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 عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ زِيَارَةُ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) أَفْضَلُ أَمْ زِيَارَةُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله الْحُسَيْنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فَقَالَ زِيَارَةُ أَبِي أَفْضَلُ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) يَزُورُهُ كُلُّ النَّاسِ وَأَبِي لا يَزُورُهُ إِلاَّ الْخَوَاصُّ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ali ibn Mahziyar who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), saying, ’I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, Is visiting al-Rida (a.s.), more virtuous or that of abu ‘ Abd Allah, al-Husayn (a.s.), more virtuous?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘Visiting my father is more virtuous; all people visit abu ‘Abd Allah, al-Husayn (a.s.), but only very special people of our followers visit my father.”’ 

2ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْكُوفِيِّ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَيْفٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَنْ رَجُلٍ حَجَّ حَجَّةَ الإِسْلامِ فَدَخَلَ مُتَمَتِّعاً بِالْعُمْرَةِ إِلَى الْحَجِّ فَأَعَانَهُ الله عَلَى عُمْرَتِهِ وَحَجِّهِ ثُمَّ أَتَى الْمَدِينَةَ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) ثُمَّ أَتَاكَ عَارِفاً بِحَقِّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ حُجَّةُ الله عَلَى خَلْقِهِ وَبَابُهُ الَّذِي يُؤْتَى مِنْهُ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْكَ ثُمَّ أَتَى أَبَا عَبْدِ الله الْحُسَيْنَ (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَتَى بَغْدَادَ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ إِلَى بِلادِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي وَقْتِ الْحَجِّ رَزَقَهُ الله الْحَجَّ فَأَيُّهُمَا أَفْضَلُ هَذَا الَّذِي قَدْ حَجَّ حَجَّةَ الإِسْلامِ يَرْجِعُ أَيْضاً فَيَحُجُّ أَوْ يَخْرُجُ إِلَى خُرَاسَانَ إِلَى أَبِيكَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فَيُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ لا بَلْ يَأْتِي خُرَاسَانَ فَيُسَلِّمُ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) أَفْضَلُ وَلْيَكُنْ ذَلِكَ فِي رَجَبٍ وَلا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ تَفْعَلُوا فِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ فَإِنَّ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ السُّلْطَانِ شُنْعَةً.

2. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Kufiy from al-Husayn ibn Sayf from Muhammad ibn Aslam from Muhammad ibn Sulayman who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘A man has performed al-Hajjahta al-Islam, he then commences al-Hajj with al-‘Umrah, and Allah grants him the opportunity to complete his al-Hajj and al-‘Umrah. He then comes to al-Madinah and offers his greeting of peace to the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. Then he comes to you with proper understanding of your rights that you possess authority from Allah over His creatures and that you are the door through which they can go to Him. He then comes to you saying, “(I hereby declare, affirm and acknowledge that you are a ‘Alayhi al-Salam and my) submission to (your commandments) and offer my greeting of peace to you.” He then goes to abu ‘Abd Allah, al-Husayn (a.s.), and offers him his greeting of peace. He then goes to Baghdad and offers his greeting of peace to abu al-Hassan Musa (a.s.). He then goes to his home. When al-Hajj season comes, Allah then grants him the opportunity to perform al-Hajj. Which one is more virtuous; is performing al-Hajj al-Islam then going for al-Hajj again, or instead going to Khurasan to visit your father, Ali ibn Musa (a.s.), and offering him his greeting of peace?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, but he should go to Khuransan to offer his greeting of peace to abu al- Hassan (a.s.). It is more virtuous; but this should be done in the month of Rajab. You should do this these days, because the sultan will deride us and you as well.’” 

