Title: al- Kazim

Agrnomen: Abu Ibrahim

Father’s name: Jaffar al- Sadiq.

Mother’s name: Hamidah al-Barbariyyah.

Birth: In abwa( between Mecca and Medina) on Sunday. 7^th Safar 128 AH.

Death: Martyred at the age of 55, in Baghdad, on 25^th Rajab 183 AH; poisoned by Harun ar- Rashid; buried in al-Kazimiyyan, Baghdad( Iraq).

mam’s matchless devotion and worship of God has also earned him the title of “ Abu Salih”(virtuous slave of God).Generosity was synonymous with his name and no beggar ever returned from his door with empty handed. Even after his death, he continued to be obliging and was generous to his devotees who came to his holy tomb with prayers and behest’s which God invariably granted. Thus one of his additional titles is also “ Babu’l-Hawaij”( the door to fulfilling needs).

Imam passed 20 years of his sacred life under the gracious patronage of his Holy Father. He was fully versed with the Divine Knowledge even in his childhood. Period of his Imamate was 35 years. In first decade of his Imamate, Imam could afford a peaceful execution of the responsibilities of his sacred office and carried on the propagation of the teaching of the Holy Prophet. But soon after, he fell a victim to the ruling kings and a greater part of his life passed in prison.

Imam (a.s) lived under the most crucial time of al-Mansur ad-Dawaniqi, al-Mahdi and Harun ar-Rashid .In 170 AH the most cruel and tyrannical king Harun ar- Rashid appeared at the head of the Abbasid Empire. It was during his reign that Holy Imam passed the greater part of his life in a miserable prison till he was poisoned.

The patience and forbearance of Imam was such that he was given the title “al-Kazim”( one who swallows down his anger). He helped the poor and needy persons of Medina and provided for them food, cash, clothes and other necessities of sustenance secretly. Time and circumstances did not permit the Holy Imam to establish institutions to impart religious knowledge to his followers. He carried on his mission if preaching and guiding people quietly. In 179 AH Harun Rashid visited Medina and saw the great influences and popularity that the Holy Imam enjoyed amongst the people there. He got the Imam arrested while he was busy in prayer at the tomb of the Holy Prophet and kept him in prison in Baghdad for a period of about 4 years. He got the Imam martyred by poison. Even his corpse was not spared humiliation and was taken out of the prison and left on the Bridge of Baghdad. His devotees managed to lay the holy body of the Imam to rest in al-Kazimiyan( Iraq).

No charity is superior to giving a helping hand to the weak.