Virtue of Charity

Giving Charity Repels Misfortune

The Virtue of Giving Charity Out of Public Sight

Giving Charity During the Night

Giving Charity Increases One’s Wealth

Giving Charity to Relatives

Providing for the Family to Improve the Quality of Their Lives

One’s Dependents

Giving Charity to Those Whom One Does Not Know

Giving Charity to Bedouins and People Who Live in Desolate Areas

Undesirability of Turning Away One Asking for Help

The Amount of Charity for One Asking for Help

The Prayer of the Recipient of Charity

One Who Distributes Charity Has a Share in Rewards with the Donor of Charity

Self-Abnegation (Giving Preference to Others Over One’s Self)

One Who Asks for Help Without Actually Needing Help

Unpleasantness of Begging

Embarrassing the Recipient of a Favor

Giving Charity After an Appeal From a Recipient

Benevolent Assistance (Optional Charity as Opposed to Compulsory Ones)

The Virtue of Benevolent Assistance

Another Chapter about the Subject of the Previous Chapter

Providing Benevolent Assistance Repels Wicked Encounters

Providers of Benevolent Assistance Will be Identified as Such on the Day of Judgment

Completion of Benevolent Assistance

Finding a Proper Recipient of Benevolent Assistance

Disciplines for Providing Benevolent Assistance

Refusing to Appreciate a Benevolent Assistance

Providing a Loan

Extending Due Date of Payment in Favor of the Borrower

Waiving a Loan in Favor of a Dead Person

The Cost of Maintenance of Wealth

Appreciation of Bounties

Understanding Generosity and Munificence

Spending on Deserving Causes

Stinginess and Greed

Rare Ahadith about Charity

Virtue of Serving Food

The Excellence of Moderation

Detestability of Over-Spending and Living in Austerity

Providing Water for Drinking

Charity for Descendents of al-Hashim and the People of Their Household (Servants) and Compensation to Them

The Rare Ahadith

The Excellence of Fast and Fasting

The Excellence of the Month of Ramadan

About the One Who Serves Food to a Fasting Person

Prohibition of Saying ‘Ramadan’ Instead of the ‘Month of Ramadan’

The Words to Say When the Month of Ramadan is About to Begin

Verifying the Rise of the New Moon and Finding Witnesses for It

Another Chapter about the Previous Subject

The Day That Is Doubtful About Its Being of the Month of Sha‘ban or the Month of Ramadan

Kinds of Fasts

Disciplines During Fasting

The Fasting of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause

Excellence of Fasting in the Month of Shaman, Continuing Such Fast to Connect it with the Month of Ramadan, and Three Days of Fasting Every Month

Breakfast before Dawn

The Prayer to Say During Breakfast after Sunset

Fasting Continuously and All the Time

The Case of One Who Eats or Drinks but Has Doubts About Its Taking Place before or after Dawn

What Is Dawn, When Does It Come and When Is It Unlawful to Eat?

The Case of One Who Eats, Thinking it to Be after Sunset, when It Is Not yet Sunset

The Time of Breaking Fast after Sunset

The Case of One who Eats or Drinks out of Forgetfulness During the Month of Ramadan

The Case of One Who Knowingly Eats or Is Involved in Carnal Relation During the Month of Ramadan

The Case of a Person Involved in Carnal Relations in the Form of Kissing or Foreplay

The Case of One Who Experiences a Wet-Dream During the Night in the Month of Ramadan or at Other Times and Does Not Shower before Dawn or It Occurs During the Night or Day

The Undesirability of Immersing One’s Head in Water while Fasting

Rinsing One’s Mouth and Nostrils while Fasting

The Case of a Fasting Person’s Vomiting, Nauseating or Burping

The Case of a Fasting Person’s Use of Bath Room and Apply Cupping

The Case of a Fasting Person’s Sniffling or Use of Eardrops or Enema

The Case of a Fasting Person’s Use of Kohl (Eye Drops or powder)

A Fasting Person’s Use of Tooth Brush

A Fasting Person’s Use of Perfumes

A Fasting Person’s Use of Chewing Gum

The Case of a Fasting Person Tasting the Salt in Cooking Pot and Chews for the Fledgling

