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 عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فِي قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌ مَعْلُوماتٌ فَمَنْ فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ الْحَجَّ فَلا رَفَثَ وَلا فُسُوقَ وَلا جِدالَ فِي الْحَجِّ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ اشْتَرَطَ عَلَى النَّاسِ شَرْطاً وَشَرَطَ لَهُمْ شَرْطاً قُلْتُ فَمَا الَّذِي اشْتَرَطَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَا الَّذِي اشْتَرَطَ لَهُمْ فَقَالَ أَمَّا الَّذِي اشْتَرَطَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَإِنَّهُ قَالَ الْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌ مَعْلُوماتٌ فَمَنْ فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ الْحَجَّ فَلا رَفَثَ وَلا فُسُوقَ وَلا جِدالَ فِي الْحَجِّ وَأَمَّا مَا شَرَطَ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّهُ قَالَ فَمَنْ تَعَجَّلَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ فَلا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ تَأَخَّرَ فَلا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ لِمَنِ اتَّقى‏ قَالَ يَرْجِعُ لا ذَنْبَ لَهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ أَ رَأَيْتَ مَنِ ابْتُلِيَ بِالْفُسُوقِ مَا عَلَيْهِ قَالَ لَمْ يَجْعَلِ الله لَهُ حَدّاً يَسْتَغْفِرُ الله وَيُلَبِّي قُلْتُ فَمَنِ ابْتُلِيَ بِالْجِدَالِ مَا عَلَيْهِ قَالَ إِذَا جَادَلَ فَوْقَ مَرَّتَيْنِ فَعَلَى الْمُصِيبِ دَمٌ يُهَرِيقُهُ وَعَلَى الْمُخْطِىِ بَقَرَةٌ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthaman from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “This is about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘The months of al-Hajj are well known. Those who make al-Hajj obligatory upon themselves in these months, must take notice that there is no sexual relation, lying and swearing in al-Hajj.’ (2:196) Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has set one condition against people and one condition for them.’ I then asked, ‘What is the condition against them and what is for them?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The one against them is, “The months of al-Hajj are well known. Those who make al-Hajj obligatory upon themselves in these months must take notice that there is no sexual relation, lying and swearing in al-Hajj” and the one for them is, “Those who are two days earlier, it is not a sin and those who are two days later, it is not a sin for those who observe piety.’” (2:202) He (the Imam) said, ‘He comes back with no sins on him.’ I then asked, ‘What is against one who sins?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘What is against him is not definite but he must plead for forgiveness and say Talbiyah.’ I then asked, ‘What is against one who quarrels?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If one quarrels and argues more than twice because of it if true there is one animal to offer as expiation and if wrong, there is one cow to slaughter as expiation.’” 

2ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سِنَانٍ فِي قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَأَتِمُّوا الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ لله قَالَ إِتْمَامُهَا أَنْ لا رَفَثَ وَلا فُسُوقَ وَلا جِدَالَ فِي الْحَجِّ.

2. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “About the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘Complete al-Hajj and al-‘Umrah for the sake of Allah,’ (2:195) he (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘The completion means, no sexual relation, lying and swearing in al-Hajj.’” 

