turned into enmity.
When Ar-Rashid’s messenger went to Ja’far at night, Ja’far thought that Harun might have believed what Yahya had said about him and feared that Harun had called him in to kill him. Thus he poured some water over himself, asked for some musk and camphor, rubbed them on his body and wore a shroud over his garment. [1] Then he went to Ar-Rashid. When Harun saw him that way and smelled the camphor and saw the shroud on him, he said, “O Ja’far! What is this?” He replied, “O Commander of the Faithful! I know that they have told you bad things about me behind my back. When you sent me someone at this hour, I was not secure thinking that their backbiting had affected you and you have called me in on the mat to kill me.
Harun said, “Never! However, I have been informed that you send one-fifth of whatever you get to Musa ibn Ja’far, and that you have done the same with the twenty-thousand Dinars. I want this to be clarified for me.” Then Ja’far said, “O Commander of the Faithful! God is the Greatest! Please order one of your servants to come with me and bring the money back to you sealed as it was.” Then Ar-Rashid told his servant, “Take Ja’far’s ring (to show his family and get them to trust you), go to his house and bring me the money.” Ja’far told him the name of his slave-wife who had the money. Then she gave the servant the sealed bags of money, and he brought them to (Harun) Ar-Rashid. Then Ja’far told Harun, “This is the first case for you to see that they ascribe false things to me.” Harun said, “O Ja’far! You are right. Return home. You are secure. I will not accept anyone’s words about you.”
The narrator of this tradition added, “However, Yahya did not stop in his attempts to undermine Ja’far.”
Al-Nowafali added, “Ali ibn Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Umar ibn Ali narrated on behalf of some of the Sheikhs that once when Harun was performing a Hajj pilgrimage before this one, Ali ibn Isma’il ibn Ja’far ibn Muhammad [2] met me and said, How come you have withdrawn yourself so much? Why don’t you pay any attention to the affairs of the Vizier?”
Then the vizier sent someone after me, and I accompanied him. I presented my needs to him. The reason behind this was that Yahya ibn Khalid had asked Yahya ibn Abi Maryam, “Can you introduce one of the members of the household of Abi Talib who has worldly inclinations which I can fulfill?” He had answered, “Yes. I know someone with these traits. He is Ali ibn Isma’il ibn Ja’far.” Yahya sent someone after him and told him, “Inform me about the affairs of your uncle (Imam Kazim), his followers, and the property that they bring for him.”
Ali ibn Isma’il said, “Yes. I know about him.” Then he started to say bad things about the Imam (a.s.). He said, “One instance of his extensive wealth is related to when he had bought a land called ‘Al-Yasirieh [3] When they brought the money, the seller said, “I do not want these coins. Give me other coins.” Then the Imam (a.s.) ordered that the coins be returned to his treasury, and thirty-thousand Dinars of the same weight and type that the seller wanted be brought for him.
Al-Nowfali added, “My father narrated that Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) had entrusted some of his affairs to Ali ibn Isma’il. Even some of the letters of the Imam (a.s.) to his followers were written in Ali ibn Isma’il’s handwriting. However, he slowly became distant from the Imam (a.s.). When (Harun) Ar-Rashid decided to return to Iraq, they informed Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) that his brother was planning to go to Iraq along with the
King. The Imam (a.s.) called his brother in and asked, “What is wrong with you? Why do you want to go with the King?” He said, “I have debts.: The Imam (a.s.) said, “I will pay them back.” He said, “What about the expenses for my family?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Fine. I will pay for them.” However, Ali ibn Isma’il did not give up going with the King. The Imam (a.s.) sent him three hundred Dinars and four thousand Dirhams by means of his brother Muhammad (ibn Isma’il) and said, “So use these for your travel expenses but do not make my children orphans.”
Al-Husayn ibn Ibrahim ibn Ahmad ibn Hisham al-Mu’addib - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Isa ibn Obayd, on the authority of Musa ibn Al-Qasim al-Bajali, on the authority of Ali ibn Ja’far (a.s.), “Muhammad ibn Isma’il ibn Ja’far ibn Muhammad (Imam Kazim’s brother) came to me and said, “Muhammad ibn Ja’far went to see Harun Ar-Rashid and greeted him as the Caliph. He then told him, ‘I did not think that there were two Caliphs on the Earth until I saw that they greet my brother Musa ibn Ja’far as the Caliph.’”
One of the people who said bad things behind Musa ibn Ja’far’s (a.s.) back was Yaqoob ibn Dawood. He was one of the Zaydites.
Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Taliqani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Sowly quoted on the authority of Abul Abbas Ahmad ibn Abdullah, on the authority of Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Soleiman al-Nawfali that Ibrahim ibn Abil Bilad said, “Yaqoob ibn Dawood told me that he adheres to the Divine Leadership.”
Ibrahim ibn Abil Bilad added, “On the night before Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) was arrested, I went to see Yaqoob ibn Dawood in Medina. Yaqoob told me, ‘I was with the Vizier - that is Yahya ibn Khalid - now. He told me that he had heard Ar-Rashid address God’s Prophet (S) near the Prophet’s (a.s.) shrine and say, ‘O Prophet of God! May my father and mother be your ransom! Please forgive me for the decision which I have made - that is to arrest and imprison Musa ibn Ja’far since I am afraid that he will cause a war in your nation in which there will be bloodshed. I think Harun Ar-Rashid will arrest the Imam (a.s.) in the morning.’”
The narrator of this tradition added, “The following morning Al-Fadhl ibn al-Rabiee’ [4] was sent to him. The Imam (a.s.) was standing in the Station of God’s Prophet (S) [5] and was praying. Al-Fadhl ibn al-Rabee’ ordered that he (a.s.) be arrested and imprisoned.”
