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 إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى وَابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ مِنْ مَكَّةَ وَتَأْتِيَ أَهْلَكَ فَوَدِّعِ الْبَيْتَ وَطُفْ بِالْبَيْتِ أُسْبُوعاً وَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَسْتَلِمَ الْحَجَرَ الأَسْوَدَ وَالرُّكْنَ الْيَمَانِيَّ فِي كُلِّ شَوْطٍ فَافْعَلْ وَإِلاَّ فَافْتَتِحْ بِهِ وَاخْتِمْ بِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ ذَلِكَ فَمُوَسَّعٌ عَلَيْكَ ثُمَّ تَأْتِي الْمُسْتَجَارَ فَتَصْنَعُ عِنْدَهُ كَمَا صَنَعْتَ يَوْمَ قَدِمْتَ مَكَّةَ وَتَخَيَّرْ لِنَفْسِكَ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ ثُمَّ اسْتَلِمِ الْحَجَرَ الأَسْوَدَ ثُمَّ أَلْصِقْ بَطْنَكَ بِالْبَيْتِ تَضَعُ يَدَكَ عَلَى الْحَجَرِ وَالأُخْرَى مِمَّا يَلِي الْبَابَ وَاحْمَدِ الله وَأَثْنِ عَلَيْهِ وَصَلِّ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) ثُمَّ قُلِ اللهمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِكَ وَرَسُولِكَ وَنَبِيِّكَ وَأَمِينِكَ وَحَبِيبِكَ وَنَجِيِّكَ وَخِيَرَتِكَ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ اللهمَّ كَمَا بَلَغَ رِسَالاتِكَ وَجَاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِكَ وَصَدَعَ بِأَمْرِكَ وَأُوذِيَ فِي جَنْبِكَ وَعَبَدَكَ حَتَّى أَتَاهُ الْيَقِينُ اللهمَّ اقْلِبْنِي مُفْلِحاً مُنْجِحاً مُسْتَجَاباً لِي بِأَفْضَلِ مَا يَرْجِعُ بِهِ أَحَدٌ مِنْ وَفْدِكَ مِنَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ وَالْبَرَكَةِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ وَالرِّضْوَانِ وَالْعَافِيَةِ اللهمَّ إِنْ أَمَتَّنِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي وَإِنْ أَحْيَيْتَنِي فَارْزُقْنِيهِ مِنْ قَابِلٍ اللهمَّ لا تَجْعَلْهُ آخِرَ الْعَهْدِ مِنْ بَيْتِكَ اللهمَّ إِنِّي عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ وَابْنُ أَمَتِكَ حَمَلْتَنِي عَلَى دَوَابِّكَ وَسَيَّرْتَنِي فِي بِلادِكَ حَتَّى أَقْدَمْتَنِي حَرَمَكَ وَأَمْنَكَ وَقَدْ كَانَ فِي حُسْنِ ظَنِّي بِكَ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوبِي فَإِنْ كُنْتَ قَدْ غَفَرْتَ لِي ذُنُوبِي فَازْدَدْ عَنِّي رِضًا وَقَرِّبْنِي إِلَيْكَ زُلْفَى وَلا تُبَاعِدْنِي وَإِنْ كُنْتَ لَمْ تَغْفِرْ لِي فَمِنَ الآنَ فَاغْفِرْ لِي قَبْلَ أَنْ تَنْأَى عَنْ بَيْتِكَ دَارِي فَهَذَا أَوَانُ انْصِرَافِي إِنْ كُنْتَ أَذِنْتَ لِي غَيْرَ رَاغِبٍ عَنْكَ وَلا عَنْ بَيْتِكَ وَلا مُسْتَبْدِلٍ بِكَ وَلا بِهِ اللهمَّ احْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ وَمِنْ خَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي حَتَّى تُبَلِّغَنِي أَهْلِي فَإِذَا بَلَّغْتَنِي أَهْلِي فَاكْفِنِي مَئُونَةَ عِبَادِكَ وَعِيَالِي فَإِنَّكَ وَلِيُّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ وَمِنِّي ثُمَّ ائْتِ زَمْزَمَ فَاشْرَبْ مِنْ مَائِهَا ثُمَّ اخْرُجْ وَقُلْ آئِبُونَ تَائِبُونَ عَابِدُونَ لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ إِلَى رَبِّنَا رَاغِبُونَ إِلَى الله رَاجِعُونَ إِنْ شَاءَ الله قَالَ وَإِنَّ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) لَمَّا وَدَّعَهَا وَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ خَرَّ سَاجِداً عِنْدَ بَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ طَوِيلاً ثُمَّ قَامَ فَخَرَجَ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from af-Fadf ibn Shadhan from Safwan ibn Yahya and Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when you decide to leave Makkah to go home, say farewell to the House, perform seven times Tawaf around it, touch the Black Stone if you can, as well as al-Yemaniy corner every time you go around. If you cannot do so, then commence from the Black Stone and end there. If you cannot do this also, then do whatever you can. Thereafter go to al-Mustajar and do what you had done there the day you arrived in Makkah. Choose for yourself any prayer you like. Thereafter touch the Black Stone and place your belly against the house. Place your hand on the Black Stone and the other hand toward the door. Thank Allah and praise Him. Say, “O Allah, grant salawat (favors and compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause).” Thereafter say, “O Allah, grant favors to Muhammad, Your servant, Your messenger, Your prophet, Your trusted person, Your beloved one, Your chosen one and the best among Your creatures. O Allah, grant him favors as he conveyed Your message, strove hard for Your cause, preached Your commandments, endured hardship for Your sake and worshiped You until he died. O Allah, return me with well being, salvation, with prayers accepted and with the best return granted to anyone delegated to You. Return me with Your forgiveness, blessings, mercy, happiness and good health. O Allah, if You cause me to die, forgive me, and if You keep me alive grant me the opportunity to come again. O Allah, do not make this my last visit of Your House. O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son of Your female servant. You have transported me on Your animals and helped me to travel through Your towns until my arrival in Your sacred area, the place of Your safety. It was my optimism that You forgive my sins. If You have forgiven my sins, then increase Your happiness with me, take me nearer to You with happiness and do not keep me away. If You have not forgiven me, please forgive me at this time before I go away from Your House and my house becomes far away from Your House. This is the time for my departure; if You allow me to leave I do so without losing interest in You and Your House and without my looking for any replacement for You and Your House. O Allah, protect me from my front side, back side, right and left side until I reach my family. With Your help when I reach my family, then provide the expenses of Your servants and my family; You have priority to this before Your creatures and before me.”’ “Thereafter go to Zamzam, drink of its water, leave and say, “We are coming, repenting, worshipping our Lord, thanking our Lord, interested in (the kindness of) Allah.’” He (the narrator) has said, ‘When abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said farewell to the House, and decided to leave Masjid al-Haram (the Sacred Masjid), he bowed down near the door of al-Masjid in prostration for a long time and then stood up and left.’” 