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ عَنْ حَمْدَانَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) أَوْ حُكِيَ لِي عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) الشَّكُّ مِنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) مَنْ زَارَ قَبْرَ أَبِي بِطُوسَ غَفَرَ الله لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ قَالَ فَحَجَجْتُ بَعْدَ الزِّيَارَةِ فَلَقِيتُ أَيُّوبَ بْنَ نُوحٍ فَقَالَ لِي قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) مَنْ زَارَ قَبْرَ أَبِي بِطُوسَ غَفَرَ الله لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ وَبَنَى الله لَهُ مِنْبَراً فِي حِذَاءِ مِنْبَرِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِما السَّلاَم) حَتَّى يَفْرُغَ الله مِنْ حِسَابِ الْخَلائِقِ فَرَأَيْتُهُ وَقَدْ زَارَ فَقَالَ جِئْتُ أَطْلُبُ الْمِنْبَرَ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ali ibn Ibrahim al-Ja’fariy from Hamdan ibn Ishaq who has said the following: “I heard abu Ja‘far, or it was narrated to me from abu Ja‘far (a.s.)”, -uncertainty is from Ali ibn Ibrahim- “that abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Whoever visits my father in Tus (Iran), Allah forgives his sins of the past and those that comes later on.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I then performed al-Hajj after Ziyarat (visit). Thereafter, I met Ayyub ibn Nuh who said to me, ‘Abu Ja‘far, the 2nd (a.s.), has said, “Whoever visits the grave of my father in Tus, Allah forgives his sins of the past and that which come later. Allah builds for his use a pulpit, parallel to those for Muhammad and Ali, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, until He will complete all creatures, accounting.’” I (the narrator) saw him when he already had visited and said, ‘I have come to claim my pulpit.’” 

4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ النَّيْسَابُورِيِّ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْمَكِّيِّ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ الْمَازِنِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ مَنْ زَارَ قَبْرَ وَلَدِي عَلِيٍّ كَانَ لَهُ عِنْدَ الله كَسَبْعِينَ حَجَّةً مَبْرُورَةً قَالَ قُلْتُ سَبْعِينَ حَجَّةً قَالَ نَعَمْ وَسَبْعِينَ أَلْفَ حَجَّةٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفَ حَجَّةٍ قَالَ رُبَّ حَجَّةٍ لا تُقْبَلُ مَنْ زَارَهُ وَبَاتَ عِنْدَهُ لَيْلَةً كَانَ كَمَنْ زَارَ الله فِي عَرْشِهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ كَانَ عَلَى عَرْشِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَرْبَعَةٌ مِنَ الأَوَّلِينَ وَأَرْبَعَةٌ مِنَ الآخِرِينَ فَأَمَّا الأَرْبَعَةُ الَّذِينَ هُمْ مِنَ الأَوَّلِينَ فَنُوحٌ وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى (عَلَيْهِم السَّلاَم) وَأَمَّا الأَرْبَعَةُ مِنَ الآخِرِينَ فَمُحَمَّدٌ وَعَلِيٌّ وَالْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ صَلَوَاتُ الله عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ يُمَدُّ الْمِضْمَارُ فَيَقْعُدُ مَعَنَا مَنْ زَارَ قُبُورَ الأَئِمَّةِ (عَلَيْهِم السَّلاَم) إِلاَّ أَنَّ أَعْلاهُمْ دَرَجَةً وَأَقْرَبَهُمْ حَبْوَةً زُوَّارُ قَبْرِ وَلَدِي عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم).

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Naysaburiy from Ibrahim ibn Ahmad from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa‘id al-Makkiy from Yahya’ ibn Sulayman al-Mazeniy who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), has said, ‘Whoever visits the grave of my son, Ali it is before Allah like performing seventy thousand well-performed accepted Hajjah.’ He (the narrator) said, I asked, ‘Is it seventy well-performed Hajjah?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, and it is seventy thousand Hajjah.’ I then said, ‘Seventy thousand Hajjah!’ He (the Imam) said, ‘A Hajjah perhaps is not accepted. One who visits him and spends the night near his grave is as if one’s visiting Allah in His Throne. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, on the Day of Judgment, on the Throne of the Beneficent there will be four from those of the earlier times and four from the latter generations. The four from the earlier generations are Nuh, Ibrahim, Moses and Jesus, ‘Alayhim al-Salam. The four from the later generations are Muhammad, Ali, al-Hassan and al-Husayn, ‘Alayhim al-Salam. Thereafter, the leveling tool is applied and along with us will sit those who have visited the graves of ’A’immah, and among them of the highest degree and the first to receive gifts are those who have visited the grave of my son, Ali (a.s.).”’ 

5ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ زَيْدٍ الشَّحَّامِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) مَا لِمَنْ زَارَ رَسُولَ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قَالَ كَمَنْ زَارَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَوْقَ عَرْشِهِ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَمَا لِمَنْ زَارَ أَحَداً مِنْكُمْ قَالَ كَمَنْ زَارَ رَسُولَ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه).

5. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from Salih ibn ‘Uqbah from Zayd al-Shahham who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘What is the reward for one who visits the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is like visiting Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, on His Throne.’ He (the narrator) has said that I then asked, ‘What is the reward for one who visits any one of you?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is like visiting the Messenger of Allah.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 3, Chapter 235