The 25th of Rajab is the day of the oppressed martyrdom of Imam Musa Kazim (as), who, among our Imams, is the one who lived the most in prisons; for this reason, today a brief analysis of the Imam’s (as) prison life is being presented to the honorable readers. Generally, when the mention of prison comes, a helpless and powerless human comes to mind, whose job is to complain about the times and to heave sighs, whereas today I am going to mention the life of such a prisoner where there is no silence, stillness, uselessness, and darkness, but on the contrary, movement, servitude, quest, and struggle are seen; that is why we have kept the title of today’s article 'Lessons of Life from Prison' and under it, we describe a few important aspects of Imam Musa Kazim’s (as) prison life so that the believers can become somewhat acquainted with these circumstances of this oppressed Imam’s life.
According to the Quran, the nature of man is such that when he is in luxury and comfort, he thinks, 'I am the beloved and favorite of Allah,' but if he is afflicted by some hardship and trial, he says that God has insulted and humiliated him:
فَأَمَّا الْإِنْسانُ إِذا مَا ابْتَلاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَ نَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ وَ أَمَّا إِذا مَا ابْتَلاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهانَنِ1
But in the life of Imam Kazim (as) and other Imams (as), it was not like this; they remained pleased with Allah in every condition and were thankful to Him; that is why, at the time when the order for prison was issued by Harun al-Rashid, Imam Kazim (as), while offering thanks to Allah, said:
اللّهُمَّ اِنَّکَ تَعْلَمُ اَنِّی کُنْتُ اَسْئَلُکَ اَنْ تُفَرِّغَنِی لِعِبادَتِکَ، اَللّهُمَّ وَ قَدْ فَعَلْتَ وَ لَکَ الْحَمْدُ
O God! I always used to seek from You free time for Your worship; today You have given me that leisure, for which I offer my praise to You2.
So, the first lesson of the Imam's (as) prison life is that a servant should be pleased with his Lord in every condition; it does not behove a servant to complain or grumble against his Master and Provider at any time.
Reference to this matter has been made before, that in prison, people make the circumstances an excuse, and considering themselves helpless and confined, they sit idly by waiting for tomorrow; but in the life of Imam Musa Kazim (as), we find this lesson: that a human should not stop the movement of life and the steps moving towards Divine goals even in prison, but rather, while making oneself compatible with this life, one should find a way for perfection and servitude. Thus, the Imam (as) found the method of perfection in prison through the worship of his Lord and intimate supplication, and performed such worship in history, the parallel of which is not found anywhere except in his noble ancestors Ali bin Abi Talib and Syed-us-Sajideen (as). It is mentioned in traditions that he would be in continuous worship from morning to evening, and the whole night would pass in standing and prostration; a narrator says that I saw the Imam (as) in a state of prostration for an entire night, and he was continuously reciting this dhikr (invocation):
عَظُمَ الذَّنْبُ مِنْ عَبْدِكَ فَلْيَحْسُنِ الْعَفْوُ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ
Your servant’s sin is very great; therefore, increase Your forgiveness and overlooking.
And the dhikr recited until today in the Prostration of Gratitude (Sajda-e-Shukr) after prayers belongs to you (the Imam) only.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الرَّاحَةَ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَ الْعَفْوَ عِنْدَ الْحِسَابِ
O Lord! I seek from You ease at the time of death and forgiveness and overlooking during the reckoning3
Although Imam Kazim (as) was not complaining about the prison and current circumstances, but rather was pleased with the Divine Decree; nevertheless, that benefit cannot be taken from life in prison which can be taken in the state of freedom; that is why Imam (as) used to pray to his Provider for release from Harun al-Rashid’s prison, and even today it is said that if someone is confined in prison and desires release from it, they should definitely recite this prayer:
يا مُخَلِّصَ الشَّجَرِ مِنْ بَيْنِ رَمْلٍ وَ طينٍ وَ مآءٍ وَ يا مُخَلِّصَ اللَّبَنِ مِنْ بَيْنِ فَرْثٍ وَ دَمٍ وَ يا مَخَلِّصَ الْوَلَدِ مِنْ بَيْنِ مَشيمَةٍ وَ رَحِمٍ وَ يا مُخَلِّصَ النّارِ مِنْ بَيْنِ الْحَديدِ وَ الْحَجَرَِ وَ يا مُخَلِّصَ الرُّوحِ مِنْ بَيْنَ الاَحْشآءِ وَالاَْمْعآءِ خَلِّصْنى مِنْ يَدَىْ هارُونَ
O You who brings out the tree from between the sand and the soil! And O You who brings out the milk from between the dung and the blood! And O You who brings out the child from between the membrane and the womb! O You who brings out the fire from between the iron and the stone! And O You who brings out the soul from between the ribs and the entrails! (Free) me from the hand of Harun.