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى وَابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ جَمِيعاً عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) إِذَا أَحْرَمْتَ فَعَلَيْكَ بِتَقْوَى الله وَذِكْرِ الله كَثِيراً وَقِلَّةِ الْكَلامِ إِلاَّ بِخَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ مِنْ تَمَامِ الْحَجِّ وَالْعُمْرَةِ أَنْ يَحْفَظَ الْمَرْءُ لِسَانَهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ كَمَا قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَإِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ فَمَنْ فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ الْحَجَّ فَلا رَفَثَ وَلا فُسُوقَ وَلا جِدالَ فِي الْحَجِّ وَالرَّفَثُ الْجِمَاعُ وَالْفُسُوقُ الْكَذِبُ وَالسِّبَابُ وَالْجِدَالُ قَوْلُ الرَّجُلِ لا وَالله وَبَلَى وَالله وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا حَلَفَ بِثَلاثِ أَيْمَانٍ وِلاءً فِي مَقَامٍ وَاحِدٍ وَهُوَ مُحْرِمٌ فَقَدْ جَادَلَ فَعَلَيْهِ دَمٌ يُهَرِيقُهُ وَيَتَصَدَّقُ بِهِ وَإِذَا حَلَفَ يَمِيناً وَاحِدَةً كَاذِبَةً فَقَدْ جَادَلَ وَعَلَيْهِ دَمٌ يُهَرِيقُهُ وَيَتَصَدَّقُ بِهِ وَقَالَ اتَّقِ الْمُفَاخَرَةَ وَعَلَيْكَ بِوَرَعٍ يَحْجُزُكَ عَنْ مَعَاصِي الله فَإِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ ثُمَّ لْيَقْضُوا تَفَثَهُمْ وَلْيُوفُوا نُذُورَهُمْ وَلْيَطَّوَّفُوا بِالْبَيْتِ الْعَتِيقِ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله مِنَ التَّفَثِ أَنْ تَتَكَلَّمَ فِي إِحْرَامِكَ بِكَلامٍ قَبِيحٍ فَإِذَا دَخَلْتَ مَكَّةَ وَطُفْتَ بِالْبَيْتِ وَتَكَلَّمْتَ بِكَلامٍ طَيِّبٍ فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ كَفَّارَةً قَالَ وَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَقُولُ لا لَعَمْرِي وَبَلَى لَعَمْرِي قَالَ لَيْسَ هَذَا مِنَ الْجِدَالِ إِنَّمَا الْجِدَالُ لا وَالله وَبَلَى وَالله.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from and Muhammad ibn ‘Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Safwan ibn Yahya and Ibn Abi ‘Umayr all from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When you assume the state of Ihram you must maintain piety before Allah. You must speak of Allah very often, talk very little unless it is for good reasons, of the completion of al-Hajj and al-‘Umrah is safeguarding one’s tongue except in what is good. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has said, “Those who make al-Hajj obligatory upon themselves must take notice that there is no sexual relation, lying, abusing and swearing in al-Hajj.” (2:197) Swearing means to say, “No, by Allah, yes, by Allah.” One must take notice that when a man swears three times at one place in the state of Ihram, he has committed al-Jidal (swearing), and he must offer an animal offering and give it as charity. For swearing only once which is a lie, he has committed al-Jidal (swearing), he must offer an animal offering and give it as charity.’ He (the Imam) has said, ‘Avoid boastfulness and you must stay away from sins in obedience to Allah; Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, says, “Then you must remove the dirt away from you, fulfill your vows and perform Tawaf around the free House.’” (21:28) Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is of al-Tafath (dirt) to speak improper words. When you enter Makkah, perform Tawaf around the House and speak nice words, it will be expiation (for speaking improper words).’ I asked him (the Imam) about the man who says, ‘No, I swear by my life, yes, by my life.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘That is not swearing. Swearing is saying, ‘No, by Allah, yes, by Allah.’” 

4ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا (عَلَيْهِما السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِذَا حَلَفَ ثَلاثَ أَيْمَانٍ مُتَتَابِعَاتٍ صَادِقاً فَقَدْ جَادَلَ وَعَلَيْهِ دَمٌ وَإِذَا حَلَفَ بِيَمِينٍ وَاحِدَةٍ كَاذِباً فَقَدْ جَادَلَ وَعَلَيْهِ دَمٌ.

4. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from abu Basir who has said the following: “One of the two Imam, (abu Ja’far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said, ’If one swears three times, one immediately after the other and they are true, he has committed Jidal (swearing) and he owes one animal offering. If one swears one false swearing, he has committed Jidal (swearing) and he owes one animal offering/” 

5ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْمُحْرِمِ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ الْعَمَلَ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَالله لا تَعْمَلْهُ فَيَقُولُ وَالله لأَعْمَلَنَّهُ فَيُخَالِفُهُ مِرَاراً أَ يَلْزَمُهُ مَا يَلْزَمُ صَاحِبَ الْجِدَالِ قَالَ لا إِنَّمَا أَرَادَ بِهَذَا إِكْرَامَ أَخِيهِ إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ مَا كَانَ لله فِيهِ مَعْصِيَةٌ.

5. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muskan from abu Basir who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who in the state of Ihram wants to do something and says to his friend, ’By Allah, you must not do it.’ He says, ’By Allah, I certainly want to do it.’ He opposes him several times. What does the swearing one owe? He (the Imam) said, ‘No, by this he meant to respect his brother. That which involves expiation is when Allah is disobeyed thereby.’” 

6ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ أَبِي الْمَغْرَاءِ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ خَالِدٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) يَقُولُ فِي الْجِدَالِ شَاةٌ وَفِي السِّبَابِ وَالْفُسُوقِ بَقَرَةٌ وَالرَّفَثِ فَسَادُ الْحَجِّ. 

6. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from abu al- Mighra’ from Sulayman ibn Khalid who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘The expiation for abusing and swearing is a cow and because of sexual relation al-Hajj becomes invalid.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 3, Chapter 82