The Case of a Fly or Mucus Entering the Throat of a Fasting Person

The Case of a Fasting Person’s Keeping a Ring, a Pebble or a Date Stone in His Mouth while Fasting

The Case of Seniors Who Feel Weak when Fasting

The Case of a Pregnant or Breastfeeding Woman Who Feels Weak when Fasting

The Limit of Illness That Exempts One from Fasting

The Case of One Who Remains Ill for Two Consecutive Months of Ramadan

Remedy and Compensatory Fast for the Missed Fasting During the Month of Ramadan

The Case of One Who Wakes up in the Morning with an Intention to Fast, but Who Does Not Do So or Vice Versa when Fasting Is a Compensatory Fast for the Missed Fast in the Month of Ramadan or Other Days

The Case of One Who Fasts Optionally while He Is Obligated to Make Up for Fasting of the Month of Ramadan He Has Missed

The Case of a Person Who Passes Away Owing Fasting of the Month of Ramadan or Other Times

Children’s Fasting and When They Owe Fasting

The Case of One Who Becomes a Muslim during the Month of Ramadan

Undesirability of Traveling in the Month of Ramadan

Undesirability (unlawfulness) of Fast on a Journey

The Case of One Who Fasts on a Journey out of Ignorance

Those Who Do or Do Not Have to Break Their Fast on a Journey 

Optional Fasting on a Journey and Qada’ (compensatory fast) of Fasting Missed on a Journey

The Case of One Who Begins a Journey or Returns from a Journey in the Month of Ramadan

The Case of a Traveler Who Enters His Town or a Place where He Wants to Stay for Ten Days

The Case of One Who Involves Himself in Carnal Relations with His Wife on a Journey or Returns from a Journey in the Month of Ramadan

The Case of Fasting during Menses: Major or Minor One

The Case of One Who Owes Fasting of Two Consecutive Months but an Obstacle Prevents Him 

Fasting As Expiation for Swearing

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنِ الأَهِلَّةِ فَقَالَ هِيَ أَهِلَّةُ الشُّهُورِ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ الْهِلالِ فَصُمْ وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَهُ فَأَفْطِرْ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about the crescents (mentioned in the holy Quran). He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is a reference to the new moon of the months. When you see the new moon, begin fasting; when you see the new moon discontinue fasting.’” 

2ـ حَمَّادٌ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ كَانَ عَلِيٌّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) يَقُولُ لا أُجِيزُ فِي الْهِلالِ إِلاَّ شَهَادَةَ رَجُلَيْنِ عَدْلَيْنِ.

2. Hammad has narrated from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), would say, ‘I do not accept a testimony about seeing the crescent if it is from less than two just witnesses.’” 

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ لا تَجُوزُ شَهَادَةُ النِّسَاءِ فِي الْهِلالِ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad al-Husayn from Ali ibn al-Hakam from fro al-‘Ala’ from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘Testimony by women is not admissible in the case of seeing the crescent.’” 

4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ الله عَلَيْهِ لا تَجُوزُ شَهَادَةُ النِّسَاءِ فِي الْهِلالِ وَلا تَجُوزُ إِلاَّ شَهَادَةُ رَجُلَيْنِ عَدْلَيْنِ.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthaman who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘Testimony of women about the crescent is not admissible, only the testimony of two just witnesses is accepted.’” 

5ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ سَيْفِ بْنِ عَمِيرَةَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) لَيْسَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْقِبْلَةِ إِلاَّ الرُّؤْيَةُ لَيْسَ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلاَّ الرُّؤْيَةُ.

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Sayf ibn ‘Amirah formal- Fadl ibn ‘Uthman who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘People of al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah) must see the crescent. The Muslims must see the crescent.’” 

6ـ أَحْمَدُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الْخَزَّازِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الْهِلالَ فَصُومُوا وَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُ فَأَفْطِرُوا وَلَيْسَ بِالرَّأْيِ وَلا بِالتَّظَنِّي وَلَيْسَ الرُّؤْيَةَ أَنْ يَقُومَ عَشَرَةُ نَفَرٍ فَيَقُولَ وَاحِدٌ هُوَ ذَا وَيَنْظُرُ تِسْعَةٌ فَلا يَرَوْنَهُ لَكِنْ إِذَا رَآهُ وَاحِدٌ رَآهُ أَلْفٌ.

