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 مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِمْرَانَ الْعِجْلِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) أَيَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ كَانَ مَوْضِعُ الْبَيْتِ حَيْثُ كَانَ الْمَاءُ فِي قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَكانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْماءِ قَالَ كَانَ مَهَاةً بَيْضَاءَ يَعْنِي دُرَّةً.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Muhammad ibn ‘Imran al-‘Ijliy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), ’How was the site of the House when there was water? Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has said, “His Throne was on the water. . . (11:9) He (the Imam) replied, ‘It was Mahat, a white diamond.’” 

2ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَائِذٍ عَنْ أَبِي خَدِيجَةَ قَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْزَلَ الْحَجَرَ لآِدَمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَكَانَ الْبَيْتُ دُرَّةً بَيْضَاءَ فَرَفَعَهُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَبَقِيَ أُسُّهُ وَهُوَ بِحِيَالِ هَذَا الْبَيْتِ يَدْخُلُهُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ لا يَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَبَداً فَأَمَرَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ (عَلَيْهِما السَّلاَم) بِبُنْيَانِ الْبَيْتِ عَلَى الْقَوَاعِدِ.

2. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ from Ahmad ibn ‘A’idh from abu Khadijah who, in a maqtu‘ manner has said the following: “ He (the Imam), has said that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, brought down the Stone for Adam from paradise. The House was a white diamond. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, took it to the heaven but its base remained, and it is the site of the House, wherein seventy thousand angels come every day and they never return to this site. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, then commanded Ibrahim and Isma‘il, ‘Alayhima al-Salam, and they built the House on the pillars (on that base).”’ 

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ عَنْ صَالِحٍ اللَّفَائِفِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ دَحَا الأَرْضَ مِنْ تَحْتِ الْكَعْبَةِ إِلَى مِنًى ثُمَّ دَحَاهَا مِنْ مِنًى إِلَى عَرَفَاتٍ ثُمَّ دَحَاهَا مِنْ عَرَفَاتٍ إِلَى مِنًى فَالأَرْضُ مِنْ عَرَفَاتٍ وَعَرَفَاتٌ مِنْ مِنًى وَمِنًى مِنَ الْكَعْبَةِ.

3. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Mansur ibn al-‘Abbas from Salih al-Lafa’ifiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, extended the land from beneath the Ka‘bah to Mina, then from Mina to ‘Arafat, then from ‘Arafat to Mina. Earth is from ‘Arafat, ‘Arafat is from Mina and Mina is from al-Ka‘bah.” 

4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ هِلالٍ عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الله الْهَاشِمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ كَانَ مَوْضِعُ الْكَعْبَةِ رَبْوَةً مِنَ الأَرْضِ بَيْضَاءَ تُضِي‏ءُ كَضَوْءِ الشَّمْسِ وَالْقَمَرِ حَتَّى قَتَلَ ابْنَا آدَمَ أَحَدُهُمَا صَاحِبَهُ فَاسْوَدَّتْ فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ آدَمُ رَفَعَ الله لَهُ الأَرْضَ كُلَّهَا حَتَّى رَآهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ هَذِهِ لَكَ كُلُّهَا قَالَ يَا رَبِّ مَا هَذِهِ الأَرْضُ الْبَيْضَاءُ الْمُنِيرَةُ قَالَ هِيَ فِي أَرْضِي وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَطُوفَ بِهَا كُلَّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعَمِائَةِ طَوَافٍ.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Ahmad ibn Hilal from ‘Isa ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Hashimiy from his father who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the site of al-Ka‘bah was a white mount of land that shone like the sun and moon until one of the sons of Adam killed the other son of Adam, and thereafter it turned black. When Adam descended, Allah then raised the whole earth for him until he saw it. He then said, ‘This is all for you. He then asked, ‘Lord, what is this white land that shines?’ He replied, ‘That is (in) My land. I have made it obligatory upon you to walk around it seven hundred times every day.’” 

5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ عَنْ عِدَّةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ الثُّمَالِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ لأَيِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ سَمَّاهُ الله الْعَتِيقَ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ بَيْتٍ وَضَعَهُ الله عَلَى وَجْهِ الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ لَهُ رَبٌّ وَسُكَّانٌ يَسْكُنُونَهُ غَيْرَ هَذَا الْبَيْتِ فَإِنَّهُ لا رَبَّ لَهُ إِلاَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَهُوَ الْحُرُّ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَهُ قَبْلَ الأَرْضِ ثُمَّ خَلَقَ الأَرْضَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ فَدَحَاهَا مِنْ تَحْتِهِ.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Marwan from a number of our people from abu Hamzah al-Thumaliy who has said the following: “I once in the sacred Masjid asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘For what reason has Allah named it al-‘Atiq (freed)?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘Every house that Allah has established on earth has a master and inhabitants who live there, except this House which has no master except Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious. This is free.’ He then said, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, created it before the earth, then He created the earth and extended it from underneath the House.’” 

6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَمَّنْ أَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ لِمَ سُمِّيَ الْبَيْتُ الْعَتِيقَ قَالَ هُوَ بَيْتٌ حُرٌّ عَتِيقٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ لَمْ يَمْلِكْهُ أَحَدٌ.

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from those whom he has mentioned (in his book) who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘Why is the House called free House?’ He (the Imam) replied, ’It is a free house. It is free from people; no one owns it.’” 

7ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ سَيْفِ بْنِ عَمِيرَةَ عَنْ أَبِي زُرَارَةَ التَّمِيمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي حَسَّانَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ لَمَّا أَرَادَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ الأَرْضَ أَمَرَ الرِّيَاحَ فَضَرَبْنَ وَجْهَ الْمَاءِ حَتَّى صَارَ مَوْجاً ثُمَّ أَزْبَدَ فَصَارَ زَبَداً وَاحِداً فَجَمَعَهُ فِي مَوْضِعِ الْبَيْتِ ثُمَّ جَعَلَهُ جَبَلاً مِنْ زَبَدٍ ثُمَّ دَحَا الأَرْضَ مِنْ تَحْتِهِ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبارَكاً. وَرَوَاهُ أَيْضاً عَنْ سَيْفِ بْنِ عَمِيرَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الْحَضْرَمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) مِثْلَهُ.

7. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Sayf ibn ‘Amirah from abu Zurarah al-Tamimiy from abu Hassan who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘When Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, decided to create the earth, He commanded the air to stir the surface of the water to raise waves, which then turned into scum that was collected on the site of the House. He then made it a mountain of scum, then He extended the earth from underneath the House and that is what Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has spoken of, “The first house established for people was that which is in Bakkah, the blessed one.” (3:95)’” This is narrated from Sayf ibn ‘Amirah from abu Bakr al-Hadramiy from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) also. 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 3, Chapter 3