Note: If any other prisoner wants to recite this prayer, then instead of Harun, they should take the name of the very person who has imprisoned them. Therefore, every human being, besides remaining pleased with the current circumstances, should also strive and search for a better future.
Allah the Almighty says in the Quran:
فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْراً إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْراً
With every hardship, there is ease; certainly, with every hardship, there is ease4
The point worthy of consideration is that Allah is not saying that after every hardship there is ease, but rather He is saying that ease is alongside and with the hardship. If we look at this in the prison life of Imam Kazim (as), then the interpretation (tafsir) of this verse is seen very well; on one side are the hardships of Harun al-Rashid, the extent of which is realized from the sentences of that Salawat which Sheikh Abbas Qummi narrated from Syed bin Tawus:
... و المعذب فی قعر السجون و ظلم المطامیر ذی الساق المرضوض بحلق القیود
Salutations be upon Musa bin Jafar (as), who was continuously tortured in the depths and darkness of prisons, and whose shins were worn away due to the heavy fetters and chains5
But simultaneously, the fragrance of your pure life was also influencing the doors and walls of the prison. The result of the continuous observation of your worship, asceticism, and piety was such that although Harun al-Rashid kept you in the prisons of the most cruel and wretched people of history first keeping you in the prison of Isa bin Jafar and after some time demanding him to kill you he (Isa), after witnessing your greatness, refused. Then you remained with Yahya bin Fazl and after that with Fazl bin Rabi, and your constant manner continued to impress them. Finally, you were transferred to the accursed Sindi, where your martyrdom occurred at the hands of that tyrant6.
To create ease alongside this hardship by melting the hearts of the jailers and to carry forward the lamp of your pure life is the lesson of Imam Musa Kazim's (as) life; because if the first jailer had not witnessed your servitude and the greatness of your character, he would have ended your life right there, but it was the result of your piety, purity, and the height of your greatness that the prison owners did not want to stain their hands with your innocent blood. Only the accursed Sindi, since he was a non-Muslim, was prepared for this task due to his enmity toward Islam. Therefore, today the followers of the School of Ahlulbayt (as) should also be like this that their actions and character be such that friends and enemies alike bear witness to them being a good human being. Nevertheless, after poisoning you, the accursed Sindi called some people so they could witness your being naturally ill and your passing away; then after the martyrdom, your coffin was placed on the Bridge of Baghdad, from where the Shias carried you and buried you in Kazmain7.
In the end, it is a prayer to Allah the Almighty: for the sake of Imam Kazim, the Gate of Needs (Bab al-Hawa'ij), grant haste in the reappearance of Imam-e-Zaman (atfs), and grant swift release to all innocent prisoners. Amen.
1Surah Al-Fajr, Verses 15 & 16
2Al-Irshad, 1413 AH, Vol. 2, p. 240
3Al-Irshad, Vol. 2, pp. 231-232
4Surah Al-Sharh, Verses 5 & 6
5Sheikh Abbas Qummi, Anwar Al-Bahiyya, p. 206
6Sheikh Mufed, Al-Irshad, Vol. 2, p. 239
7Al-Irshad, Vol. 2, p. 215