Son of Apostle of God

A group of the traditionists (ahl al-'ilm) mention that Abu al-Hassan, peace be on him, always used to travel with two hundred to three hundred dinars to give away. The purses of Musa, peace be on him, were proverbial.

[Ibn Ammar and other narrators record:]

When al-Rashid set out to go on the pilgrimage and was approaching Medina, the leading men among the inhabitants met him. Musa b. Jafar, peace be on them, came out to (al-Rashid's group) on a mule.

"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."

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. The people went with him. Al-Rashid went forward to the tomb of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, and said:

"Greetings to you, Apostle of God! Greetings to you, cousin." He was seeking to show his proud position over the others by that. But then Abu al-Hassan, peace be on him, went forward to the tomb and said: "Greetings to you, Apostle of God! Greetings to you, father." (The expression on) al-Rashid's face changed and the anger in it became transparently obvious.

[Abu Zayd reported: 'Abd al-Hamid told me:]

Muhammad b. al-Hassan asked Abu al-Hassan 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-Hassan) asked him.

"It is not permitted for him if there is any choice available for him," Musa, peace be on him, told him.

"Is it permitted for him to walk in the (natural) shade by choice?" Muhammad b. al-Hassan asked.

"Yes," replied Musa.

Muhammad b. al-Hassan laughed at that. Abu al-Hassan 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."

Muhammad b. al-Hassan was silent and did not ask any more questions.

The people have reported traditions on the authority of Abu al-Hassan Musa, peace be on him, and they have become very numerous; for, as we have said before, he was the most knowledgeable in the law during his time, and the most versed in the Book of God, the best of them in voice for recitation of the Qur'an. Whenever he recited, those who were listening to his recitation, would become sad and weep.

The people in Medina named him "the ornament of those who spend nights in prayer" (mutahajjidin). He was also called Kadhim (the one who holds back) because of his restraint of anger and the patience (which he showed) in the face of the acts of the oppressors right up until the time he died, murdered in their prison and bonds.

Source:

al-islam.org

Taken from Kitab al Irshad By Sheikh al Mufid

Other Links:

Imam Kadhim (A.S): The Ornament of those who Spend Nights in Prayer (Part 1)

Imam Kadhim (A.S): The Ornament of those who Spend Nights in Prayer (Part 2)