Imam al-Kadhim (a.

Imam al-Kadhim (a.s.) lived under the care of his father, and learned from the school of his father, to which the scholars, jurisprudents, philosophers and preachers flocked. He inherited from his father his knowledge, manners and morals. He came to epitomize high morals, generosity, asceticism, patience, bravery, perseverance and jihad.

During the Imamate of his father he directed his attention to acquiring knowledge, and after his father's death, he shouldered the responsibility of leading the ummah.

Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a.s.) emphasized this fact, and praised his son by saying, "Praise is due to Allah Who made you a substitute for my parents, a source of delight among my sons, and a replacement for my friends."[^8] Imam al-Kadhim (a.s.) earned many nicknames for his great status among the people and his unique refined character.

He was called al-'Abd al-Salih (The Good Servant) for his perfect character and manners, Zain al-Mujtahideen (The Ornament of Toilers) for his lengthy worship and supplication, al-Kadhim (The one who curbs his Anger) for his extreme endurance, patience and bravery in the face of adversities, his curbing of pain and anger, and for being kind to those who harassed him, Bab al-Ha-wa'ij (The Gateway to Satisfaction of peoples' needs) for his great position in the sight of Allah, and the fulfillment of one's desires and needs when one beseeches Allah, invoking his name.

He was called also Abul-Hassan al-Awwal (Father of Hassan I) and Abu-Ibrahim (Father of Ibrahim). People described him as being fair-skinned, handsome and thin. He lived twenty years, or nineteen years according to another version, in the shade of his father, but remained, as Imam of the ummah, thirty-five years after his father. He first took on that responsibility at the age of 20. His sons and daughters were numerous.

His sons were Ali al-Ridha, Ibrahim, al-Abbas, al-Qasim, Isma'il, Haroon, al-Hassan, Ahmad, Muhammad, Hamzah, Abdullah, Ishaq, Ubaydullah, Zayd, al-Fadhi, and Sulayman. His daughters were Fatimah al-Kubra, Fatimah al-Sughra, Ruqayyah, Hakimah, Umm-Abiha, Ruqayyah al-Sughra, Kaltham, Umm-Ja'far, Lubabah, Zainab, Khadijah, Aliyyah, Aminah, Hassnah, Burayhah, A'ishah, Umm-Salamah, Maymoonah, Umm-Kulthoom.[^9] Ahlul-Bait (a.s.) were a school and a well-connected chain.

It appears purely transparent to the researcher, if studied from the Apostle of Allah (s.a.w.) to the Mahdi of the ummah.