The Knowledge of Imam Musa Kazim (as)

Ali ibne Rashid and other tradition writers mention that the Shias of Naishapur gather together and made Mohammad Bin Ali their deputy to go and give Imam Musa Kazim 30000 Dinars, 50000 Dirhams and 2000 pieces of clothes. A lady by the name of Shatita gave to this deputy on her behalf to give to the Imam a knitted piece worth 4 Dirhams and a 1 Dirham coin and she told Muhammad bin Ali ‘Innallah la yestahee minal haqqay’, meaning Allah is proud of the Truth (Haq) even if the amount be small.’ A bag was given containing 70 letters with a request for some religious clarifications and an empty bag was given for bringing back replies. Each envelope was tied with a string and sealed.

He was instructed to take the envelopes in the night to the Imam and collect them the following morning. He was asked to open five letters to see whether the Imam had replied to the queries. If he had replied to these letters then he was the true Imam and the money and clothes should be given to him, or else to bring back everything that he had taken.


When Muhammad Bin Ali reached Medina, people asked him to go to Abdulla Atfah. He went to Abdulla and when he returned from there he was very dejected and said, ‘Where to go. ‘Shall I go to a Jew or shall I go to a Christian,’ and said, ‘O Allah show me the way to the right path-guide me, O Allah.’ I was standing in this confusion, when a slave approached me and said that he would take me to the one whom I wanted to see. So saying he took me to Imam Musa Kazim. When the Imam saw me, and although he had never seen me before, addressed me as Abu Ja’far, and asked me why I was so sad and dejected over not finding him and why I desired to go to the homes of the Jews and Christians? ‘Come, I will make you comfortable and relieve you of your worries. I am the representative of God on this earth and the friend of God. Did not Abu Hamza guide you when you were waiting outside the mosque of our beloved Prophet? I have already answered all your questions yesterday.’ Then the Imam asked for the bag in which was kept the Dirham belonging to Shatita which was correct in weight, which I had kept in the same bag containing the other Dirhams. The Imam also requested for the knitted piece given by Shatita, which was kept in the bag with the other clothes sent for him. Muhammad Bin Ali said, “When I heard this I was amazed and astonished, and handed over the knitted piece and the Dirham given by Shatita to him. I did exactly as instructed by the Imam and when he had the knitted piece and Dirham in his hands he turned towards me, and recited the same verse as Shatita ‘Innallaha la yestahee minal haqqay’. Then he said, ‘O Abu Ja’far, convey my salaams to Shatita, and give her this bag containing 40 Dirhams; then the Imam gave me a piece of coffin cloth and asked me to tell Shatita that my sister Halima has worked on it and the thread used in it is from my grand mother Fatima, the daughter of the Holy Prophet.”



The Imam said, “Tell Shatita that 19 days after she gets the coffin cloth, she will die and tell her to use 16 Dirhams out of the forty sent to her, on her own requirements, but she must give the balance of 24 Dirhams as her own offering to the poor, and I will be present at her funeral, to recite the burial prayers: Abu Ja’far it is better for you to keep all this secret. The amounts which you have brought for me, may please be returned to their respective owners and then open the seals of the envelopes to see if they have been answered or not.” When Muhammad bin Ali returned home, he noticed that the seals on the envelopes were intact. He broke open one seal to see whether it was replied and he was surprised to find that inspite of the seal being intact the letter was answered. Then he opened another seal and surprising enough the reply had also been given. He checked up on yet another cover and found the same. He was no more surprised because he now had full faith in the Imam.


When Muhammad bin Ali reached Naishapur, he returned all the things he had brought back, and noticed that all those who had given money and clothes for the Imam Musa Kazim had joined hands with Abdulla Aftah. No wonder Imam Musa Kazim had returned what these people had send and retained that of Shatita. When he met Shatita, he noticed that she was firm in her faith and informed her what the Imam had said. Shatita expired on the day predicted, and the Imam was seen arriving on a camel to perform the funeral prayers. Before leaving, the Imam sent greetings to his followers, and urged them to be God fearing and righteous, and the Imam would also be present at their funeral prayers.