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 عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) يَذْبَحُ يَوْمَ الأَضْحَى كَبْشَيْنِ أَحَدَهُمَا عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَالآخَرَ عَمَّنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ مِنْ أُمَّتِهِ وَكَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) يَذْبَحُ كَبْشَيْنِ أَحَدَهُمَا عَنْ رَسُولِ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَالآخَرَ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘ Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, slaughtered two sheep on the day of al-Adha’, one for himself and one for those of his followers who could not afford them. ’Amir al-Mu’minin slaughtered two sheep, one for the Messenger of Allah and one for himself.” 

2ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَنْ قَوْمٍ غَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الأَضَاحِيُّ وَهُمْ مُتَمَتِّعُونَ وَهُمْ مُتَرَافِقُونَ وَلَيْسُوا بِأَهْلِ بَيْتٍ وَاحِدٍ وَقَدِ اجْتَمَعُوا فِي مَسِيرِهِمْ وَمَضْرَبُهُمْ وَاحِدٌ أَ لَهُمْ أَنْ يَذْبَحُوا بَقَرَةً فَقَالَ لا أُحِبُّ ذَلِكَ إِلاَّ مِنْ ضَرُورَةٍ.

2. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ibrahim (a.s.), about the case of a people for whom offering animals become very expensive, who are for al-Tamattu‘ (advantageous), in one company but not of the same family. They have come together; their way and camp is one, if they can slaughter one cow. He (the Imam) said, ‘I do not like it unless it is urgency.’” 

3ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ رَجُلٍ يُسَمَّى سَوَادَةَ قَالَ كُنَّا جَمَاعَةً بِمِنًى فَعَزَّتِ الأَضَاحِيُّ فَنَظَرْنَا فَإِذَا أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) وَاقِفٌ عَلَى قَطِيعٍ يُسَاوِمُ بِغَنَمٍ وَيُمَاكِسُهُمْ مِكَاساً شَدِيداً فَوَقَفْنَا نَنْتَظِرُ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا فَقَالَ أَظُنُّكُمْ قَدْ تَعَجَّبْتُمْ مِنْ مِكَاسِي فَقُلْنَا نَعَمْ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْمَغْبُونَ لا مَحْمُودٌ وَلا مَأْجُورٌ أَ لَكُمْ حَاجَةٌ فَقُلْنَا نَعَمْ أَصْلَحَكَ الله إِنَّ الأَضَاحِيَّ قَدْ عَزَّتْ عَلَيْنَا قَالَ فَاجْتَمِعُوا فَاشْتَرُوا جَزُوراً فِيمَا بَيْنَكُمْ قُلْنَا وَلا تَبْلُغُ نَفَقَتُنَا قَالَ فَاجْتَمِعُوا وَاشْتَرُوا بَقَرَةً فِيمَا بَيْنَكُمْ فَاذْبَحُوهَا قُلْنَا وَلا تَبْلُغُ نَفَقَتُنَا قَالَ فَاجْتَمِعُوا فَاشْتَرُوا فِيمَا بَيْنَكُمْ شَاةً فَاذْبَحُوهَا فِيمَا بَيْنَكُمْ قُلْنَا تُجْزِئُ عَنْ سَبْعَةٍ قَالَ نَعَمْ وَعَنْ سَبْعِينَ.

3. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Al-Hasan ibn Ali from man called Sawadah who has said the following: “Once we were in Mina’ and offering became very expensive. We saw abu ’Abdillah (a.s.), standing near a bunch of cattle, bargaining stringently. We stopped and looked. When he (AS) completed his task, he came to us and said, ‘I think you found my stringent bargaining strange.’ We replied, ‘Yes, it was so.’ He (AS) said, ‘One who suffers a loss is not praised and does not receive any reward. Can I help you in something?’ We said, ‘Yes, the offering animals have become very expensive for us. He (AS) said, ‘Come together and all of you buy one Jazur.’ We said, ‘Our budget is not sufficient. He (AS) then said, ‘All of you buy one cow and slaughter it.’ We said that our budget is not sufficient. He (AS) said, ‘All of you buy one sheep and slaughter it.’ We asked if it is sufficient for seven. He (AS) said, ‘Yes, it is sufficient [even] for seventy.’” 

4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ حُمْرَانَ قَالَ عَزَّتِ الْبُدْنُ سَنَةً بِمِنًى حَتَّى بَلَغَتِ الْبَدَنَةُ مِائَةَ دِينَارٍ فَسُئِلَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ اشْتَرِكُوا فِيهَا قَالَ قُلْتُ كَمْ قَالَ مَا خَفَّ هُوَ أَفْضَلُ قُلْتُ عَنْ كَمْ تُجْزِئُ قَالَ عَنْ سَبْعِينَ.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘Umar ‘ibn ‘Udhaynah from Humran who has said the following: “One year badanah became very expensive in Mina’, so much so that one badanah sold for one hundred dinar. Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), was asked about it and he (the Imam) said to share it. I asked, ‘For how many people it is sufficient?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The lighter the better.’ I asked, ‘For how many?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘For seventy.’” 

5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَفْصِ بْنِ قَرْعَةَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ جَهْمٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) مُتَمَتِّعٌ لَمْ يَجِدْ هَدْياً فَقَالَ أَ مَا كَانَ مَعَهُ دِرْهَمٌ يَأْتِي بِهِ قَوْمَهُ فَيَقُولَ أَشْرِكُونِي بِهَذَا الدِّرْهَمِ. 

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hafs ibn Qar‘ah from Zayd ibn Jahm who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is for al-Tamattu‘ (advantageous) and cannot find an offering. He (the Imam) said, ‘Does he not have any dirham to ask his people to allow him to share with them?”’ (Fatwa best explains Hadith 2-5 of this Chapter) 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 3, Chapter 184