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ أَبِي مَحْمُودٍ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) وَدَّعَ الْبَيْتَ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ مِنْ بَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ خَرَّ سَاجِداً ثُمَّ قَامَ فَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْكَعْبَةَ فَقَالَ اللهمَّ إِنِّي أَنْقَلِبُ عَلَى أَلاَّ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ .

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ibrahim ibn abu Mahmud who has said the following: “I saw abu al-Hassan (a.s.), when leaving through the door of Masjid. He bowed down in prostration. He then stood up and turned his face to al-Ka‘bah and said, ‘O Allah, I go back with my affirmation that no one deserves worship except You.’” 

3ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَأَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْكُوفِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِيَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فِي سَنَةِ خَمْسٍ وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ وَدَّعَ الْبَيْتَ بَعْدَ ارْتِفَاعِ الشَّمْسِ وَطَافَ بِالْبَيْتِ يَسْتَلِمُ الرُّكْنَ الْيَمَانِيَّ فِي كُلِّ شَوْطٍ فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي الشَّوْطِ السَّابِعِ اسْتَلَمَهُ وَاسْتَلَمَ الْحَجَرَ وَمَسَحَ بِيَدِهِ ثُمَّ مَسَحَ وَجْهَهُ بِيَدِهِ ثُمَّ أَتَى الْمَقَامَ فَصَلَّى خَلْفَهُ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى دُبُرِ الْكَعْبَةِ إِلَى الْمُلْتَزَمِ فَالْتَزَمَ الْبَيْتَ وَكَشَفَ الثَّوْبَ عَنْ بَطْنِهِ ثُمَّ وَقَفَ عَلَيْهِ طَوِيلاً يَدْعُو ثُمَّ خَرَجَ مِنْ بَابِ الْحَنَّاطِينَ وَتَوَجَّهَ قَالَ فَرَأَيْتُهُ فِي سَنَةِ سَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ وَدَّعَ الْبَيْتَ لَيْلاً يَسْتَلِمُ الرُّكْنَ الْيَمَانِيَّ وَالْحَجَرَ الأَسْوَدَ فِي كُلِّ شَوْطٍ فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي الشَّوْطِ السَّابِعِ الْتَزَمَ الْبَيْتَ فِي دُبُرِ الْكَعْبَةِ قَرِيباً مِنَ الرُّكْنِ الْيَمَانِيِّ وَفَوْقَ الْحَجَرِ الْمُسْتَطِيلِ وَكَشَفَ الثَّوْبَ عَنْ بَطْنِهِ ثُمَّ أَتَى الْحَجَرَ فَقَبَّلَهُ وَمَسَحَهُ وَخَرَجَ إِلَى الْمَقَامِ فَصَلَّى خَلْفَهُ ثُمَّ مَضَى وَلَمْ يَعُدْ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ وَكَانَ وُقُوفُهُ عَلَى الْمُلْتَزَمِ بِقَدْرِ مَا طَافَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا سَبْعَةَ أَشْوَاطٍ وَبَعْضُهُمْ ثَمَانِيَةً.

3. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Kufiy from Ali ibn Mahziyar who has said the following: “I saw Abu Ja`far, the second ‘Alayhi al-Salam, in the year 225 Hijriy, say farewell to the House after sunrise. He performed Tawaf around the House, touched al-Yemaniy corner every time he walked around the House. During the seventh, the last shawt (walking around the House) he touched that corner and the Black Stone. He touched with his hand and then wiped his hand over his face. He then went behind al-Maqam (station of Ibrahim (a.s.) ) then performed two Rak £ at salat (prayer). He then went behind al-Ka £ bah to al-Multazam. He kept his belly, without any covering, attached to the wall of the House. He then stood up for a long time, praying. He then went out through the door of al-Hannatin and turned his face to the House. I had seen him in the year 217 Hijriy saying farewell to the House during the night. He touched al-Yemaniy corner and the Black Stone every time he walked around the House. During the seventh shawt, he kept himself very close to the House at its backside near al-Yemaniy corner over the rectangular stone. He kept his belly attached to the wall of al-Ka‘bah without any covering. He then went to the Black Stone, kissed it, touched it and then went behind al-Maqam of Ibrahim (a.s.) and performed two Rak £ at salat (prayer). He then left and did not return to the House. His standing near al-Multazam was for such a long time as some of our people’s walking seven times and others’ eight times around the Ka £ bah.’” 

4ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْمَاعِيلَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) هُوَ ذَا أَخْرُجُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَمِنْ أَيْنَ أُوَدِّعُ الْبَيْتَ قَالَ تَأْتِي الْمُسْتَجَارَ بَيْنَ الْحَجَرِ وَالْبَابِ فَتُوَدِّعُهُ مِنْ ثَمَّ ثُمَّ تَخْرُجُ فَتَشْرَبُ مِنْ زَمْزَمَ ثُمَّ تَمْضِي فَقُلْتُ أَصُبُّ عَلَى رَأْسِي فَقَالَ لا تَقْرَبِ الصَّبَّ.

4. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu’alia’ ibn Muhammad from af-Hassan ibn Afi from Aban from Abu ‘Isma’ii who has said the following: “I once asked Abu `Abd Allah (a.s.), £ I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I am about to leave. Wherefrom should I say farewell to the House?’ He (the Imam) said, £ Go to al-Mustajar, between the door and the Black Stone, and say farewell from there, then leave and drink water from Zamzam then move on.’ I then asked, £ Can I pour water on my head?’ He (the Imam) said, Do not get near pouring.’” NOTE: Fatwa best explains Hadith 4 of this Chapter. 

5ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ النَّهْدِيِّ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ جَبَلَةَ عَنْ قُثَمَ بْنِ كَعْبٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) إِنَّكَ لَتُدْمِنُ الْحَجَّ قُلْتُ أَجَلْ قَالَ فَلْيَكُنْ آخِرُ عَهْدِكَ بِالْبَيْتِ أَنْ تَضَعَ يَدَكَ عَلَى الْبَابِ وَتَقُولَ الْمِسْكِينُ عَلَى بَابِكَ فَتَصَدَّقْ عَلَيْهِ بِالْجَنَّةِ. 

5. Af-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad ai-Nahdiy from Ya’qub ibn Yazid from ‘Abd Affah ibn Jabalah from Qutham ibn Ka‘b who has said the foilowing: “Abu `Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, £ Do you perform al-Hajj very often?’ I replied, £ Yes, I do so.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘During your last farewell of the House, you should place your hand at the door and say, “The destitute is standing at Your door. Give him paradise as charity.’”” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 3, Chapter 203