6. Ahmad has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hakam from abu Ayyub al-Khazzaz from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘When you see the crescent, then fast and when you see the crescent (again), then discontinue fasting. It is not by opinions and conjectures. If out of ten people only one says that there is the crescent but the rest cannot see, it is not seeing. If one can see a thousand can also see.’” 

7ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ الصَّلْتِ الْخَزَّازِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِذَا غَابَ الْهِلالُ قَبْلَ الشَّفَقِ فَهُوَ لِلَيْلَتِهِ وَإِذَا غَابَ بَعْدَ الشَّفَقِ فَهُوَ لِلَيْلَتَيْنِ.

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Khalid from Sa‘d ibn Sa‘d from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Husayn from al-Salt al-Khazzaz who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If the crescent disappears before al-Shafaq (redness), then it is its first night but if it disappears after al-Shafaq (redness) then it is its second night.’” 

8ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَمْزَةَ أَبِي يَعْلَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) إِذَا صَحَّ هِلالُ شَهْرِ رَجَبٍ فَعُدَّ تِسْعَةً وَخَمْسِينَ يَوْماً وَصُمْ يَوْمَ السِّتِّينَ.

8. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Hamzah ibn abu Ya‘liy from Muhammad ibn al- Hassan ibn abu Khalid in a marfu‘ manner who has said the following: “He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘If the crescent of the month of Rajab is established, then count fifty nine days and fast the sixtieth day.’” 

9ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ بَكْرٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي صُهْبَانَ عَنْ حَفْصٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَالِمٍ وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ خَارِجَةَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عُدَّ شَعْبَانَ تِسْعَةً وَعِشْرِينَ يَوْماً فَإِنْ كَانَتْ مُتَغَيِّمَةً فَأَصْبِحْ صَائِماً فَإِنْ كَانَتْ صَاحِيَةً وَتَبَصَّرْتَهُ وَلَمْ تَرَ شَيْئاً فَأَصْبِحْ مُفْطِراً.

9. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Bakr and Muhammad ibn abu Suhban from Hafs ibn al-Bakhtariy from ‘Umar (‘Amr) ibn Salim and Muhammad ibn Ziyad ibn ‘Isa from Harun ibn Kharijah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Count of the month of al-Sha‘ban twenty nine days; if it is cloudy then fast, but if it is clear and you looked but did not see anything, you can remain without fasting.’” 

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِذَا رَأَوُا الْهِلالَ قَبْلَ الزَّوَالِ فَهُوَ لِلَيْلَتِهِ الْمَاضِيَةِ وَإِذَا رَأَوْهُ بَعْدَ الزَّوَالِ فَهُوَ لِلَيْلَتِهِ الْمُسْتَقْبَلَةِ.

10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If they can see the crescent before Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime), then it is of the last night but if they see it after Zawal, then it is of the coming night.’” 

11ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُرَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِذَا تَطَوَّقَ الْهِلالُ فَهُوَ لِلَيْلَتَيْنِ وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ ظِلَّ رَأْسِكَ فِيهِ فَهُوَ لِثَلاثِ لَيَالٍ.

11. Ahmad ibn Idris Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Ya’qub ibn Yazid from Muhammad ibn Murazim from his father who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that if the crescent forms a crown around it, then it is two nights old and if you can see the shadow of your head it is three nights old.’” 

12ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ الْحُرِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِذَا غَابَ الْهِلالُ قَبْلَ الشَّفَقِ فَهُوَ لِلَيْلَتِهِ وَإِذَا غَابَ بَعْدَ الشَّفَقِ فَهُوَ لِلَيْلَتَيْنِ. 

12. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from ‘Isma‘il ibn al-Hurr who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If the crescent disappears before al-Shafaq (redness) it is of the first night, but if disappears after al-Shafaq it is of the second night.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 2, Chapter 6