Virtue and Excellence of Serving in the Army

Jihad of Man and Woman

Kinds of Jihad (struggle)

To Whom Does the Obligation of Jihad Apply, and to Whom it Does not Apply

Mobilization Along with People when there is Fear for al-Islam

Under Whose Command Obligatory Jihad Takes Place?

‘Amr ibn ‘Ubayd and al-Mu’taziliy Groups’ Visiting abu ‘Abd Allah ‘Alayhi al-Salam

The Recommendations of the Messenger of Allah and Amir al-Mu’minin, about Smaller Armed Expeditions

Chapter 9(a) - Granting Immunity

Chapter 9(b)

Chapter 9(c)

Challenging the Enemy for a Fight

Kindness to the Prisoners and Providing Him Food

Calling to al-Islam before Fighting

Chapter 13(a) - Matters about which Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s), Recommended at the Time of War

Chapter 13(b)

It is not Lawful for a Muslim to Reside in a War Zone

Chapter 15(a) - Distribution of the Properties Captured from the Enemy

Chapter 15(b)

Chapter 15(c)

The Slogan

The Virtue of Maintaining Horses, Racing and Sharp Shooting Contests

Man’s Defending Himself Against the Thief

The Case of one Murdered over His Stolen Property

Chapter 20(a) - The Excellence of Martyrdom

Chapter 20(b)

Chapter 20(c)

Commanding others what is Obligatory and to Prohibit them from doing Evil

Chapter 22(a) - Rejecting Evil in one’s Heart

Chapter 22(b)

The Case of those who Displease the Creator to Please the Creatures

It is Detestable to Expose One’s Self to What He Cannot Endure

Al-Sufiy People’s Visiting Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam

The Meaning of Zuhd (Asceticism)

Using the Worldly Resources as Means for Success in the Hereafter

The Degree Of Efforts Which One Must Make In Search For One’s Sustenance To Follow In the Footsteps of ‘A’immah ‘Alayhim al-Salam

Promoting The Quest For Sustenance And Work To Make A Living

Al^Ibla’ (Trying) in the Work for Living

Meticulous Effort to Make a Living

Receiving Sustenance from Unexpected Sources

The Detestability of Sleeping and Passing Time without Work

Detestability of Laziness

One’s Working in His House

Amending one’s Properties and Planning for one’s Living

Hard Work for the Family

Earning Lawful kind of Sustenance

Saving for One’s Living Expenses

Detestability of Offering Oneself for Hire

Performing Personally one’s Business Tasks

Buying and Selling Real Estate

Debts and Borrowing

Payment of Debts

To Retaliate and Offset for Debts

When a Man Dies Payment of his Debts becomes Due

The Case of One Who Borrows But Does Not Intend To Pay Back

Sell off Debts in Exchange for Debts

Etiquette of Asking for Payment

The Case of Delaying Due Payment

Lodging With a Borrower When Demanding Payment

Chapter 28(a) - The Case of Gift to a Creditor

Chapter 28(b) - Bail out and Assignment or Referral

Working for al-Sultan and his Rewards

The Conditions to Work for al-Sultan

Selling Arms to al- Sultan

The Crafts (Technologies)

The Legal Status of Income from Cupping Operation

Income from Eulogizing Someone to Make People Mourn

The Legal Status of Income from Hairdressing and Circumcising

The Legal Status of the Income of Female Singer from Singing and Selling Singers (Slave-girls)

The Legal Status of Income from Teaching

The legal Status of Income from Selling Copies of the Holy Quran

Gambling and Looting

Earning in Unlawful ways

Unlawful Earnings in the form of al-Suht such as Buying and Selling of Intoxicating Liquors . . .

