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 وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى وَابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِذَا أَشْرَفَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ عَلَى مَنَاسِكِهَا وَهِيَ حَائِضٌ فَلْتَغْتَسِلْ وَلْتَحْتَشِ بِالْكُرْسُفِ وَلْتَقِفْ هِيَ وَنِسْوَةٌ خَلْفَهَا فَيُؤَمِّنَّ عَلَى دُعَائِهَا وَتَقُولُ اللهمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ أَوْ تَسَمَّيْتَ بِهِ لأَحَدٍ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الأَعْظَمِ الأَعْظَمِ وَبِكُلِّ حَرْفٍ أَنْزَلْتَهُ عَلَى مُوسَى وَبِكُلِّ حَرْفٍ أَنْزَلْتَهُ عَلَى عِيسَى وَبِكُلِّ حَرْفٍ أَنْزَلْتَهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِلاَّ أَذْهَبْتَ عَنِّي هَذَا الدَّمَ وَإِذَا أَرَادَتْ أَنْ تَدْخُلَ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ أَوْ مَسْجِدَ الرَّسُولِ (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَعَلَتْ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ وَتَأْتِي مَقَامَ جَبْرَئِيلَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) وَهُوَ تَحْتَ الْمِيزَابِ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ مَكَانَهُ إِذَا اسْتَأْذَنَ عَلَى نَبِيِّ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ فَذَلِكَ مَقَامٌ لا تَدْعُو الله فِيهِ حَائِضٌ تَسْتَقْبِلُ الْقِبْلَةَ وَتَدْعُو بِدُعَاءِ الدَّمِ إِلاَّ رَأَتِ الطُّهْرَ إِنْ شَاءَ الله.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from af-Fadf ibn Shadhan from Safwan ibn Yahya and Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ’When a woman experiences menses at a time when she is about to commence the acts of her al-Hajj, she should take a shower and use al-kursuf, stand up with women behind her who should say ‘Amen’ for her prayers. She should say, ‘O Allah, I appeal before You through every name that is Your name or with which You have named Yourself for any of Your creatures or have kept in Your hidden knowledge before You. I appeal before You through the greatest of Your great names and through every word that You revealed to Moses, through every word that You revealed to Jesus and through every word that You revealed to Muhammad (SAW), cleanse me of this blood.’ If she wants to enter Masjid al-Haram (the Sacred Masjid) or the Masjid of the Holy Prophet, she should do the same thing. He (the Imam) said, ‘She should go to station of Jibril (Gabriel) which is under al-Mizab. This is his place wherefrom he would ask permission from the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘This is the place where she should pray to Allah, facing the direction of Ka‘bah and say the prayer about menses. She will be cleansed, by the will of Allah.’” 

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ حَاضَتْ صَاحِبَتِي وَأَنَا بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ مِيعَادُ جَمَّالِنَا وَإِبَّانُ مُقَامِنَا وَخُرُوجِنَا قَبْلَ أَنْ تَطْهُرَ وَلَمْ تَقْرَبِ الْمَسْجِدَ وَلا الْقَبْرَ وَلا الْمِنْبَرَ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فَقَالَ مُرْهَا فَلْتَغْتَسِلْ وَلْتَأْتِ مَقَامَ جَبْرَئِيلَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فَإِنَّ جَبْرَئِيلَ كَانَ يَجِي‏ءُ فَيَسْتَأْذِنُ عَلَى رَسُولِ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَإِنْ كَانَ عَلَى حَالٍ لا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَأْذَنَ لَهُ قَامَ فِي مَكَانِهِ حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ إِلَيْهِ وَإِنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ وَأَيْنَ الْمَكَانُ فَقَالَ حِيَالَ الْمِيزَابِ الَّذِي إِذَا خَرَجْتَ مِنَ الْبَابِ الَّذِي يُقَالُ لَهُ بَابُ فَاطِمَةَ بِحِذَاءِ الْقَبْرِ إِذَا رَفَعْتَ رَأْسَكَ بِحِذَاءِ الْمِيزَابِ وَالْمِيزَابُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِكَ وَالْبَابُ مِنْ وَرَاءِ ظَهْرِكَ وَتَجْلِسُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعِ وَتَجْلِسُ مَعَهَا نِسَاءٌ وَلْتَدْعُ رَبَّهَا وَيُؤَمِّنَّ عَلَى دُعَائِهَا قَالَ فَقُلْتُ وَأَيَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ تَقُولُ قَالَ تَقُولُ اللهمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنَّكَ أَنْتَ الله لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِكَ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَنْ تَفْعَلَ لِي كَذَا وَكَذَا قَالَ فَصَنَعَتْ صَاحِبَتِيَ الَّذِي أَمَرَنِي فَطَهُرَتْ وَدَخَلَتِ الْمَسْجِدَ قَالَ وَكَانَ لَنَا خَادِمٌ أَيْضاً فَحَاضَتْ فَقَالَتْ يَا سَيِّدِي أَ لا أَذْهَبُ أَنَا زَادَةً فَأَصْنَعُ كَمَا صَنَعَتْ سَيِّدَتِي فَقُلْتُ بَلَى فَذَهَبَتْ فَصَنَعَتْ مِثْلَ مَا صَنَعَتْ مَوْلاتُهَا فَطَهُرَتْ وَدَخَلَتِ الْمَسْجِدَ.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from those whom he has mentioned from ibn Bukayr from ‘Umar ibn Yazid who has said the following: “My partner experienced menses in al-Madinah when it was the time for our transporters to come and leave, when she had not been able to go close to the Masjid, the grave or pulpit of the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. I mentioned it to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and he said, ‘Ask her to take a shower and go to Maqam (station) of Jibril. Jibril from that place would ask permission from the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, for a meeting. In case meeting was not convenient, he would remain there until he came out, to give him permission.’ I then asked, ‘Where is that place?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is under al-Mizab. When you come to the door called door of Fatimah next to the grave and upon raising your head, you see al- Mizab right above your head and the door is behind you. She should sit at that place and women behind her. She should pray to her Lord and women behind her should say ‘Amen’ to her prayers.’ I (the narrator) asked, ‘What should she then say?’ He (the Imam) replied that she should say, ‘O Allah, I appeal before You and You are Allah. Nothing is like You, so You do for me so and so things.’ My partner followed the instruction and she became clean. Thereafter she visited the Masjid.’ He has said that our housemaid had a similar case and asked me if she could also do what my partner had done. I said, ‘Yes, she also can do so. She also followed the instruction and it was successful.’” 

