Al-Kāfi

1ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) كُلُّ مَعْرُوفٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَأَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ صَدَقَةٌ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَلا يَلُومُ الله عَلَى الْكَفَافِ.

1. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from ‘Abd al-‘Ala’ 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, ‘Providing all Benevolent Assistance is charity, and the best charity is a charity provided from an affluent condition. You must begin with your dependents. The upper hand is better than the lower hand. Allah does not blame one for moderation.”’

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) كُلُّ مَعْرُوفٍ صَدَقَةٌ.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Um ay r from Mu‘awiyah ibn Wahab 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, ‘All Benevolent Assistance is charity.’”

3ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَأَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله جَمِيعاً عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ سَعْدَانَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي يَقْظَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ رَأَيْتُ الْمَعْرُوفَ كَاسْمِهِ وَلَيْسَ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الْمَعْرُوفِ إِلاَّ ثَوَابُهُ وَذَلِكَ يُرَادُ مِنْهُ وَلَيْسَ كُلُّ مَنْ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَصْنَعَ الْمَعْرُوفَ إِلَى النَّاسِ يَصْنَعُهُ وَلَيْسَ كُلُّ مَنْ يَرْغَبُ فِيهِ يَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ وَلا كُلُّ مَنْ يَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ يُؤْذَنُ لَهُ فِيهِ فَإِذَا اجْتَمَعَتِ الرَّغْبَةُ وَالْقُدْرَةُ وَالإِذْنُ فَهُنَالِكَ تَمَّتِ السَّعَادَةُ لِلطَّالِبِ وَالْمَطْلُوبِ إِلَيْهِ. وَرَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَمِيلَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) مِثْلَهُ.

3. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa and Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah all from Muhammad ibn Khalid from Sa‘dan ibn Muslim from abu Yaqzan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘I see Benevolent Assistance is as good as its name. No other thing is better than providing Benevolent Assistance except the reward for it, which one has in one’s intention thereby. Not everyone who loves Benevolent Assistance provides such charity. Not everyone who loves to provide Benevolent Assistance is able to do so, and not everyone who loves to provide Benevolent Assistance has permission to do so. When all three conditions - the desire, the ability and permission - to provide Benevolent Assistance come together, only then will the goal and the means materialize.” (Ahmad ibn ‘Abd Allah has narrated from ibn Faddal from abu Jamilah from Muhammad ibn Marwan from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), a similar Hadith.)

4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الأَشْعَرِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَدَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَنْ آبَائِهِ (عَلَيْهِم السَّلاَم) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) كُلُّ مَعْرُوفٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَالدَّالُّ عَلَى الْخَيْرِ كَفَاعِلِهِ وَالله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُحِبُّ إِغَاثَةَ اللهفَانِ.

4. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ariy from ibn al-Qaddah from abu ‘Abd Allah, from his ancestors, recipients of divine supreme covenant, who have said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has narrated from his ancestors from the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, who has said, ‘Providing Benevolent Assistance is charity. One who shows the way to good is just like a doer of good. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, loves those who provide relief to a grief stricken person.’”

5ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَأَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) الْمَعْرُوفُ شَيْ‏ءٌ سِوَى الزَّكَاةِ فَتَقَرَّبُوا إِلَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِالْبِرِّ وَصِلَةِ الرَّحِمِ.

5. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from ‘Umar ibn Yazid who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said , ‘Providing Benevolent Assistance is something other than compulsory charity (zakat). You must seek nearness to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, through virtuous deeds and good relations with relatives.’”

6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ اصْنَعِ الْمَعْرُوفَ إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَهْلُهُ وَإِلَى مَنْ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ هُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ فَكُنْ أَنْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ.

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamil ibn Darraj who has said the following:“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that you should provide Benevolent Assistance to those who deserve and to those who (in reality) are un-deserving; if the recipient does not deserve it, you are considered a provider of Benevolent Assistance.”

7ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ بُنْدَارَ وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ سَابَاطَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) لِعَمَّارٍ يَا عَمَّارُ أَنْتَ رَبُّ مَالٍ كَثِيرٍ قَالَ نَعَمْ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَالَ فَتُؤَدِّي مَا افْتَرَضَ الله عَلَيْكَ مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَتُخْرِجُ الْمَعْلُومَ مِنْ مَالِكَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَتَصِلُ قَرَابَتَكَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَتَصِلُ إِخْوَانَكَ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ يَا عَمَّارُ إِنَّ الْمَالَ يَفْنَى وَالْبَدَنَ يَبْلَى وَالْعَمَلَ يَبْقَى وَالدَّيَّانُ حَيٌّ لا يَمُوتُ يَا عَمَّارُ إِنَّهُ مَا قَدَّمْتَ فَلَنْ يَسْبِقَكَ وَمَا أَخَّرْتَ فَلَنْ يَلْحَقَكَ.

7. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Bandar and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al- Qasim from a man of the people of Sabat who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to ‘Ammar, ‘O ‘Ammar, are you the owner of a great wealth?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause.’ The Imam then asked, ‘Do you pay all of the zakat Allah has made compulsory upon you to pay?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I do so.’ The Imam then asked, ‘Do you pay the known amount out of your wealth?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I do so.’ The Imam then asked, ‘Do you maintain good relations with your relatives?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I do so.’ The Imam then asked, ‘Do you maintain good relations with your brothers (in belief)?’ He replied, ‘Yes I do so.’ The Imam then said, ‘O ‘Ammar, wealth vanishes, bodies become old, but good deeds remain, and the One who provides compensation for good deeds lives and never dies. O ‘Ammar, whatever you send ahead of you, does not leave you behind; whatever you delay does not catch up with you.’”

8ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ حَدِيدِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ أَوْ مُرَازِمٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) أَيُّمَا مُؤْمِنٍ أَوْصَلَ إِلَى أَخِيهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ مَعْرُوفاً فَقَدْ أَوْصَلَ ذَلِكَ إِلَى رَسُولِ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه).

8. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Jamil ibn Darraj from Hadid ibn Hakim or Murazim who has said the following: ‘Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If a believing person maintains good relations with his brother in belief, he is considered as maintaining such relations with the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.’”

9ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) اصْنَعُوا الْمَعْرُوفَ إِلَى كُلِّ أَحَدٍ فَإِنْ كَانَ أَهْلَهُ وَإِلاَّ فَأَنْتَ أَهْلُهُ.

9. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Provide Benevolent Assistance to everyone; if the recipient is not deserving, you are a deserving provider.” (This and Hadith 6 above are considered to apply when the provider has no knowledge of the condition of the recipient. Thus, what will come later does not contradict.)

10ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِنَّ أَعْرَابِيّاً مِنْ بَنِي تَمِيمٍ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَقَالَ أَوْصِنِي فَكَانَ فِيمَا أَوْصَاهُ بِهِ أَنْ قَالَ يَا فُلانُ لا تَزْهَدَنَّ فِي الْمَعْرُوفِ عِنْدَ أَهْلِهِ.

10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Once an Arab man from the tribe of banu al-Tamim came to see the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, and said, ‘Please grant me good advice.’ The good advice the Holy Prophet provided was this, ‘O so and so, do not withhold Benevolent Assistance from deserving recipients.’”

11ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) أَوَّلُ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ الْمَعْرُوفُ وَأَهْلُهُ وَأَوَّلُ مَنْ يَرِدُ عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.

11. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Walid 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, ‘The first ones entering Paradise are those who actuate Benevolent Assistance and come to me at the pond in Paradise.’”

12ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ سَيْفِ بْنِ عَمِيرَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ أَجِيزُوا لأَهْلِ الْمَعْرُوفِ عَثَرَاتِهِمْ وَاغْفِرُوهَا لَهُمْ فَإِنَّ كَفَّ الله تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِمْ هَكَذَا وَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ كَأَنَّهُ يُظِلُّ بِهَا شَيْئاً.

12. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Isma‘il ibn Mehran from Sayf ibn ‘Amirah who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must consider slips possible by providers of Benevolent Assistance and forgive them for such slips; Allah’s protection for them is like this;’ using his hand as shielding something, the Imam explained.”