Ahmad ibn Ziyad ibn Ja’far al-Hamadani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father, on the authority of Abdullah ibn Salih, on the authority of Al-Fadhl ibn al-Rabee’, on the authority of Al-Fadhl ibn al-Rabee’, “I was in bed with one of my slave-wives. Then I heard the door bell ring in the middle of the night. It made me frightened. My slave-wife said, Perhaps it was due to the wind. A short time later the door of my room opened and Masroor al-Kabir (Harun’s servant) entered the room and told me, ‘The Commander has called you in.’ He did not even greet me. Seeing that he just entered my room without seeking my permission and that he did not greet me, It occurred to me that Harun intends to kill me. I was in a state of major ritual impurity [6] , but I did not dare ask him to let me make a major ritual ablution. When my slave-wife noticed my stress and agitation, she said, ‘Rely on the Honorable the Exalted God and get up.’ Then I got up, put on my clothes and left the house with him and went to Harun’s house. Then I greeted the Commander of the Faithful. He was in bed. He greeted back. I fell to the ground. He said, ‘Were you frightened?’ I replied, ‘O Commander of the Faithful! Yes.’ He left me alone for a while until I got calm. Then he told me, ‘Go to jail, free Musa ibn Ja’far and give him thirty-thousand Dirhams and five robes of honor. Give him three horses and inform him that he is free to decide to stay with us or go to whichever town that he wills.’ Then I said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful! Are you ordering me to free Musa ibn Ja’far?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ And he repeated it thrice. Then he asked me, ‘Yes. Do you want me to break my covenant?’ I said, ‘Which covenant?’ He replied, ‘When I was in this bed I suddenly saw a black man. I had never seen any black man that was bigger than him before. He grabbed my neck, sat on my chest and tried to choke me.” He said, ‘Have you oppressively imprisoned Musa ibn Ja’far?’ Then I told him, ‘I will free him, and give him presents and robes of honor.’ Then he had me pledge by the Honorable the Exalted God, and got off my chest. I was about to die.”
The narrator of this tradition added, “Then I left him and went to Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) in jail. I saw that he was standing in prayer. I waited until he finished saying his prayers. Then I expressed the greetings of the Commander of the Faithful to him and informed him about that which I had been ordered to do. I told him that the presents were ready.
He (a.s.) said, ‘Do any other things which you have been ordered to do.’ I said, ‘No. I swear by your grandfather - the Messenger of God (a.s.) that I have not been ordered to do anything else.’”
He (a.s.) said, “I do not need the robes of honor, the horses and the property since they belong to the nation.” I said, “By God! Do not turn them down. Harun will get mad.” He (a.s.) said, “Do with them as you please.” I took his hand and brought him out of jail. Then I asked him, “O son of God’s Prophet! Can you inform me about the reason you received all these honors from this man? You owe me that since I gave you the glad tidings of your freedom, and this was done by me.”
Then he (a.s.) said, “I saw the Prophet (S) on Wednesday night. He (a.s.) asked me, “O Musa! Have you been oppressively imprisoned?” I replied, “O Messenger of God! Yes.” The Prophet (S) repeated this question three times, and then said, ‘I know not but that it may be a trial for you, and a grant of (worldly) livelihood (to you) for a time.’ [7] Then the Prophet (S) told me, “Fast tomorrow, Thursday and Friday. Say twelve units of prayers at the time of breaking your fast. In each unit recite the Opening Chapter once and the Chapter ‘Al-Ikhlas twelve times. In the fourth unit of prayer, fall in prostration and say, ‘O the One who survives after everyone’s death! O the Hearer of all sounds! O the Reviver of the rotten bones after death! I implore you by Your Great Name, the Greatest! Please send Blessings upon Muhammad - Thy servant and Thy Messenger, and upon the members of his Holy Household - the Pure Ones. I beg You to expedite my relief from the conditions I am in.’ Then I did as the Prophet (S) had instructed me to do and what you saw happened.”
Ahmad ibn Ziyad ibn Ja’far al-Hamadani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan al-Madani, on the authority of Abi Abdullah ibn Al-Fadhl, on the authority of his father Al-Fadhl:
I was the gate-keeper for (Harun) Ar-Rashid. One day Harun was swinging around a sword and was very angry. He told me, “O Fadhl! I swear by my relationship with the Messenger of God (a.s.) that if you do not bring my cousin here right away I will chop your head off.” I asked, “Who should I bring here?” He said, “This man from Hijaz.” I said, “Which man from Hijaz?” He said, “Musa ibn Ja’far Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.).”
Al-Fadhl narrated, “I feared the Honorable the Exalted God to take Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) to him. But I thought about the punishment I was threatened with and said, “I will do it.” Harun said, “Bring two men with whips, two with swords and two executioners.”
Al-Fadhl narrated, “I prepared what he had ordered and went to the house of Abi Ibrahim Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.). I reached some ruins. There was a small room made with palm branches and leaves. A young black man was standing there. I told him, “Grant me permission to see your Master - may God have Mercy upon you!” He told me, “Go in. He does not have any gate-keepers or door men.” Then I went in to see him. I saw another black man who was cutting the callous that had formed on his forehead due to extensive prostrations. Then I said, “O son of the Prophet of God! Peace be upon you. Ar-Rashid has called you in.” He (a.s.) said, “What does Ar-Rashid have to do with me? Has his pleasures not made him forget about me?” Then he (a.s.) quickly got up and said, “Had I not heard the tradition in which God’s Prophet (S) has said, It is incumbent to obey the kings due to the principle of the concealment of faith.” I would never come with you.”
I told him, “O Aba Ibrahim! May God have Mercy on you. Be prepared for his punishment.” He (a.s.) said, “Is not the One who is the owner of this world and the Hereafter with me? The Sublime God willing, he cannot hurt me today.” Fadhl ibn Rabee’ said, “Then I saw that he (a.s.) moved his hand over his head and turned it around thrice.”
We went to see Ar-Rashid. He was standing while he was astonished like a woman who has lost her child. When he saw me he said, “O Fadhl!” I said, “Yes; sir!” He asked, “Did you bring my cousin?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “You did not upset him, did you?” I said, “No.” He said, “You did not tell me that I am angry with him, did you? I was too excited and did what I did not want to do. Let him in.” I let in the Imam (a.s.). As soon as Harun saw the Imam (a.s.), he rushed to him, hugged him and said, “Welcome! My cousin, my brother and the inheritor of my blessings.”
