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 عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَمَّنْ سَمِعَ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) يَقُولُ إِيَّاكُمْ وَسُؤَالَ النَّاسِ فَإِنَّهُ ذُلٌّ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَفَقْرٌ تُعَجِّلُونَهُ وَحِسَابٌ طَوِيلٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from al-Husayn ibn Hammad from the one who had heard abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), say the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Never beg people for financial help; it is humiliation in this world, a poverty that you make it to approach you quickly and on the Day of Judgment presentation of accounts for it will keep you much longer.’” 

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) يَا مُحَمَّدُ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ السَّائِلُ مَا فِي الْمَسْأَلَةِ مَا سَأَلَ أَحَدٌ أَحَداً وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُ الْمُعْطِي مَا فِي الْعَطِيَّةِ مَا رَدَّ أَحَدٌ أَحَداً.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Once abu Ja’far (a.s.), said to me, ‘O Muhammad, had people known how despicable begging is, they would never become beggars. Had people known how great the reward for helping a beggar is, no one appealing for financial help would ever have been turned away empty-handed.’” 

3ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ النَّضْرِ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) الأَيْدِي ثَلاثٌ يَدُ الله الْعُلْيَا وَيَدُ الْمُعْطِي الَّتِي تَلِيهَا وَيَدُ الْمُعْطَى أَسْفَلُ الأَيْدِي فَاسْتَعِفُّوا عَنِ السُّؤَالِ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ إِنَّ الأَرْزَاقَ دُونَهَا حُجُبٌ فَمَنْ شَاءَ قَنَى حَيَاءَهُ وَأَخَذَ رِزْقَهُ وَمَنْ شَاءَ هَتَكَ الْحِجَابَ وَأَخَذَ رِزْقَهُ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لأَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ حَبْلاً ثُمَّ يَدْخُلَ عَرْضَ هَذَا الْوَادِي فَيَحْتَطِبَ حَتَّى لا يَلْتَقِيَ طَرَفَاهُ ثُمَّ يَدْخُلَ بِهِ السُّوقَ فَيَبِيعَهُ بِمُدٍّ مِنْ تَمْرٍ وَيَأْخُذَ ثُلُثَهُ وَيَتَصَدَّقَ بِثُلُثَيْهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ النَّاسَ أَعْطَوْهُ أَوْ حَرَمُوهُ.

3. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid, from his father, from Ahmad ibn al-Nadr in a marfu‘ manner has said the following: “The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Hands are of three kinds: The hands of Allah are the upper hands, the hands of a benevolent person are next in rank, and the hands of recipient of a favor are the lowest in rank. You should abstain from pleading for help (financial) as much as you can. Sustenance is behind a curtain (barrier); therefore, one may protect his dignity to find his sustenance or tear it down to find his sustenance. I swear by the One in whose hand is my life. One of you picks up a rope and goes in the valley to collect firewood. He works hard and collects so much that the length of the rope hardly reaches around the bunch of his collection. He then brings it to the market and sells it for a mud (a certain amount) of dates, saves one-third, and gives the rest in charity. This is better for him than pleading before people for financial help who may give it to him or turn him away empty-handed.’” 

4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَحَبَّ شَيْئاً لِنَفْسِهِ وَأَبْغَضَهُ لِخَلْقِهِ أَبْغَضَ لِخَلْقِهِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ وَأَحَبَّ لِنَفْسِهِ أَنْ يُسْأَلَ وَلَيْسَ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ أَنْ يُسْأَلَ فَلا يَسْتَحْيِي أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ الله مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَلَوْ بِشِسْعِ نَعْلٍ.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Dawud ibn al-Nu’man from Ibrahim ibn ‘Uthman 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, has said, ‘Allah, the Most Blessed the Most High, loves something to be for His own self and He hates something to be for His creatures. He hates His creatures begging for financial help from each other, but He loves their asking Him for help. There is nothing more beloved to Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, than being asked for help; therefore, you must not feel shy to ask Allah for favors from His generosity, even if it is as insignificant as a sandal’s strap that passes between the toes of a wearer.’” 

5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ جَاءَتْ فَخِذٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ إِلَى رَسُولِ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَسَلَّمُوا عَلَيْهِ فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلامَ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ الله لَنَا إِلَيْكَ حَاجَةٌ فَقَالَ هَاتُوا حَاجَتَكُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّهَا حَاجَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ فَقَالَ هَاتُوهَا مَا هِيَ قَالُوا تَضْمَنُ لَنَا عَلَى رَبِّكَ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ فَنَكَسَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ نَكَتَ فِي الأَرْضِ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَالَ أَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ بِكُمْ عَلَى أَنْ لا تَسْأَلُوا أَحَداً شَيْئاً قَالَ فَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْهُمْ يَكُونُ فِي السَّفَرِ فَيَسْقُطُ سَوْطُهُ فَيَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَقُولَ لإِنْسَانٍ نَاوِلْنِيهِ فِرَاراً مِنَ الْمَسْأَلَةِ فَيَنْزِلُ فَيَأْخُذُهُ وَيَكُونُ عَلَى الْمَائِدَةِ فَيَكُونُ بَعْضُ الْجُلَسَاءِ أَقْرَبَ إِلَى الْمَاءِ مِنْهُ فَلا يَقُولُ نَاوِلْنِي حَتَّى يَقُومُ فَيَشْرَبُ.

