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 مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ خَلَفِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ النَّقَّاشِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) لِي أَمَا إِنَّ فِي الْفِطْرِ تَكْبِيراً وَلَكِنَّهُ مَسْتُورٌ قَالَ قُلْتُ وَأَيْنَ هُوَ قَالَ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْفِطْرِ فِي الْمَغْرِبِ وَالْعِشَاءِ الآخِرَةِ وَفِي صَلاةِ الْفَجْرِ وَفِي صَلاةِ الْعِيدِ ثُمَّ يُقْطَعُ قَالَ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ أَقُولُ قَالَ تَقُولُ الله أَكْبَرُ الله أَكْبَرُ لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الله وَالله أَكْبَرُ الله أَكْبَرُ وَلله الْحَمْدُ الله أَكْبَرُ عَلَى مَا هَدَانَا وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ يَعْنِي الصِّيَامَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا الله عَلى‏ ما هَداكُمْ. عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ خَلَفِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ مِثْلَهُ.

1. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abdillah from his father from Khalaf ibn Hammad from Sa‘id al-Naqqash who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) said to me, ‘On al-Fitr (first day of the month of Shawwal), there is Takbir (saying ‘Allah is greater than what can be described’), but it is concealed.’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘Where is it?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is during the night of al-Fitr, in Maghrib and the last ‘Isha’, and in the Fajr salat (prayer) and in the salat of ‘Id, and then it is cut-off.’ I then asked, ‘How do I say it?’ He replied, 'say, ‘Allah is the greatest (beyond description), Allah is the greatest, there is no god but Allah, and Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, all praise belongs to Allah, Allah is greatest upon what He guided us.' This is in the words of Allah, the most Majestic and Glorious, “So you can complete the number’, (2:182) meaning, the fasts, ‘and that you should exclaim the Greatness of Allah for His having Guided you.” (2:185) <br>A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Asbat from Khalaf ibn Hammad a similar Hadith. 

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ تُكَبِّرُ لَيْلَةَ الْفِطْرِ وَصَبِيحَةَ الْفِطْرِ كَمَا تُكَبِّرُ فِي الْعَشْرِ.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Muhammad ibn abu Hamzah from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who said: "You should say Takbir in the night of al-Fitr and in the morning of al-Fitr, just as you say Takbir during the tenth (day of the month of Dhu al-Hajjah).” 

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ جَدِّهِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) إِنَّ النَّاسَ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ الْمَغْفِرَةَ تَنْزِلُ عَلَى مَنْ صَامَ شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ فَقَالَ يَا حَسَنُ إِنَّ الْقَارِيجَارَ إِنَّمَا يُعْطَى أُجْرَتَهُ عِنْدَ فَرَاغِهِ ذَلِكَ لَيْلَةَ الْعِيدِ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَمَا يَنْبَغِي لَنَا أَنْ نَعْمَلَ فِيهَا فَقَالَ إِذَا غَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَاغْتَسِلْ وَإِذَا صَلَّيْتَ الثَّلاثَ الْمَغْرِبِ فَارْفَعْ يَدَيْكَ وَقُلْ يَا ذَا الْمَنِّ يَا ذَا الطَّوْلِ يَا ذَا الْجُودِ يَا مُصْطَفِياً مُحَمَّداً وَنَاصِرَهُ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ وَاغْفِرْ لِي كُلَّ ذَنْبٍ أَذْنَبْتُهُ أَحْصَيْتَهُ عَلَيَّ وَنَسِيتُهُ وَهُوَ عِنْدَكَ فِي كِتَابِكَ وَتَخِرُّ سَاجِداً وَتَقُولُ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ أَتُوبُ إِلَى الله وَأَنْتَ سَاجِدٌ وَتَسْأَلُ حَوَائِجَكَ. وَرُوِيَ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) كَانَ يُصَلِّي فِيهَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ يَقْرَأُ فِي الأُولَى الْحَمْدَ وَقُلْ هُوَ الله أَحَدٌ أَلْفَ مَرَّةٍ وَفِي الثَّانِيَةِ الْحَمْدَ وَقُلْ هُوَ الله أَحَدٌ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً. 

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Qasim ibn Yahya from his grandfather, al-Hassan ibn Rashid who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘People say that forgiveness descends upon the fasting people during the month of Ramadan in the night of destiny.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘O al- Hassan, al-Qarijar (a worker) receives his wages upon completion of his task on the night of ‘Id (first of Shawwal).’ I then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what then should we do?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When it is sunset, take a shower, and when you complete al-Maghrib salat (prayer), raise your hands and say, “O Generous, O Benevolent, O Munificent, O the One who chose Muhammad and helped him, I appeal before You to grant salawat (favors and compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause). Forgive all of my sins that I have committed and You have counted against me, but I have forgotten them and they are before You in Your book.” Then bow down for prostration and say one hundred times, “I turn in repentance to Allah” while prostrating and ask for your wishes.’” 

وَرُوِيَ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) كَانَ يُصَلِّي فِيهَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ يَقْرَأُ فِي الأُولَى الْحَمْدَ وَقُلْ هُوَ الله أَحَدٌ أَلْفَ مَرَّةٍ وَفِي الثَّانِيَةِ الْحَمْدَ وَقُلْ هُوَ الله أَحَدٌ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً.

4. It is narrated that ’Amir al-Mu’minin, would perform two Rak‘at salat (prayer). In the first Rak‘at, he would read Chapter 1 and (then) 112 of the Holy Quran one thousand times. In the second Rak‘at, he would read Chapter 1 and 112 once only.

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 2, Chapter 71