Then he had him seated and asked, “How come you have stopped visiting us?” He (a.s.) replied, “The extent of your reign and your love of this world.” Then Harun ordered that they bring a bottle of perfume. He put some perfume on the Imam (a.s.) with his own hands. Then he ordered them to bring several robes of honor and two bags of gold coins to be put in front of the Imam (a.s.). Then Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) said, “By God! If it was not the case that I can marry off the unmarried men from the progeny of Abi Talib so that their generation does not terminate, I would have not accepted this donation.”
He (a.s.) returned home while repeatedly saying, “Praise be to God - the Lord of the Two Worlds.” Fadhl said, “O Commander of the Faithful! You were determined to punish him, but you gave him robes of honor and honored him?” He said, “O Fadhl! When you left, I saw men who encircled my house. They were holding bayonets in their hands which they stuck into the ground at the base of the walls of the house and said, “If he bothers the son of the Messenger of God, we will destroy him and his house, but if he treats him kindly we will leave him alone and go.”
Then I followed him (a.s.) and asked him, “What did you say which helped you get relieved from Ar-Rashid?” He (a.s.) said, “That is the supplications of my grandfather Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.). Whenever he (a.s.) recited it, he (a.s.) defeated any army which he (a.s.) faced, and defeated any fighter he (a.s.) encountered. It is a supplication which brings immunity from calamities.” I asked him, “What is that supplication?”
He said, “You must say, “O my Lord! I attack by relying on you. I seek what I want by relying on you. I talk relying on you. I succeed by relying on you. I die by your will, and I will be revived by your will. I submit myself to you, and entrust my affairs to you. And there is no power nor any strength save in the Sublime the Great God. O my Lord! You created me. You fed me and clothed me. You made me one of your self-sufficient servants by your own generosity. You return me to my original position whenever I fail. You strengthen me whenever I get weak. You heal me whenever I get ill. You answer me whenever I call you. O my Master! You have pleased me. Please be pleased with me.”
(The author of the book narrated) my father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father, on the authority of Uthman ibn Isa, on the authority of his friends, “In the presence of Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.), Abu Yusuf [8] asked Al-Mahdi [9] , “Will you grant me permission to ask him questions which he will fail to answer?” He replied, “Yes.” Then he asked Musa ibn JA’far (a.s.), “Should I ask?” Abu Yusuf asked, “What is the decree for a Mecca pilgrim who is in consecration (muhrim) going in the shade?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “It is not allowed.” He asked, “What if they set up a tent and he enters it?” The Imam (a.s.) replied, “That is allowed.” He asked, “What is the difference between these two?” Abul Hassan (a.s.) asked, “Should a menstruating woman make up her prayers?” He replied, “Yes.” The Imam (a.s.) asked, “Should a menstruating woman make up her fasts?” He replied, “No.” The Imam (a.s.) asked, “Why?” He replied, “This is the Divine Decree.” Then Abul Hassan (a.s.) said, “The same holds for your question.” Then Al-Mahdi told Abu Yusuf, “I see that you could not do anything.” He said, “He gave me a solid, invalidating reply.”
[8] The judge in the Abbasids court
[9] The son of al-Mansoor ad-Dawaniqi, the father of Harun ar-Rashid
Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Mokattib narrated that Abul Tayyib Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Warraq quoted on the authority of Ali ibn Harun al-Hemayri, on the authority of Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Soleiman al-Nawfali, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ali ibn Yaqteen, “When Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) was with some of his relatives, he was informed about the decisions that Musa ibn Al-Mahdi (Harun’s brother) had made about him. He asked his relatives, “What do you think?” They said, “We think that it is best for you to avoid him, and hide yourself since one cannot be immune from his wickedness.” Abul Hassan smiled and said, “Sakheena thinks that she will overcome her master while it is possible for the one who always wins to be defeated.” He (a.s.) then raised his hands towards the sky and said, “O my Lord! There are many enemies who have sharpened their knives for me, have poured their lethal poisons in my food and have not left me alone for the least moment. However, when You saw my weakness in facing these problems, You relieved me from them using Your own strength and power, not my strength or power. You threw them into the wells they had dug for me while no longer having any hopes of attaining their worldly aspirations or any hopes for their Hereafter. Praise to You for this as much as You deserve to be praised. O my Master! O my Lord! Seize him using your own Majesty. Dull his sword drawn upon me using your own power. Make him busy running his own affairs. Make him incapable against his enemies. O my Lord! Assist me against him for now so that my anger gets quenched and my hatred of him is blocked. O my Lord! Please accept my prayers, and help me to no longer have any complaints. Show him what you have promised the oppressors. Show me what you have promised about the acceptance of the prayers of those who are coerced. You are the possessor of Great Nobility, and Benevolent Favor.”
The narrator added, “Then the people got dispersed and never came together again until the death of Musa ibn Al-Mahdi.
Then they all gathered around Musa ibn Ja’far to read a letter which informed them about the death of Musa ibn Al-Mahdi. One of the members of the Household of Musa ibn Ja’far who was present recited the following:
Abu Ahmad Hani ibn Muhammad ibn Mahmood al-Abdi - may God be pleased with him - narrated that his father quoted on the authority of narrators who linked up to Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.), “Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) was shown into the presence of Ar-Rashid. Then Ar-Rashid told him, “O son of the Prophet of God! Tell me about the four kinds of temperaments.” Then Musa (a.s.) told him, “The wind which is a king who puts up with his people and treats them gently. Then there is blood that is like a servant who incurs a loss that often kills his master. And there is phlegm that is a hard enemy. Whichever way you block it, it will find another way.
And there is ‘Safra which is like the earth that will make everything on it grow.” Then Harun asked him, “O son of the Prophet of God! Do you bestow upon the people gifts from the Treasures of God and His Messenger?”
