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 إِذَا أَتَيْتَ الْقَبْرَ الَّذِي بِالْبَقِيعِ فَاجْعَلْهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ ثُمَّ تَقُولُ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَئِمَّةَ الْهُدَى السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ التَّقْوَى السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمُ الْحُجَّةَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقُوَّامَ فِي الْبَرِيَّةِ بِالْقِسْطِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الصَّفْوَةِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ النَّجْوَى أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكُمْ قَدْ بَلَّغْتُمْ وَنَصَحْتُمْ وَصَبَرْتُمْ فِي ذَاتِ الله وَكُذِّبْتُمْ وَأُسِي‏ءَ إِلَيْكُمْ فَعَفَوْتُمْ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّكُمُ الأَئِمَّةُ الرَّاشِدُونَ الْمَهْدِيُّونَ وَأَنَّ طَاعَتَكُمْ مَفْرُوضَةٌ وَأَنَّ قَوْلَكُمُ الصِّدْقُ وَأَنَّكُمْ دَعَوْتُمْ فَلَمْ تُجَابُوا وَأَمَرْتُمْ فَلَمْ تُطَاعُوا وَأَنَّكُمْ دَعَائِمُ الدِّينِ وَأَرْكَانُ الأَرْضِ وَلَمْ تَزَالُوا بِعَيْنِ الله يَنْسَخُكُمْ فِي أَصْلابِ كُلِّ مُطَهَّرٍ وَيَنْقُلُكُمْ فِي أَرْحَامِ الْمُطَهَّرَاتِ لَمْ تُدَنِّسْكُمُ الْجَاهِلِيَّةُ الْجَهْلاءُ وَلَمْ تَشْرَكْ فِيكُمْ فِتَنُ الأَهْوَاءِ طِبْتُمْ وَطَابَ مَنْبِتُكُمْ مَنَّ بِكُمْ عَلَيْنَا دَيَّانُ الدِّينِ فَجَعَلَكُمْ فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ الله أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ وَجَعَلَ صَلَوَاتِنَا عَلَيْكُمْ رَحْمَةً لَنَا وَكَفَّارَةً لِذُنُوبِنَا إِذَا اخْتَارَكُمْ لَنَا وَطَيَّبَ خَلْقَنَا بِمَا مَنَّ بِهِ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ وَلايَتِكُمْ وَكُنَّا عِنْدَهُ مُسَمَّيْنَ بِفَضْلِكُمْ مُعْتَرِفِينَ بِتَصْدِيقِنَا إِيَّاكُمْ وَهَذَا مَقَامُ مَنْ أَسْرَفَ وَأَخْطَأَ وَاسْتَكَانَ وَأَقَرَّ بِمَا جَنَى وَرَجَا بِمَقَامِهِ الْخَلاصَ وَأَنْ يَسْتَنْقِذَهُ بِكُمْ مُسْتَنْقِذُ الْهَلْكَى مِنَ الرَّدَى فَكُونُوا لِي شُفَعَاءَ فَقَدْ وَفَدْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ إِذَا رَغِبَ عَنْكُمْ أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِ الله هُزُواً وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا عَنْهَا يَا مَنْ هُوَ قَائِمٌ لا يَسْهُو وَدَائِمٌ لا يَلْهُو وَمُحِيطٌ بِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ لَكَ الْمَنُّ بِمَا وَفَّقْتَنِي وَعَرَّفْتَنِي مِمَّا ائْتَمَنْتَنِي عَلَيْهِ إِذْ صَدَّ عَنْهُمْ عِبَادُكَ وَجَهِلُوا مَعْرِفَتَهُمْ وَاسْتَخَفُّوا بِحَقِّهِمْ وَمَالُوا إِلَى سِوَاهُمْ فَكَانَتِ الْمِنَّةُ مِنْكَ عَلَيَّ مَعَ أَقْوَامٍ خَصَصْتَهُمْ بِمَا خَصَصْتَنِي بِهِ فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ إِذْ كُنْتُ عِنْدَكَ فِي مَقَامِي هَذَا مَذْكُوراً مَكْتُوباً وَلا تَحْرِمْنِي مَا رَجَوْتُ وَلا تُخَيِّبْنِي فِيمَا دَعَوْتُ وَادْعُ لِنَفْسِكَ بِمَا أَحْبَبْتَ. 

1. The following is narrated in a mawquf and mursal manner who has narrated the following: (It seems as if it is part of Hadith 5 of previous Chapter narrated from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar). “When you go to the grave in al-Baqi‘ keep it in front of you and say, ‘(I hereby declare, affirm and acknowledge that you are ‘Alayhim al-Salam and my) submission to (your commandments), O leaders of (divine) guidance. (I hereby declare, affirm and acknowledge that you are ‘Alayhim al-Salam and my) submission to (your commandments), O people of piety. (I hereby declare, affirm and acknowledge that you are ‘Alayhim al-Salam and my) submission to (your commandments), O people who possess divine authority over the people of the world. (I hereby declare, affirm and acknowledge that you are ‘Alayhim al-Salam and my) submission to (your commandments) O executors of justice among people in the world. (I hereby declare, affirm and acknowledge that you are ‘Alayhim al-Salam and my) submission to (your commandments) O chosen ones. (I hereby declare, affirm and acknowledge that you are ‘Alayhim al-Salam and my) submission to (your commandments) O the ones with whom cherished conversation is worthwhile. I testify that you have preached (the divine message) and provided good advice, exercised patience for the cause of Allah, that you were rejected and that certain people treated you in wicked manners but you forgave. I testify that you are intelligent leaders, the well-guiding ones. Obedience to you is obligatory and your words speak the truth. I testify that you called (people to Allah) but you did not receive proper response, gave commands but were not obeyed. I testify that you are the pillars of religion and the cornerstones of earth. You continue to remain before the eyes (special attention) of Allah. He has kept you as offspring of clean generations and transferred you to clean wombs. The filth of total ignorance or the mischief of evil desires could not affect you. You are of noble birth as well as the noble place of growth. The Creator of religion and justice has done a great favor to us through you. He thus has placed you in such homes, which Allah wants to be made to stand high wherein His name is spoken of. He has made our asking Him to grant salawat (favors and compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause), a blessing for us and expiations for our sins; He has chosen you for us and has cleansed our creation through His favor of making you our guardians with divine authority. We were marked before Him to receive favors from you and that we affirm and acknowledge your divine authority. This is the place of one who has transgressed, slipped and shown his destitution and has confessed to his sins. He hopes in his place to be relieved and saved through you from destruction and condemnation. Be my intercessors, I have come to you when people of the world have turned away from you, have taken the signs of Allah in ridicule and have treated them with arrogance. O the One, who guards without making any mistakes, lives forever but never is playful and has encompassed all things, it is because of Your generosity that You have granted me this opportunity. (You have) introduced to me (my ’A’immah) what You have entrusted me with, when Your servants have kept away from them, lived in ignorance of knowing their high position, treated their rights as insignificant and inclined toward others. (What you have done for me) is because of Your generosity to me and to certain people whom You have given special attention. All praise belongs to You and thanks for the fact that You have kept me in this position, mentioned and listed me before You. Do not deprive me in what I hope for and do not fail me in my prayers.’ Pray for yourself and for whatever matter you like.” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 3, Chapter 220