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 عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا صَبَّاحٌ الْحَذَّاءُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) يَقُولُ لَوْ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْكُمْ إِذَا أَرَادَ السَّفَرَ قَامَ عَلَى بَابِ دَارِهِ تِلْقَاءَ وَجْهِهِ الَّذِي يَتَوَجَّهُ لَهُ فَقَرَأَ فَاتِحَةَ الْكِتَابِ أَمَامَهُ وَعَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَعَنْ شِمَالِهِ وَآيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ أَمَامَهُ وَعَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَعَنْ شِمَالِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللهمَّ احْفَظْنِي وَاحْفَظْ مَا مَعِي وَسَلِّمْنِي وَسَلِّمْ مَا مَعِي وَبَلِّغْنِي وَبَلِّغْ مَا مَعِي بِبَلاغِكَ الْحَسَنِ لَحَفِظَهُ الله وَحَفِظَ مَا مَعَهُ وَسَلَّمَهُ وَسَلَّمَ مَا مَعَهُ وَبَلَّغَهُ وَبَلَّغَ مَا مَعَهُ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا صَبَّاحُ أَ مَا رَأَيْتَ الرَّجُلَ يُحْفَظُ وَلا يُحْفَظُ مَا مَعَهُ وَيَسْلَمُ وَلا يَسْلَمُ مَا مَعَهُ وَيَبْلُغُ وَلا يَبْلُغُ مَا مَعَهُ قُلْتُ بَلَى جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Musa ibn al-Qasim from Sabah al-Hadhdha’ who has said the following: “I once heard Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.), say, ‘When one of your people decides to leave for a journey, he should stand at the door of his house. He should face the direction of his journey, read Chapter one of the Holy Quran to his front, right and left side. He then should read Ayatu al-Kursiy (verse 255 of Chapter two) to his front, right and left side, then say, “O Allah, protect me and whatever is with me, keep me and whatever is with me safe, move me and whatever is with me with Your best moving means to our destination.” Allah protects him and whatever is with him, keeps him and whatever is with him safe, and moves him and whatever is with him to his destination.’” “He (the Imam) then said, ‘O Sabbah, ‘Have you seen a person is protected but not what is with him, kept safe but not what is with him and helped to reach his destination but not what is with him?’ I replied, ‘Yes, I have seen. I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause.’” 

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ وَصَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى جَمِيعاً عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِذَا خَرَجْتَ مِنْ بَيْتِكَ تُرِيدُ الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ إِنْ شَاءَ الله فَادْعُ دُعَاءَ الْفَرَجِ وَهُوَ لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الله الْحَلِيمُ الْكَرِيمُ لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الله الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ سُبْحَانَ الله رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبِّ الأَرَضِينَ السَّبْعِ وَرَبِّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ وَالْحَمْدُ لله رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ثُمَّ قُلْ اللهمَّ كُنْ لِي جَاراً مِنْ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ وَمِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ مَرِيدٍ ثُمَّ قُلْ بِسْمِ الله دَخَلْتُ وَبِسْمِ الله خَرَجْتُ وَفِي سَبِيلِ الله اللهمَّ إِنِّي أُقَدِّمُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ نِسْيَانِي وَعَجَلَتِي بِسْمِ الله وَمَا شَاءَ الله فِي سَفَرِي هَذَا ذَكَرْتُهُ أَوْ نَسِيتُهُ اللهمَّ أَنْتَ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى الأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا وَأَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْخَلِيفَةُ فِي الأَهْلِ اللهمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا وَاطْوِ لَنَا الأَرْضَ وَسَيِّرْنَا فِيهَا بِطَاعَتِكَ وَطَاعَةِ رَسُولِكَ اللهمَّ أَصْلِحْ لَنَا ظَهْرَنَا وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِيمَا رَزَقْتَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ اللهمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ وَكَآبَةِ الْمُنْقَلَبِ وَسُوءِ الْمَنْظَرِ فِي الأَهْلِ وَالْمَالِ وَالْوَلَدِ اللهمَّ أَنْتَ عَضُدِي وَنَاصِرِي بِكَ أَحُلُّ وَبِكَ أَسِيرُ اللهمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ فِي سَفَرِي هَذَا السُّرُورَ وَالْعَمَلَ بِمَا يُرْضِيكَ عَنِّي اللهمَّ اقْطَعْ عَنِّي بُعْدَهُ وَمَشَقَّتَهُ وَاصْحَبْنِي فِيهِ وَاخْلُفْنِي فِي أَهْلِي بِخَيْرٍ وَلا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِالله اللهمَّ إِنِّي عَبْدُكَ وَهَذَا حُمْلانُكَ وَالْوَجْهُ وَجْهُكَ وَالسَّفَرُ إِلَيْكَ وَقَدِ اطَّلَعْتَ عَلَى مَا لَمْ يَطَّلِعْ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ فَاجْعَلْ سَفَرِي هَذَا كَفَّارَةً لِمَا قَبْلَهُ مِنْ ذُنُوبِي وَكُنْ عَوْناً لِي