Abu Ahmad Hani ibn Muhammad ibn Mahmood al-Abdi - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Mahmood quoted on the authority of narrators who linked up to Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.), “Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) entered into the presence of Ar-Rashid and greeted him. He greeted back and said, “O Musa ibn Ja’far! Are there two Caliphs so that taxes must be collected twice?”
He (a.s.) replied, “O Commander of the Faithful! I swear to you by God not to undergo the burden of my sins by accepting the wrong things being said behind my back by my enemies. You know well that they have been ascribing lies to us since the demise of God’s Prophet (S). If you permit me due to our ties of kinship, I will narrate for you what my father quoted on the authority of his forefathers, on the authority of their grandfather - the Prophet of God (a.s.).
Harun said, “I will permit you.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “My father narrated on the authority of his father, on the authority of his forefathers, on the authority of their grandfather - God’s Prophet (S) that, “Whenever two relatives touch each other, their sense of being relatives gets excited and awakened. Now, may I be your ransom! Give me your hand.” Harun said, “Come closer.” The Imam (a.s.) got closer. Harun took his hands and hugged him. After a while, he let him go and said, “O Musa! Never mind. Sit down.” Then I looked at him. His eyes were filled with tears. Then I attended to myself. Harun said, “You and your grandfather (a.s.) are right. I got so excited that I was overcome with love and mercy. My eyes got filled with tears. There have been things on my mind for a while which I want to ask you about. I have never asked anyone about them. If you answer me I will let you go and never again accept anyone’s words behind your back. I have been told that you never lie. I will ask you about what is on my mind and tell me the truth.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Fine. If you grant me immunity I will give you the right answer, if I know.”
Harun said, “You are granted immunity if you tell the truth and abandon the practice of the concealment of faith for which you - the progeny of
(the Blessed Lady) Fatima (a.s.) - are known to practice.”
Then the Imam (a.s.) said, “O Commander of the Faithful (Harun)! Ask whatever you want to ask.” Harun said, “Let me know why are you nobler than us while we are from the same family line and are the progeny of Abdul Muttalib. You and I are the same. I am from the progeny of Al-Abbas, and you are from the progeny of Abi Talib who were both the uncles of God’s Prophet (S). Our kinship with the Prophet (S) is alike.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “We (the Members of the Holy Household) are closer (to the Prophet (S)).” Harun asked, “How come?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Abdullah and Abu Talib were born of the same father and mother, but your grandfather Al-Abbas was neither born of Abdullah’s mother, nor of Abu Talib’s mother.” Harun said, “Why do you claim to be the inheritors of the Prophet (S) while Abu Talib had already died when the Prophet (S) died; however, his uncle Abbas was still alive (considering that we think that with an uncle present, an uncle’s son does not inherit anything).”
The Imam (a.s.) said, “If (Al-Ma’mun) the Commander of the Faithful sees it fit, please excuse me from answering this one and ask me any other questions that you please.”
Harun said, “No. You must answer it.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Will you grant me immunity?” Harun said, “I granted you immunity before we started to talk.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “As stated by Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) when there is a male or female child there is no share of inheritance for anyone, except for the parents, the mother and the spouse. He did not consider any inheritance for an uncle with a child present to inherit.
And there is no such reasoning in the Quran either. However, Taym [10] , Adiy [11] , and the Umayyads have relied on their own personal opinions without any factual documents from the Prophet of God (a.s.) and have considered an uncle to be like the father (to inherit). What the scholars have decreed is according to the decrees of Ali (a.s.) which is opposed to this viewpoint. It is Nuh ibn Durraj who has stated this issue according to the viewpoints of Ali (a.s.) and has ruled accordingly.
The Commander of the Faithful [12] made him the governor of Kufa and Basra. He ruled according to this viewpoint. Then the news got to the Commander of the Faithful. He called him in and and called in those who ruled opposite to him such as Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Ibrahim al-Madani, and al-Fudhayl ibn Eyadh. They all witnessed that this was the viewpoint of Ali (a.s.) on this issue. According to one of the scholars from Hijaz who informed me about this, the Commander of the Faithful asked them, “Why don’t you rule accordingly now that Nuh ibn Durraj has ruled on this basis.” They have replied, “Nuh was brave, but we were scared.” Then the Commander of the Faithful approved of the ruling based on the Prophetic tradition from the past that says, “The best judge among you is Ali.” Even Umar ibn al-Khattab has said, “The best judge amongst us is Ali.” Here the Arabic word ‘Qadha translated to mean “judge”is an all encompassing noun. It includes all good characteristics. It includes all the good characteristics which the Prophet (S) had cited to praise his companions such as reciting the Quran, performing the obligatory deeds, and having knowledge. All of these are included in this word.
Harun said, “O Musa (Al-Kazim)! Tell me more.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Is one who attends a meeting immune, especially in your meetings?” Harun said, “Don’t worry.” Then the Imam (a.s.) said, “Indeed the Prophet (S) did not establish any rights to inherit for those who did not migrate. He (a.s.) did not establish any friendship for those who did not accept to be exiled (along with the Prophet (S)).” Harun said, “What is your proof for this?” The Imam (a.s.) recited the following verse from the Holy Quran, ‘Those who believed, and accepted to be exiled, and fought for the Faith, with their property and their persons, in the cause of God, as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid,- these are (all) friends and protectors, one of another…’ [13] And Abbas did not adopt exile (from Mecca to Medina).”
Harun said, “O Musa! Have you ever said this to any of our enemies before? Have you informed any of the jurists of this issue?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “By God, no. No one but the Commander of the Faithful has ever asked me about this.”
Then Harun asked, “Why do you allow the people - whether the general public or the elite - to ascribe you to God’s Prophet (S) and call you “O son of God’s Prophet” while you are the offspring of Ali. People’s family ties are through their fathers. Fatima is a receiver of the male sperm, and the Prophet (S) is only your grandfather through your mother.”