Consuming the Properties of Orphans

The Amount a Supervisor of the Properties of Orphans Can Lawfully Use

Using the Properties of Orphans in Business and Lending

Safe Return of Trust

A Father and Son’s Using Each Others Properties

A Husband and Wife’s Using Each Other’s Properties

Found and Lost Properties

Gifts and Presents

Rule about Unlawful Interest

Unlawful Interest Does Not Apply Between a Father and Son

The Excellence of Doing Business and Giving It Proper Attention

Etiquettes of Doing Business

Excellence of Keeping Accounts and Books

Entering the Market Before Others

Speaking of Allah, Most High, in the Market

Words to Say When Buying for Resale Purposes

People With Whom Doing Business Is Not Recommended

Using Proper and Improper Measurements in Business

Cheating in Business

Swearing at the Time of Buying and Selling

The Case of Prices of Goods

The Case of Monopolization (Hoarding) Goods in Public Demand

Another Chapter

Excellence of Buying Wheat and Food

Detestability of Estimating and Preferability of Using Measurements

Continuing Profitable Businesses

1- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) أَوْ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) النِّسَاءُ أَرْبَعٌ جَامِعٌ مُجْمِعٌ وَرَبِيعٌ مُرْبِعٌ وَكَرْبٌ مُقْمِعٌ وَغُلٌّ قَمِلٌ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from af-Nawfafiy from af-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, or ‘Amir al- Mu’minin has said, ‘Women are of four kinds: a universal goodness, a fountain of breeding, an oppressive over-burdening or feed for parasites.”’ 

2- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الصَّبَّاحِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مُصْعَبٍ الزُّبَيْرِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِما السَّلام) وَجَلَسْنَا إِلَيْهِ فِي مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَتَذَاكَرْنَا أَمْرَ النِّسَاءِ فَأَكْثَرْنَا الْخَوْضَ وَهُوَ سَاكِتٌ لا يَدْخُلُ فِي حَدِيثِنَا بِحَرْفٍ فَلَمَّا سَكَتْنَا قَالَ أَمَّا الْحَرَائِرُ فَلا تَذْكُرُوهُنَّ وَلَكِنْ خَيْرُ الْجَوَارِي مَا كَانَ لَكَ فِيهَا هَوًى وَكَانَ لَهَا عَقْلٌ وَأَدَبٌ فَلَسْتَ تَحْتَاجُ إِلَى أَنْ تَأْمُرَ وَلا تَنْهَى وَدُونَ ذَلِكَ مَا كَانَ لَكَ فِيهَا هَوًى وَلَيْسَ لَهَا أَدَبٌ فَأَنْتَ تَحْتَاجُ إِلَى الأمْرِ وَالنَّهْيِ وَدُونَهَا مَا كَانَ لَكَ فِيهَا هَوًى وَلَيْسَ لَهَا عَقْلٌ وَلا أَدَبٌ فَتَصْبِرُ عَلَيْهَا لِمَكَانِ هَوَاكَ فِيهَا وَجَارِيَةٌ لَيْسَ لَكَ فِيهَا هَوًى وَلَيْسَ لَهَا عَقْلٌ وَلا أَدَبٌ فَتَجْعَلُ فِيمَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهَا الْبَحْرَ الأخْضَرَ قَالَ فَأَخَذْتُ بِلِحْيَتِي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُضْرِطَ فِيهَا لِكَثْرَةِ خَوْضِنَا لِمَا لَمْ نَقُمْ فِيهِ عَلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ وَلِجَمْعِهِ الْكَلامَ فَقَالَ لِي مَهْ إِنْ فَعَلْتَ لَمْ أُجَالِسْكَ.

2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Asbat from Muhammad ibn al-Sabbah from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj from ‘Abd Allah ibn Mus’ab al-Zubayriy who has said the following: “I once I heard abu al-Hassan, Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.) - while we were sitting in the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause - discussing issues about women and we delved in it a great deal but he (the Imam) was quiet and did not enter in our discussion not even with one word; but when we became quiet then I heard him (the Imam) saying, ‘As far as free ones are concerned you must not speak about them, however, the best slave-girl is one whom you love, who has power of reason and moral discipline so you do not need to command or prohibit. Next to this is the one whom you love but does not have moral discipline and you need to command and prohibit. Next to this is the one whom you love but who does not have the power of reason and moral discipline and you have to exercise patience because of your love. Next to this is the slave-girl whom you do not love, she does not have the power of reason or moral discipline and you keep between yourself and her, the green ocean.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I then held my beard and wanted to make the sound of loud flatus because of our so much delving and without reaching any meaningful point and for his comprehensive words. He (the Imam) said, ‘Hold it, if you did it I will not sit with you.’” 

3- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَأَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْكَرْخِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ صَاحِبَتِي هَلَكَتْ وَكَانَتْ لِي مُوَافِقَةً وَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَتَزَوَّجَ فَقَالَ لِيَ انْظُرْ أَيْنَ تَضَعُ نَفْسَكَ وَمَنْ تُشْرِكُهُ فِي مَالِكَ وَتُطْلِعُهُ عَلَى دِينِكَ وَسِرِّكَ فَإِنْ كُنْتَ لا بُدَّ فَاعِلا فَبِكْراً تُنْسَبُ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَإِلَى حُسْنِ الْخُلُقِ وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُنَّ كَمَا قَالَ. أَلا إِنَّ النِّسَاءَ خُلِقْنَ شَتَّى***فَمِنْهُنَّ الْغَنِيمَةُ وَالْغَرَامُ ‏وَ مِنْهُنَّ الْهِلالُ إِذَا تَجَلَّى***لِصَاحِبِهِ وَمِنْهُنَّ الظَّلامُ ‏فَمَنْ يَظْفَرْ بِصَالِحِهِنَّ يَسْعَدْ***وَمَنْ يُغْبَنْ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ انْتِقَامُ‏ وَهُنَّ ثَلاثٌ فَامْرَأَةٌ وَلُودٌ وَدُودٌ تُعِينُ زَوْجَهَا عَلَى دَهْرِهِ لِدُنْيَاهُ وَآخِرَتِهِ وَلا تُعِينُ الدَّهْرَ عَلَيْهِ وَامْرَأَةٌ عَقِيمَةٌ لا ذَاتُ جَمَالٍ وَلا خُلُقٍ وَلا تُعِينُ زَوْجَهَا عَلَى خَيْرٍ وَامْرَأَةٌ صَخَّابَةٌ وَلاجَةٌ هَمَّازَةٌ تَسْتَقِلُّ الْكَثِيرَ وَلا تَقْبَلُ الْيَسِيرَ.

3. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from all ibn Mahbub from Ibrahim al-Karkhiy who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘My wife who lived in complete harmony with me has died and I want to marry.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Think where you want to place yourself and whom you are making your partner in your assets, inform of your religion and secrets. If you must marry find a virgin who is spoken of with goodness and of good moral discipline. You must take notice that women are as it is said: ‘Women are of various moral manners; among them are gains and losses. Among them are lawful when she shines for her companion and among them is darkness. Whoever succeeds in finding the righteous among them is a sure fortunate but one who is cheated cannot revenge. ‘They are of three kinds; one kind is a child bearing and loving who helps her husband all the time in the worldly as well as the matters of the hereafter and the world does not work against her. The other kind is woman who is barren without beauty and moral manners and does not help her husband in anything good, she is loud and noisy, roaming around and faultfinding who considers a great deal very little and does not accept things of lesser amount.’” 

4- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنِ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ عَمِّهِ عَاصِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) النِّسَاءُ أَرْبَعٌ جَامِعٌ مُجْمِعٌ وَرَبِيعٌ مُرْبِعٌ وَخَرْقَاءُ مُقْمِعٌ وَغُلٌّ قَمِلٌ. 

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Safmah ibn al-Khattab from Sulayman ibn Sama‘ah from al-Hadhdha’ from his uncle, ‘Asem from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who said, “The Messenger of Allah (sw) has said, ’Women are of four kinds: Goodness in all respects, a child bearing fountain, a dimwitted destructive one and feed for parasites.”’ 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 5

Book 3, Chapter 3