عَلَيْهِ وَاكْفِنِي وَعْثَهُ وَمَشَقَّتَهُ وَلَقِّنِّي مِنَ الْقَوْلِ وَالْعَمَلِ رِضَاكَ فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَبِكَ وَلَكَ فَإِذَا جَعَلْتَ رِجْلَكَ فِي الرِّكَابِ فَقُلْ بِسْمِ الله الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ بِسْمِ الله وَالله أَكْبَرُ فَإِذَا اسْتَوَيْتَ عَلَى رَاحِلَتِكَ وَاسْتَوَى بِكَ مَحْمِلُكَ فَقُلْ الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِلإِسْلامِ وَعَلَّمَنَا الْقُرْآنَ وَمَنَّ عَلَيْنَا بِمُحَمَّدٍ (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) سُبْحَانَ الله سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ وَالْحَمْدُ لله رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ اللهمَّ أَنْتَ الْحَامِلُ عَلَى الظَّهْرِ وَالْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى الأَمْرِ اللهمَّ بَلِّغْنَا بَلاغاً يَبْلُغُ إِلَى خَيْرٍ بَلاغاً يَبْلُغُ إِلَى مَغْفِرَتِكَ وَرِضْوَانِكَ اللهمَّ لا طَيْرَ إِلاَّ طَيْرُكَ وَلا خَيْرَ إِلاَّ خَيْرُكَ وَلا حَافِظَ غَيْرُكَ.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father, from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr and Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr and Safwan ibn Yahya all from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when you come out of your house with the intention to perform al-Hajj and al-‘Umrah, by the will of Allah, read the prayer of good tidings. ‘No one, except Allah, who is forbearing and gracious, deserves worship. No one, except Allah, the most High, the most Great, deserves worship. Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and seven earths, Lord of the great Throne, is free of all defects and all praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds.’ Thereafter say, ‘O Allah, be my protector against every unjust and hostile person and condemn Satan.’ Then say, ‘I with the name of Allah enter and with the name of Allah I come out, and for the sake of Allah is my journey. O Allah, to overcome my forgetfulness and hastiness, I have begun in the name of Allah and by the will of Allah during my journey, whether I will remember it or forget it (such expressions). O Allah, You are the helper in all of my affairs and You are the companion during the journey and the Deputy in the family. O Allah, make this journey for us easy, make its length shorter, and make us travel in Your obedience and in obedience to You Messenger, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. O Allah, keep our supplies in good condition, place blessings in the sustenance You have granted us and protect us against the hellfire. O Allah, I seek protection with You against fatigue during my journey, sadness during my return, evil appearance with my possession and before my family. O Allah, from You is my power and support. By Your power I disembark and travel. O Allah, I appeal before You during this journey for happiness and such deeds, which You will like. O Allah, reduce for me the length of this journey and its hardships, be my Companion during this journey and my Deputy in my family with goodness. There is no means and power except the means and power of Allah. O Allah, I am Your servant, this is Your transporting animal, the direction, the journey is toward You, and You have information about matters, which no one beside You has. Make this journey an expiation for my sins that I have committed before this journey. Be my supporter during this journey and suffice for me its fatigue and hardships. Dictate to me the words and deeds that make You happy; I am Your servant with You and for You.’ When you place your foot in the stirrup of the saddle say, ‘In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful, in the name of Allah and Allah is great beyond description.’ When you are in place on the saddle and have taken your place in the carriage say, ‘All praise belongs to Allah who guided us to al-Islam, taught us the Quran and has bestowed upon us Muhammad (SAW). Allah is free of all defects. Allah is free of all defects and it is He who has made this subservient to us. We were not able to do it on our own. To our Lord, we certainly return. All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds. O Allah, You are the carrier on the backs of transport animal and the helper in the matter. O Allah, move us to our destination in the best condition of moving, a moving condition, which will take us to Your forgiveness and happiness. O Allah, there is no omen except Your omen; there is no goodness except Your goodness; and there is no protector except You.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 3, Chapter 46