The Imam (a.s.) said, “O Commander of the Faithful! What if the Prophet (S) was reborn and asked your daughter to marry him? Would you give him an affirmative answer?” Harun said, “Glory be to God! How could I not give a positive answer? I will be proud of this before the Arabs, the Persians, and the Quraysh (tribe)!”
The Imam (a.s.) said, “However, the Prophet (S) would neither come to ask my daughter to marry him, nor would I marry off my daughter to him (a.s.).” Harun asked, “Why?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “That is because he (a.s.) is my forefather, but is not your forefather.” Harun said, “O Musa! Excellent!” Then Harun asked, “How come you say that you are from the Prophet’s (a.s.) generation, while he (a.s.) left no generations behind (had no sons). Generations to follow one are from his sons. You are the offspring of his daughter, and generations are not left behind one’s daughter.”
The Imam (a.s.) said, “O Commander of the Faithful (Harun)! I swear to you by our ties of kinship and by the tomb [14] , please excuse me from answering this question.” Harun said, “Impossible! O Children of Ali! You must express your reasons. O Musa! According to the reports that we have received, you are the Divine Leader at the present time. I will never excuse you from answering my questions. You must present proofs from the Quran in response to my questions. You - the Children of Ali - claim that no details of the Quran are hidden from you. You claim that you know the interpretation of the whole Quran. You rely on the following verse to support your claim, ‘… Nothing have we omitted from the Book…’ [15] You consider yourselves needless of the viewpoints of the scholars, and of the comparisons they draw. [16] “
The Imam (a.s.) said, “Will you let me answer you?” Harun said, “Present your answer.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “I take refuge in God from the damned Satan. In the Name of God the Beneficent, the Merciful. ‘…We guided Noah, 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 and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous…’ [17] O Commander of the Faithful (Harun)! Who is the father of Jesus (a.s.)?” Harun said, “Jesus (a.s.) has no father.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Therefore, we have linked Jesus (a.s.) up to the Prophets by (the Blessed Lady) Mary (a.s.). This is exactly how we are linked up to the Prophet (S) through our mother (the Blessed Lady) Fatima (a.s.).”
The Imam (a.s.) said, “O Commander of the Faithful (Harun)! Do you want me to tell you more?” He said, “Yes please.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “The Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘If anyone disputes in this matter with thee, now after (full) knowledge Hath come to thee, say, ‘Come! let us gather together, - our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves: Then let us earnestly pray, and invoke the Curse of God on those who lie!’ [18] No one has claimed that the Prophet (S) took anyone but Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.), (the Blessed Lady) Fatima (a.s.), Al-Hassan (a.s.) and Al-Husayn (a.s.) under his cloak when he (a.s.) participated in the invoking of God’s Curse with the Christians. Therefore, the interpretation of the Sublime God’s words ‘our sons’ is Al-Hassan (a.s.) and Al-Husayn (a.s.), the interpretation of ‘our women’ is (the Blessed Lady) Fatima (a.s.), and the interpretation of ‘ourselves’ is Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.). Moreover, all the scholars agree that on the day of the Battle of Uhud, Gabriel (a.s.) said, ‘O Muhammad! This act of Ali is a sign of his true devotion.’ God’s Prophet (S) said, ‘That is because he (i.e. Ali (a.s.)) belongs to me, and I belong to him.’ Then Gabriel said, ‘O Prophet of God! And I belong to both of you.’ Then Gabriel continued, ‘There is no real sword but the ‘Thul-Faqar (Imam Ali’s sword), and there is no real man but Ali.’ What Gabriel used in order to praise Ali was similar to what the Sublime God used to praise Abraham (a.s.) when God said, ‘They said, ‘We heard a youth talk of them: He is called Abraham.’” [19]
The Imam (a.s.) added, “We - your cousins - are proud that Gabriel has said that he belongs to us.” Then Harun said, “Excellent! O Musa! Tell us what you need.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “My first need is that you allow your cousin (i.e. me) to return to the shrine of his grandfather and to his wife.” Harun said, “God willing. We will see.” It has been narrated that Harun handed the Imam (a.s.) over to As-Sandi ibn Shahak. It seems that the Imam (a.s.) died while he (a.s.) was in the custody of As-Sindi ibn Shahak. God knows best.
[10] Abu Bakr who is from the Taym tribe
[11] Umar who is from the Aday tribe
[12] Referring to either Harun ar-Rashid or al-Mehdi - the Abbaside Caliphs
[13] Qur'an, 8:72
[14] Probably the tomb of the Prophet (S)
[15] Qur'an, 6:38
[16] Striking similitudes or drawing comparisons between unclear issues and clear issues is one of the major means of issuing decrees among most of the Sunni scholars. This was first practiced in the eighth century A.D. by Abu Hanifeh. The Immaculate Imams especially Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (a.s.) seriously opposed this practice. Imam As-Sadiq (a.s.) has said, “Should we try to find the traditions of God’s Prophet (S) by striking similitudes, the religion will slowly be destroyed.”
Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Taliqani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Sowly quoted on the authority of Abul Abbas Ahmad ibn Abdullah, on the authority of Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Soleiman al-Nawfali that he had heard his father say, “When (Harun) Ar-Rashid arrested Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.), they arrested him while he was praying at the position of the head of the Prophet (S). They stopped his prayer, and took him away while he (a.s.) was crying and saying, “O Messenger of God! I complain to you about this situation.” The people were running towards him from every direction while they were crying. When they took the Imam (a.s.) to (Harun) Ar-Rashid, he swore at him and disrespected him. When the night came, Harun ordered that two carriages be prepared. He had the Imam (a.s.) carried away in secret to one of the two carriages. Harun put Hassaan ash-Sarawi in charge and ordered him to take the Imam (a.s.) to Basra and hand him (a.s.) over to Isa ibn Ja’far ibn Abi Ja’far (Harun’s cousin) who was the governor there. He had the other carriage moved in public in the daytime towards Kufa along with some people so as to hide the affairs of Musa ibn Ja’far ( al-Kazim) (a.s.) from the people. Hassaan entered Basra one day before the sighting of the moon [20] and handed him (a.s.) over to Isa ibn Ja’far ibn Abi Ja’far in the daytime in public. Thus it became known publicly and the news was spread around. Isa imprisoned him (a.s.) in the building in which he himself resided and he locked him in. Isa was so busy with the ‘Eid ul-Adha [21] ’s ceremonies that he totally forgot about the Imam (a.s.). They only opened the door for him on two occasions: to allow him to make ablutions and to bring him some food.
