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 أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْجَوْهَرِيِّ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو الأَحْوَلِ قَالَ تَلا أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) هَذِهِ الآيَةَ وَالَّذِينَ إِذا أَنْفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكانَ بَيْنَ ذلِكَ قَواماً قَالَ فَأَخَذَ قَبْضَةً مِنْ حَصًى وَقَبَضَهَا بِيَدِهِ فَقَالَ هَذَا الإِقْتَارُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ الله فِي كِتَابِهِ ثُمَّ قَبَضَ قَبْضَةً أُخْرَى فَأَرْخَى كَفَّهُ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ هَذَا الإِسْرَافُ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ قَبْضَةً أُخْرَى فَأَرْخَى بَعْضَهَا وَأَمْسَكَ بَعْضَهَا وَقَالَ هَذَا الْقَوَامُ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Jawhariy from Jamil ibn Salih from ‘Abd al-Malik ibn ‘Amr al-Ahwal who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once, read this verse from the Holy Quran. . those who do not spend excessively or with severe austerity, but with moderation,’ (25: 67) he (the Imam) then picked up a handful of pebbles and kept them firmly in his hand, saying, ‘This is severe austerity that Allah has mentioned in His book.’ He then picked up another handful of pebbles and then opened his hand altogether saying, ‘This is excessive spending.’ He then picked up a handful of pebbles, opened his hand half-way, and held some of the pebbles in his hand, saying, ‘This is moderation.’” 

2ـ وَعَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ أَبَانٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الأَوَّلَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَنِ النَّفَقَةِ عَلَى الْعِيَالِ فَقَالَ مَا بَيْنَ الْمَكْرُوهَيْنِ الإِسْرَافِ وَالإِقْتَارِ.

2. It is narrated from him (narrator of previous Hadith) from his father from Muhammad ibn ‘Ammar from ‘Abd Allah ibn Aban who has said the following: “Once I asked abu al-Hassan, the 1st (a.s.), about the expenses of one’s dependents. He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is between the two detestable limits: namely, excessive spending and severe austerity.’” 

3ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ وَيُوسُفَ بْنِ عُمَارَةَ قَالا قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) إِنَّ مَعَ الإِسْرَافِ قِلَّةَ الْبَرَكَةِ.

3. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn Ri’ab from ibn abu Ya’qub and Yusuf ibn ‘Ammar who have said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘There is very little blessing with excessive spending.’” 

4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَأَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ رُبَّ فَقِيرٍ هُوَ أَسْرَفُ مِنَ الْغَنِيِّ إِنَّ الْغَنِيَّ يُنْفِقُ مِمَّا أُوتِيَ وَالْفَقِيرَ يُنْفِقُ مِنْ غَيْرِ مَا أُوتِيَ.

4. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from Sama'ah ibn Mihran from abu Basir from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who said: “Sometimes poor people may spend more excessively than a wealthy one. A wealthy person spends from what he has received, but a poor person spends from that which does not belong to him.’” 

5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْمُثَنَّى قَالَ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَآتُوا حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصادِهِ وَلا تُسْرِفُوا إِنَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ فَقَالَ كَانَ فُلانُ بْنُ فُلانٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ سَمَّاهُ وَكَانَ لَهُ حَرْثٌ وَكَانَ إِذَا أَخَذَ يَتَصَدَّقُ بِهِ وَيَبْقَى هُوَ وَعِيَالُهُ بِغَيْرِ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَجَعَلَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ذَلِكَ سَرَفاً.

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn Muthanna who has said the following: “A man once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘Give His right on the day of its harvest and do not spend excessively; He does not love excessive spenders.’ (6:141) He (the Imam) said, ‘So and so, he mentioned his name, Ansariy (people of al-Madinah) had a farm. After harvest, he would give all of it in charity. He and his dependents would remain without anything. Thus, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, called such spending excessive.’” 

6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فِي قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَلا تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلى‏ عُنُقِكَ وَلا تَبْسُطْها كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُوماً مَحْسُوراً قَالَ الإِحْسَارُ الْفَاقَةُ.

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘Umar ibn Yazid who has said the following: “This is about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘You must not make your hands tied up to your neck nor open it excessively so you remain blame-worth and tied up.’ (17:29) Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ‘Mahsur (tied up) means severe austerity.’” 

7ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ بَكْرٍ عَنْ عَجْلانَ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فَجَاءَ سَائِلٌ فَقَامَ إِلَى مِكْتَلٍ فِيهِ تَمْرٌ فَمَلأَ يَدَهُ فَنَاوَلَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَامَ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ فَنَاوَلَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَامَ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ فَنَاوَلَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَامَ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ فَنَاوَلَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ فَقَالَ الله رَازِقُنَا وَإِيَّاكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) كَانَ لا يَسْأَلُهُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا شَيْئاً إِلاَّ أَعْطَاهُ فَأَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِ امْرَأَةٌ ابْناً لَهَا فَقَالَتِ انْطَلِقْ إِلَيْهِ فَاسْأَلْهُ فَإِنْ قَالَ لَكَ لَيْسَ عِنْدَنَا شَيْ‏ءٌ فَقُلْ أَعْطِنِي قَمِيصَكَ قَالَ فَأَخَذَ قَمِيصَهُ فَرَمَى بِهِ إِلَيْهِ وَفِي نُسْخَةٍ أُخْرَى فَأَعْطَاهُ فَأَدَّبَهُ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى عَلَى الْقَصْدِ فَقَالَ وَلا تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلى‏ عُنُقِكَ وَلا تَبْسُطْها كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُوماً مَحْسُوراً.

7. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Musa ibn Bakr from ‘Ajlan who has said the following: “Once, I was in the presence of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when a man came asking for help. He (the Imam) gave him a handful of dates from a basket. Then another one came also asking for help. He (the Imam) also gave him a handful of dates. Then another one came asking for help, and he gave him a handful as well. Yet another one came asking for help. He (the Imam) stood up and gave him a handful. Thereafter another one came asking for help. He (the Imam) said, ’Allah is our provider as well as yours.’ He then said, ‘Whoever would come to the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, asking for worldly help, he would give it to him. Once a women sent her son telling him, “Go and ask him for help and if he says, ‘I do not have anything to give,’ say, ‘give me your shirt.’” He (the Imam) said that he (the Messenger of Allah) took his shirt off and threw it to him. Another Hadith stated that the Messenger of Allah gave his shirt, but Allah, the most Blessed, the most High, instructed him with the discipline of moderation, saying, ‘Do not keep your hands tied up to your neck nor open them excessively to remain thereafter tied down and blame-worthy.’” 

8ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فِي قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَكانَ بَيْنَ ذلِكَ قَواماً قَالَ الْقَوَامُ هُوَ الْمَعْرُوفُ عَلَى الْمُوسِعِ قَدَرُهُ وَعَلَى الْمُقْتِرِ قَدَرُهُ مَتاعاً بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُحْسِنِينَ عَلَى قَدْرِ عِيَالِهِ وَمَئُونَتِهِمُ الَّتِي هِيَ صَلاحٌ لَهُ وَلَهُمْ وَلا يُكَلِّفُ الله نَفْساً إِلاَّ ما آتاها.

8. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ali from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), who has said the following: “This is about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘It (moderation) was in between . . .’ (25:67), the Imam said, ‘Al-Qawam (moderation) is a Benevolent Assistance,’ ‘. . . proportionate to the abilities of a wealthy and poor person is a right upon the people of good deeds.’ 

9ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَأَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سِنَانٍ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى وَالَّذِينَ إِذا أَنْفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكانَ بَيْنَ ذلِكَ قَواماً فَبَسَطَ كَفَّهُ وَفَرَّقَ أَصَابِعَهُ وَحَنَاهَا شَيْئاً وَعَنْ قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى وَلا تَبْسُطْها كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ فَبَسَطَ رَاحَتَهُ وَقَالَ هَكَذَا وَقَالَ الْقَوَامُ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بَيْنِ الأَصَابِعِ وَيَبْقَى فِي الرَّاحَةِ مِنْهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ.

9. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “This is about the words of Allah, most High, ‘Those who, when spending, do not do it excessively or with severe austerity, but with moderation.’ He opened his palm and tilted it a little to one side. About the words of Allah, most High, ‘Do not open your hand excessively . . .’ (25:67) he opened up his palm all the way saying, ‘Like this.’ He said, ‘Al-Qawam is when something is left in your palm and something is allowed to leave your palm.’” 

10ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) أَدْنَى مَا يَجِي‏ءُ مِنْ حَدِّ الإِسْرَافِ فَقَالَ ابْتِذَالُكَ ثَوْبَ صَوْنِكَ وَإِهْرَاقُكَ فَضْلَ إِنَائِكَ وَأَكْلُكَ التَّمْرَ وَرَمْيَكَ النَّوَى هَاهُنَا وَهَاهُنَا.

10. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il ibn Bazi’ from Salih ibn ‘Uqbah from Sulayman ibn Salih who has said the following: “Once, I asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘What is the minimum limit of excessive spending?’ The Imam replied, ‘It is when you give away your clothes that you need for protection, burning the leftovers in your cooking utensils, and eating dates and scattering the stones inside them here and there.’” 

11ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ عَمَّارٍ أَبِي عَاصِمٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) أَرْبَعَةٌ لا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهُمْ أَحَدُهُمْ كَانَ لَهُ مَالٌ فَأَفْسَدَهُ فَيَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ ارْزُقْنِي فَيَقُولُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَ لَمْ آمُرْكَ بِالاقْتِصَادِ. 

11. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ‘Ammar abu ‘Asem who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Four people’s prayers are not accepted. One is he who destroys his wealth and appeals, “Lord, grant me sustenance.’” Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, then says, “Did I not command you to observe moderation?””’ 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 1, Chapter 40