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once, members of a tribe of al-Ansar (people of al- Madinah) came to the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. They offered greetings of peace and he responded likewise. They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, we have a request from you.’ He asked, ‘What is your request?’ They replied, ‘It is a very great matter.’ He asked, ‘What is it?’ They replied, ‘Provide us a guarantee from your Lord to admit us into Paradise.’ He bent down his head and made a few marks on the ground, then raised his head and said, ‘I am ready to do it with one condition. The condition is that not one of you will ever ask anyone to give you something.’ The Imam has said that thereafter, because of that condition, a man of that tribe when on a journey; even if his whip fell off his hand while riding, he disliked to ask another person to fetch his whip. Instead, he would dismount to pick up his whip to keep his promise with the Messenger of Allah. While sitting at the table for food, they would not ask a person nearer the water to fetch them the water container. Rather they would stand up to get water.’” 

6ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَلاءِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) رَحِمَ الله عَبْداً عَفَّ وَتَعَفَّفَ وَكَفَّ عَنِ الْمَسْأَلَةِ فَإِنَّهُ يَتَعَجَّلُ الدَّنِيَّةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَلا يُغْنِي النَّاسُ عَنْهُ شَيْئاً قَالَ ثُمَّ تَمَثَّلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) بِبَيْتِ حَاتِمٍ إِذَا مَا عَرَفْتُ الْيَأْسَ أَلْفَيْتُهُ الْغِنَى إِذَا عَرَفَتْهُ النَّفْسُ وَالطَّمَعُ الْفَقْرُ.

6. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from those whom he has mentioned (in his book) from al-Husayn ibn abu al-‘Ala’ who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah grants mercy to one of His servants who has maintained chastity, continues to do so, and abstains from asking (people) for a favor; doing so brings lowliness for one in this world quickly, and people cannot make him self-sufficient.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then mentioned a line of the poems of Hatim (a famous generous person) as an example: ‘Once I understood “giving up all hope” properly, I found it to be self-sufficiency and wealth when the soul also understood it as well; (it ) found that greed is not anything other than poverty.’” 

7ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ عَنْ مُفَضَّلِ بْنِ قَيْسِ بْنِ رُمَّانَةَ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ بَعْضَ حَالِي فَقَالَ يَا جَارِيَةُ هَاتِ ذَلِكَ الْكِيسَ هَذِهِ أَرْبَعُمِائَةِ دِينَارٍ وَصَلَنِي بِهَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ فَخُذْهَا وَتَفَرَّجْ بِهَا قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لا وَالله جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا هَذَا دَهْرِي وَلَكِنْ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ تَدْعُوَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِي قَالَ فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَأَفْعَلُ وَلَكِنْ إِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُخْبِرَ النَّاسَ بِكُلِّ حَالِكَ فَتَهُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ.

7. Ali ibn Muhammad and Ahmad ibn Muhammad have narrated from Ali ibn al-Hassan from al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Amir from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Sayrafiy from Mufaddal ibn Qays ibn Rummanah who has said the following: “Once I visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and mentioned to him certain matters about my conditions. The Imam asked the housemaid to bring to him a certain bag, then he said, ‘This is the four hundred dinar that abu Ja’far (the Abbaside rule) has sent to me as a gift. Take it to ease your difficulties.’ I then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I do not want to take the money; it is not everything in my life. I love most that you pray for me before Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious.’ The Imam said, ‘I will certainly do so; however, you must never speak to people about your conditions; you will seem insignificant in their sight.’” 

8ـ وَرُوِيَ عَنْ لُقْمَانَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لابْنِهِ يَا بُنَيَّ ذُقْتُ الصَّبْرَ وَأَكَلْتُ لِحَاءَ الشَّجَرِ فَلَمْ أَجِدْ شَيْئاً هُوَ أَمَرُّ مِنَ الْفَقْرِ فَإِنْ بُلِيتَ بِهِ يَوْماً وَلا تُظْهِرِ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهِ فَيَسْتَهِينُوكَ وَلا يَنْفَعُوكَ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ ارْجِعْ إِلَى الَّذِي ابْتَلاكَ بِهِ فَهُوَ أَقْدَرُ عَلَى فَرَجِكَ وَسَلْهُ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي سَأَلَهُ فَلَمْ يُعْطِهِ أَوْ وَثِقَ بِهِ فَلَمْ يُنْجِهِ. 

8. “It is narrated that Luqman said to his son, ‘Son, I have tested patience and have consumed tree barks for food. I have not found anything as bitter as poverty. If you ever face poverty, do not tell people about it; you will seem insignificant in their sight and they will be of no benefit to you. You must turn to the One who has placed it upon you as a trial. He has all the power to grant you relief, but you must ask Him for help. No one asking Him for help is ever turned away empty-handed, and no one who has placed his trust in Him is ever abandoned.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 1, Chapter 17