My father said, “Al-Faydh ibn Abi Salih, who was a Christian before, made a display of being Muslim. He was really an infidel and was the secretary of Isa ibn Ja’far. He was one of my good friends, too. He told me, “O Aba Abdullah! You cannot imagine how much music this pious man had to hear during the days that he was in that house - music which contained much indecent and abominable things which he did not know about and undoubtedly could not even imagine.” My father added, “In those days, Ali ibn Yaqoob ibn Oun ibn Al-Abbas ibn Rabee’ had written bad things about me in a letter to Isa ibn Ja’far ibn Abi Ja’far. Ahmad ibn Osyd who was the gate-keeper for Isa had handed him that letter.”
He added, “Ali ibn Yaqoob was one of the elders of the Hashemites. He was older than the rest of them, but drank in spite of his old age. He used to invite Ahmad ibn Osyd to his house, gave parties for him and invited male and female singers. This way he wanted Ahmad to help raise his rank near Isa. Included in the things written were, “You prefer Muhammad ibn Soleiman to us in granting permission to come see you, in respect, and in giving him gifts of musk, while I am older than him and he believes in obeying Musa ibn Ja’far who is imprisoned by you.”
My father added, “I was sleeping in the middle of a very hot day when I heard the doorbell ring. I asked, “Who is it?” My servant said, “It is Qa’nab ibn Yahya who is at the door. He says that he must immediately see you.” I said, “He must have something important to do. Let him in.” Then he came in and informed me about the letter and the story of al-Faydh ibn Abil Salih. He said that al-Faydh had told him not to tell me about this issue since I might get upset. Al-Faydh had said that the contents of the letter had not influenced him. He had asked the Commander if he had any doubts and if he wished Abu Abdullah (an-Nawfali) to come in person and swear that the contents of the letter was untrue.”
But the Commander said, “There is no need to inform Aba Abdullah. He has said these things against him out of jealousy.”
I said, “O Commander! You yourself know that no one is as close as he is to your private issues. Has he ever tried to make you revolt against anyone?”
He said, “No. May God forbid.”
I said, “Had he followed a religion other than that of the other people, he would have certainly tried to make you become attracted to his religion.” He said, “Yes, of course. I know him better myself.”
My father added, “I ordered that my horse be prepared for riding. Then I rode over to al-Faydh at that time. Qa’nab ibn Yahya accompanied me. We asked for permission to see him. He sent someone to me and said, “May I be your ransom! Now I am in a position which is not suitable for you to see.” He was sitting and drinking wine. Then I sent him a message swearing by God that I had to see him right then. He came out to me wearing a thin shirt and a red loin-cloth. I told him about what I had heard. He asked Qa’nab, “May you not be given a good reward! Did I not tell you not to inform Aba Abdullah! Did I not tell you that he will get upset?” Then he told me, “Do not worry. The Commander has not believed any of this jargon.”
My father added, “Only a few days had passed by when they secretly took Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) to Baghdad and imprisoned him. Then they freed him. Then they imprisoned him. They handed him over to As-Sandi ibn Shahak who imprisoned him. He was rough with the Imam (a.s.). Then
(Harun) Ar-Rashid sent him some poisoned dates, and ordered him to take them to the Imam, and force him to eat the dates. He did this and that was how the Imam (a.s.) died.”
[20] To see the end of the (Arabic) month of Ramadhan.
[21] ‘Eid ul-Adha is a festival that is celebrated on the 10th of Dhul-Hajja and marks the close of the Hajj ceremony or Pilgrimage to the Kaaba. The ‘Eid is celebrated with great solemnity and reverence everywhere. Like ‘Eid ul-Fitr, Muslims make preparations several days before the festival. The animals to be sacrificed are bought well before the ‘Eid day by those who can afford to do so.
Ali ibn Abdullah al-Warraq, Al-Husayn ibn Ibrahim ibn Ahmad ibn Hisham al-Mukattib, Ahmad ibn Ziyad ibn Ja’far al-Hamadani, Al-Husayn ibn Ibrahim ibn Natana, Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem, Muhammad ibn Ali Majiluwayh and Muhammad ibn Musa ibn al-Mutawakkil - may God be pleased with them - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father, on the authority of Uthman ibn Isa, on the authority of Sufyan ibn Nazar, “One day I was standing in the presence of Al-Ma’mun. He asked, “Do you know who taught me about Shiism?” All the people who were present said, “No, by God, we do not know.” He said, “(Harun) Ar-Rashid taught me.” They asked him, “How is that so? It was (Harun) Ar-Rashid who killed the members of this Household!”
Al-Ma’mun said, “He killed them for his rule. A Kingdom is barren [22] . One year I accompanied Harun when he went for the Hajj pilgrimage. When we reached Medina, he told his gate-keepers, “Whoever enters who is from the people of Medina, Mecca, the Immigrants [23] , the Helpers [24] , the Hashemites or others from the Quraysh (tribe) must state his relationship.” Whoever entered said that he was so and so, the son of so and so, until he reached his grandfather from the Hashemites, the Quraysh (tribe), the Immigrants or the Helpers. Then Harun would grant him gifts anywhere from two-hundred to five-thousand Dinars according to his nobility, and the honor of his grandfathers in their exile (from Mecca to Medina). One day I was present there when Al-Fadhl ibn Rabee’ said, “O Commander of the Faithful (Harun)! There is a man at the door who claims to be Musa ibn Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.).” Immediately Harun faced us who were standing near his head, Al-Amin and al-Mo’taman and the rest of the chiefs present and said, “Straighten yourselves up!” Then he faced the gate-keeper and said, “Let him in. Be careful that he not sit down anywhere but on my special seat.” Then a Sheikh [25] entered who had become pale due to extensive worshipping. He was slim and wrinkled. His face and nose were affected by the extent of prostrations. When he saw (Harun) Ar-Rashid, he tried to get off the donkey he was riding on. Then Ar-Rashid said, “By God, you should sit only on my special seat.”
