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 الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ صَامَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) حَتَّى قِيلَ مَا يُفْطِرُ ثُمَّ أَفْطَرَ حَتَّى قِيلَ مَا يَصُومُ ثُمَّ صَامَ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) يَوْماً وَيَوْماً لا ثُمَّ قُبِضَ عَلَى صِيَامِ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي الشَّهْرِ قَالَ إِنَّهُنَّ يَعْدِلْنَ صَوْمَ الشَّهْرِ وَيَذْهَبْنَ بِوَحَرِ الصَّدْرِ وَالْوَحَرُ الْوَسْوَسَةُ قَالَ حَمَّادٌ فَقُلْتُ وَأَيُّ الأَيَّامِ هِيَ قَالَ أَوَّلُ خَمِيسٍ فِي الشَّهْرِ وَأَوَّلُ أَرْبِعَاءَ بَعْدَ الْعَشْرِ مِنْهُ وَآخِرُ خَمِيسٍ فِيهِ فَقُلْتُ كَيْفَ صَارَتْ هَذِهِ الأَيَّامُ الَّتِي تُصَامُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ مَنْ قَبْلَنَا مِنَ الأُمَمِ كَانَ إِذَا نَزَلَ عَلَى أَحَدِهِمُ الْعَذَابُ نَزَلَ فِي هَذِهِ الأَيَّامِ فَصَامَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) هَذِهِ الأَيَّامَ الْمَخُوفَةَ.

1. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from af-Washsha’ from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘The Messenger of Allah continued fasting for such a long time that people thought he would not discontinue it. He then discontinued fasting for such a long time that people thought he would not fast. Then he began fasting as Dawud (a.s.), did. One day he would fast and not fast the next day. He left this world with a practice of fasting three days every month. The Imam said, ‘Fasting three days every month is like fasting a whole month. This removes wahr from one’s chest. Wahr means temptation.’ Hammad has said, ‘I then asked, which days are they?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘Every first Thursday, every first Wednesday after the tenth of the month and the last Thursday therein.’ I then asked, ‘How did these days become as such?’ He replied, ‘The days when torment descended on the people of the past were one of these days. Because of fear, the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, would fast during these days.’” 

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) أَوَّلَ مَا بُعِثَ يَصُومُ حَتَّى يُقَالَ مَا يُفْطِرُ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى يُقَالَ مَا يَصُومُ ثُمَّ تَرَكَ ذَلِكَ وَصَامَ يَوْماً وَأَفْطَرَ يَوْماً وَهُوَ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) ثُمَّ تَرَكَ ذَلِكَ وَصَامَ الثَّلاثَةَ الأَيَّامِ الْغُرِّ ثُمَّ تَرَكَ ذَلِكَ وَفَرَّقَهَا فِي كُلِّ عَشَرَةِ أَيَّامٍ يَوْمَا خَمِيسَيْنِ بَيْنَهُمَا أَرْبِعَاءُ فَقُبِضَ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ السَّلامُ وَهُوَ يَعْمَلُ ذَلِكَ.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from abu Ayyub from Muhammad ibn Muslim 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, continued fasting for such a long time that people thought he would not discontinue it. He then discontinued fasting for such a long time that people thought he would not fast. Then he began fasting as Dawud (a.s.), did. One day he would fast and then not fast the next day. He left this practice and would fast three bright days (13, 14 and 15) of every month. He then left this practice and divided them by one day in each ten days of the month, of which two were Thursdays with a Wednesday between the two Thursdays. He passed away with this practice.” 

3ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) يَصُومُ حَتَّى يُقَالَ لا يُفْطِرُ ثُمَّ صَامَ يَوْماً وَأَفْطَرَ يَوْماً ثُمَّ صَامَ الإِثْنَيْنَ وَالْخَمِيسَ ثُمَّ آلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ إِلَى صِيَامِ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي الشَّهْرِ الْخَمِيسِ فِي أَوَّلِ الشَّهْرِ وَأَرْبِعَاءَ فِي وَسَطِ الشَّهْرِ وَخَمِيسٍ فِي آخِرِ الشَّهْرِ وَكَانَ يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ وَقَدْ كَانَ أَبِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) يَقُولُ مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ أَبْغَضَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ رَجُلٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ كَانَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) يَفْعَلُ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَيَقُولُ لا يُعَذِّبُنِي الله عَلَى أَنْ أَجْتَهِدَ فِي الصَّلاةِ كَأَنَّهُ يَرَى أَنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) تَرَكَ شَيْئاً مِنَ الْفَضْلِ عَجْزاً عَنْهُ.

3. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Jamil ibn Salih from Muhammad ibn Marwan who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, continued fasting for such a long time that people thought he was not to discontinue his fasting. He then discontinued fasting for such a long time that people thought he did not intend to fast anymore. He then would fast one day and eat the next day. He then fasted every Monday and Thursday. Then he would fast three days every month, Thursday of the beginning of the month, Wednesday of the middle of the month and the last Thursday of the month. He would say, “It is like fasting forever.’” My father would say, ‘There is no other thing more hateful to me than one to whom it is said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, did this, but he says, “Allah will not punish me if I tried to perform Salat (prayer)” as if he thinks the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, neglected some of the virtuous acts because of his failure.’” 

4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَفْصِ بْنِ الْبَخْتَرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ كُنَّ نِسَاءُ النَّبِيِّ (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِذَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِنَّ صِيَامٌ أَخَّرْنَ ذَلِكَ إِلَى شَعْبَانَ كَرَاهَةَ أَنْ يَمْنَعْنَ رَسُولَ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَإِذَا كَانَ شَعْبَانُ صُمْنَ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) يَقُولُ شَعْبَانُ شَهْرِي.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hafs ibn al-Bakhtariy who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that wives of the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, when required to fast, would wait up to the month of Sha‘ban, due to anticipation that he may forbid them. In the month of Sha‘ban they would fast and the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Sha‘ban is my month.’” 

5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) هَلْ صَامَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ آبَائِكَ شَعْبَانَ قَالَ خَيْرُ آبَائِي رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) صَامَهُ.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah, who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Had any of your ancestors fasted during the month of Sha‘ban?’ He replied, ‘The best of my ancestors was the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, who fasted in it.’” 

6ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ جَمِيعاً عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) هَلْ صَامَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ آبَائِكَ شَعْبَانَ قَطُّ قَالَ صَامَهُ خَيْرُ آبَائِي رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه). عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) مِثْلَهُ فَأَمَّا الَّذِي جَاءَ فِي صَوْمِ شَعْبَانَ أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَنْهُ فَقَالَ مَا صَامَهُ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَلا أَحَدٌ مِنْ آبَائِي قَالَ ذَلِكَ لأَنَّ قَوْماً قَالُوا إِنَّ صِيَامَهُ فَرْضٌ مِثْلُ صِيَامِ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَوُجُوبَهُ مِثْلُ وُجُوبِ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَإِنَّ مَنْ أَفْطَرَ يَوْماً مِنْهُ فَعَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْكَفَّارَةِ مِثْلُ مَا عَلَى مَنْ أَفْطَرَ يَوْماً مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَإِنَّمَا قَوْلُ الْعَالِمِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) مَا صَامَهُ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَلا أَحَدٌ مِنْ آبَائِي (عَلَيْهِم السَّلاَم) أَيْ مَا صَامُوهُ فَرْضاً وَاجِباً تَكْذِيباً لِقَوْلِ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ فَرْضٌ وَإِنَّمَا كَانُوا يَصُومُونَهُ سُنَّةً فِيهَا فَضْلٌ وَلَيْسَ عَلَى مَنْ لَمْ يَصُمْهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ.

6. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar and Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan all from Safwan from ibn Muskan from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Once, I asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Had any of your ancestors ever fasted during the month of Sha‘ban?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘The best of my ancestors, the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, fasted in it.’” Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn ‘Ubayd from Yunus from ibn Muskan from al-Halabiy from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), a similar Hadith. There are narrations about fasting in the month of al-Sha‘ban. He (the Imam) (a.s.), was asked about it and he (the Imam) said, ‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, did not fast (during the month of Sha‘ban) neither did any of my ancestors.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is because certain people said that fasting in the month of al-Sha‘ban is obligatory like fasting in the month of Ramadan. If one destroys one day of fasting of month of al-Sha‘ban, the expiation for it is like the expiation for destroying one day of fasting of the month of Ramadan. The words of the scholar (a.s.), ‘The Messenger of Allah did not fast neither did any of my ancestors’ means they did not fast it as an obligatory fast. It was to refute what certain people thought it to be. Their fast was only as Sunnah in which there is virtue but it is not harmful to one who does not fast. 

7ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ صَبِيحٍ عَنْ عَنْبَسَةَ الْعَابِدِ قَالَ قُبِضَ النَّبِيُّ (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) عَلَى صَوْمِ شَعْبَانَ وَرَمَضَانَ وَثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ أَوَّلِ خَمِيسٍ وَأَوْسَطِ أَرْبِعَاءَ وَآخِرِ خَمِيسٍ وَكَانَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ وَأَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) يَصُومَانِ ذَلِكَ. 

7. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hassan from Ahmad ibn Sabih from ‘Anbasah al-‘Abid in a Mawquf manner who has said the following: “He (the Imam) ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘The Messenger of Allah left this world practicing the fast of month of al-Sha‘ban and three days of every month, the first Thursday, the middle Wednesday and the last Thursday of the month. Abu Ja‘far, and abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, would also do so. 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 2, Chapter 12