The gate-keepers did not let the Imam (a.s.) get off the donkey. We all looked at him with great honor and respect. He rode on his donkey until he reached the especial seat. All the gate-keepers and the chiefs were around him. Then he got off. Ar-Rashid got up and came forward until he reached the especial seat. Then Harun kissed his face and eyes, took his hand and took him to the uppermost part of the room and sat down with him. He started talking with him. While talking, he faced him and asked him about his health and conditions. Then Harun asked the Imam (a.s.), “O Abul Hassan (Al-Kazim (a.s.))! How many people do you support?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “More than five-hundred.” Harun said, “Are they all your children?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “No, most of them are servants and companions. I have more than thirty children: So many boys and so many girls.” Harun asked, “Why don’t you marry off the girls to their cousins, or other suitable people?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “I do not have enough money.” Harun said, “What condition is your land in?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Sometimes it yields produce and at other times it does not.” Harun asked, “Do you have any debts?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Yes.” Harun asked, “How much?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Around ten-thousand Dinars.” Then Ar-Rashid said, “O cousin! I will give you enough money to marry off your daughters and sons, pay back your debts and revive your land.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “O cousin! I hope the relatives fulfill the rights of kinship with you, and thank God for your nice intentions and tangible relationship. Our ties of kinship come from the same root. We are from the same family. Al-Abbas was the uncle of God’s Prophet (S). He and the Prophet’s (a.s.) father formed two strong tree trunks which were attached to one another from the roots. He was also the uncle of Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.). He and Ali’s father also formed two strong tree trunks which were attached to one another from the roots. I hope that God will not make you change your mind about what you want to do. He has granted you power and has established you to be from a noble family.” Harun said, “O Abul Hassan! It will be an honor for me to do that.”
He (a.s.) said, “O Commander of the Faithful! Indeed the Honorable the Exalted God has made it incumbent upon the rulers to provide for the poor people in the nation, to pay off the debts of those in debt; to assist the people who are overburdened; to clothe the people who are destitute; and to be kind to the prisoners and slaves. You are the one most suitable to do these things.” Harun said, “O Abul Hassan! I will do that.”
Then he stood up. (Harun) Ar-Rashid stood up out of respect for him, and kissed him on the eyes and face. Then he faced me (Abdullah), (Muhammad) Al-Amin, and (Ibrahim) Al-Moa’taman and said, “O Abdullah, Muhammad and Ibrahim! Move ahead of your uncle and your Master, hold the horse strap for him. Fix his clothes and accompany him to his house.”
Then Abul Hassan Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) gave me the glad tidings that I would become the Caliph in private. He asked me to treat his son kindly when I take over the rule. Then we returned. I was braver than my brothers with my father. Then in private I asked him, “O Commander of the Faithful! Who was this man whom you honored and respected so much? Who was him for whom you stood up, went to welcome him, had him seated at the head of the room, and you sat down in a lower position yourself? Who was he for whom you ordered us to hold the horse strap?” He said, “This is the Divine Leader of the people, the Proof of God for His creatures, and His Successor over His servants.” I said, “O Commander of the Faithful! Are not all these characteristics yours? Are they not in you?” He said, “I am the people’s leader on the surface and by force, but Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) is the True Divine Leader. O my son! By God, he (a.s.) more deserves to succeed God’s Prophet (S) than me and all the other people. I swear by God that even if you try to take away the rule from me, I will chop off your head. A Kingdom is barren.”
When Harun decided to go from Medina to Mecca, he ordered that two-hundred Dinars be put in a black bag. He faced Al-Fadhl ibn Rabee’ and said, “Take this to Musa ibn Ja’far and tell him, “The Commander of the Faithful said that for the moment we are having hard times. Our presents will be delivered to you later.”
I objected and said, “O Commander of the Faithful! You give five-thousand Dinars or so much to the progeny of the Muhajireen (emigrants), the Ansar (helpers), other members of the Quraysh (tribe), the Hashemites, and others whom you do not even know their family ties. However, are you going to give only two-hundred Dinars to Musa ibn Ja’far whom you honored and respected so much?” This is much less than what you gave all the other people.” Harun said, “Shut up! Son of a bitch! If I give him what I promised to give him, I will not be safe from facing one-hundred thousand men with swords from his followers and friends. This man’s poverty, and the poverty of his members of household is safer for me than their being wealthy and well-to-do.
When Mokhariq - the singer - saw this, he got mad. He went to (Harun) Ar-Rashid and said, “O Commander of the Faithful! When I entered Medina most of the people expected me to give them something. If I do not give them anything before I leave they will not recognize the generosity of the Commander of the Faithful with me, and my rank near you.” Then Harun ordered that he be given ten-thousand Dinars. Again Mokhariq said, “O Commander of the Faithful! This is for the people of Medina. I also have some debts which I must pay back.” Then Harun ordered that he be given another ten-thousand Dinars. Again Mokhariq said, “O Commander of the Faithful! My daughters are about to get married. I need to prepare dowries for them.” Then Harun ordered that he be given another ten-thousand Dinars. Then Mokhariq said, “O Commander of the Faithful! Please establish some wages for me so that the living expenses for my life, that of my wife, my daughters and their spouses be paid for.” Harun ordered that a land which had an annual income of ten-thousand Dinars be given to him. He ordered that all this be immediately given to him.
Then Mokhariq immediately stood up and went to see Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) and told him, “When I realized what this damned one has done to you, I tricked him for your sake, and took thirty-thousand Dinars plus land which has more than ten-thousand Dinars in annual income for you. O my Master! I swear by God that I do not need any of this. I only took them for you. I bear witness that this land is yours and I have brought you the money.
Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) said, “May God give you blessings by means of your property, and grant you good rewards. I will not take even one Dirham or any of your land. I welcome your kindness and recognize your good intentions. Return. May you be guided. And do not return to me in this regard. He kissed the Imam’s hands and returned (to Harun). [26]
[22] People get killed for it to survive, even relatives
[23] ‘Mohajereen: those who immigrated from Mecca to Medina along with the Prophet (S)
[24] The ‘Ansar in Medina: those who aided the Prophet (S) and his followers
[25] Imam Al-Kazim (Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.))
[26] This tradition no. 7-11 did not exist in the “al-Atiqeh” (old) version of the book.
(The author of the book narrated) my father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father, “I always loved the Members of the Holy Household (a.s.), but used to express my hatred for them in the presence of (Harun) Ar-Rashid in order to get closer to him. When Ar-Rashid went on the Hajj pilgrimage, Muhammad, Al-Qasim and I accompanied him.
When he was in Medina, he gave permission for the people to come see him. The last person to come was Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.). When Ar-Rashid saw him, he moved and stared at the Imam (a.s.) until he reached the room in which Ar-Rashid was. When he got closer, Ar-Rashid kneeled down, hugged him and looking at him said, “O Abul Hassan (Al-Kazim (a.s.))! How are you? And how is your wife? And how is your father’s wife? How are you? How are you doing?”
He kept asking him such questions, and the Imam (a.s.) kept saying, “Fine, fine.” When he stood up, Ar-Rashid got up. Abul Hassan (a.s.) insisted that he remain seated and hugged him. Then he greeted him and said farewell.
Al-Ma’mun said, “I was more daring than my brothers in the presence of my father. When Abul Hassan Musa ibn Ja’far departed, I told my father, “O Commander of the Faithful! You treated this man in such a way that you never treated anyone of the descendants of the Immigrants, the Helpers, or the Hashemites! Who was this man?” Harun said, “O my son! This is the Inheritor of the Knowledge of the Prophets. This is Musa ibn Ja’far. If you want correct knowledge, he has it.” Al-Ma’mun said, “From then on their love was rooted in my heart.”
Muhammad ibn Ali Majiluwayh - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father that he had heard one of his companions say, “When (Harun) Ar-Rashid imprisoned Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.), he could not see the daytime. He feared that Harun might kill him. Then Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) made ablutions again, turned his face towards the Qibla, and said four units of prayers to the Honorable the Exalted God. Then he prayed using the following supplications.
The Imam (a.s.) said, “O my Master! Please save me from the hands of Harun. O the Savior of the trees from the midst of mud, sand (and water)! O the Savior of milk from the midst of excretions and blood [27] !’ O the Savior of the offspring from the midst of the placenta and the uterus! O the Savior of the fire from the midst of iron and stone! O the Savior of the soul from the midst of the intestines! Save me from the hands of Harun.”
The narrator of this tradition added, “When Musa (a.s.) said this prayer, Harun saw a black man in his dream. He had a drawn out sword in his hand. He stood over Harun’s head and said, “O Harun! Free Musa ibn Ja’far or I will chop off your head with this sword.”
Then Harun feared the black man’s awesomeness, and called in his gatekeeper. The gatekeeper came in. Harun told him, “Go to the prison and free Musa ibn Ja’far.”
The narrator of this tradition added, “Then the gatekeeper left. When he arrived at the jail he called in the prison guard. The prison guard asked, “Who is it?” The gatekeeper said, “The Caliph has called in Musa ibn Ja’far. Take him out of his cell and free him.” The prison guard said, “O Musa! The Caliph has called you in.” Then Musa (a.s.) got up frightened and said, “He would not call me in tonight unless he had some wicked intentions about me.”
Then he got up while he was crying and sad, worried for his life. He went to Harun while shaking. [28] Then the Imam (a.s.) greeted Harun and Harun greeted him back. Then Harun asked him, “I swear to you by God to tell me if you have made any supplications tonight?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Yes.” He asked, “What were they?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “I made another ablution, said four units of prayers to the Honorable the Exalted God, raised my head towards the sky and said, “O my Master! Please save me from the hands of Harun and his wickedness.” The Imam (a.s.) told him the rest of his supplications.
Then Harun said, “Indeed God accepted your prayer. O gatekeeper! Free him!” Then Harun asked for three robes of honor to be given to him, gave him his own horse, honored him and took the Imam (a.s.) for his own bosom companion. Harun then said, “Recite that prayer for me.” The Imam (a.s.) taught it to him.
The narrator of the tradition added, “He freed him and had his gatekeeper accompany him to his house. From then on Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) was honored and respected by Harun and went to see him every Thursday until Harun imprisoned him again. This time he did not free him until he handed him over to As-Sandi ibn Shahak who murdered him with poison.
[27] “And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies between excretions and blood, We produce, for your drink, milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it.”[Qur'an, 16:66]
[28] This seems to be incorrect. It must have been added in by the narrator to make the tradition sound better!
Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Hatam narrated that Abdullah ibn Bahr ash-Shaybani quoted on the authority of al-Khazri Abul Abbas in Kufa, on the authority of al-Thowbani, “The common practice of Abil Hassan Musa ibn Ja’far for ten years (during his period of imprisonment) was to fall into prostration from after sunrise until noon. Sometimes Harun went to the roof of the building which overlooked the prison and saw Abul Hassan (a.s.) while he was prostrating. He asked al-Rabee’, “O Rabee’! What is this attire which I see here everyday in this place?” I said, “O Commander of the Faithful! This is not just some attire. It is Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) who prostrates every day from sunrise until noon.” Al-Rabee’ said, “Harun told me, ‘He is one of the monastic members of the Hashemites.’ I said, ‘Then why do you treat him with such harshness in prison?’ Harun said, ‘I wish it wasn’t so! I have no other choice.’”