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله الأَزْدِيِّ شَرِيكِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ الثُّمَالِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ امْرَأَةً مُسْلِمَةً صَحِبَتْنِي حَتَّى انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى بُسْتَانِ بَنِي عَامِرٍ فَحَرُمَتْ عَلَيْهَا الصَّلاةُ فَدَخَلَهَا مِنْ ذَاكَ أَمْرٌ عَظِيمٌ فَخَافَتْ أَنْ تَذْهَبَ مُتْعَتُهَا فَأَمَرَتْنِي أَنْ أَذْكُرَ ذَلِكَ لَكَ وَأَسْأَلَكَ كَيْفَ تَصْنَعُ فَقَالَ قُلْ لَهَا فَلْتَغْتَسِلْ نِصْفَ النَّهَارِ وَتَلْبَسُ ثِيَاباً نِظَافاً وَتَجْلِسُ فِي مَكَانٍ نَظِيفٍ وَتَجْلِسُ حَوْلَهَا نِسَاءٌ يُؤَمِّنَّ إِذَا دَعَتْ وَتَعَاهَدْ لَهَا زَوَالَ الشَّمْسِ فَإِذَا زَالَتْ فَمُرْهَا فَلْتَدْعُ بِهَذَا الدُّعَاءِ وَلْيُؤَمِّنَّ النِّسَاءُ عَلَى دُعَائِهَا حَوْلَهَا كُلَّمَا دَعَتْ تَقُولُ اللهمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ وَبِكُلِّ اسْمٍ تَسَمَّيْتَ بِهِ لأَحَدٍ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ وَهُوَ مَرْفُوعٌ مَخْزُونٌ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الأَعْظَمِ الأَعْظَمِ الَّذِي إِذَا سُئِلْتَ بِهِ كَانَ حَقّاً عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تُجِيبَ أَنْ تَقْطَعَ عَنِّي هَذَا الدَّمَ فَإِنِ انْقَطَعَ الدَّمُ وَإِلاَّ دَعَتْ بِهَذَا الدُّعَاءِ الثَّانِي فَقُلْ لَهَا فَلْتَقُلِ اللهمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ حَرْفٍ أَنْزَلْتَهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَبِكُلِّ حَرْفٍ أَنْزَلْتَهُ عَلَى مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) وَبِكُلِّ حَرْفٍ أَنْزَلْتَهُ عَلَى عِيسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) وَبِكُلِّ حَرْفٍ أَنْزَلْتَهُ فِي كِتَابٍ مِنْ كُتُبِكَ وَبِكُلِّ دَعْوَةٍ دَعَاكَ بِهَا مَلَكٌ مِنْ مَلائِكَتِكَ أَنْ تَقْطَعَ عَنِّي هَذَا الدَّمَ فَإِنِ انْقَطَعَ فَلَمْ تَرَ يَوْمَهَا ذَلِكَ شَيْئاً وَإِلاَّ فَلْتَغْتَسِلْ مِنَ الْغَدِ فِي مِثْلِ تِلْكَ السَّاعَةِ الَّتِي اغْتَسَلَتْ فِيهَا بِالأَمْسِ فَإِذَا زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَلْتُصَلِّ وَلْتَدْعُ بِالدُّعَاءِ وَلْيُؤَمِّنَّ النِّسْوَةُ إِذَا دَعَتْ فَفَعَلَتْ ذَلِكَ الْمَرْأَةُ فَارْتَفَعَ عَنْهَا الدَّمُ حَتَّى قَضَتْ مُتْعَتَهَا وَحَجَّهَا وَانْصَرَفْنَا رَاجِعِينَ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيْنَا إِلَى بُسْتَانِ بَنِي عَامِرٍ عَاوَدَهَا الدَّمُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَدْعُو بِهَذَيْنِ الدُّعَائَيْنِ فِي دُبُرِ صَلاتِي فَقَالَ ادْعُ بِالأَوَّلِ إِنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَأَمَّا الآخَرُ فَلا تَدْعُ بِهِ إِلاَّ فِي الأَمْرِ الْفَظِيعِ يَنْزِلُ بِكَ. 

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Safmah ibn af-Khattab from Ali ibn al-Hassan from ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Uthman from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muskan from Bakr ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Azdiy Sharik abu Hamzah al-Thumaliy who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, a Muslim woman accompanied me until we reached the gardens of banu ‘Amir, where she began to experience menses. She felt a great concern about losing her acts of al-‘Umrah. She asked me to mention it before you for an answer. He (the Imam) said, ‘Ask her to take a shower at noontime, dress in clean clothes, and sit in a clean place with women around her who should say ‘Amen’ for her prayers. She should keep doing so when the sun declines toward the west. She then say the following prayer and women behind should say ‘Amen’, 0 Allah, I appeal before You through every name that is Your name or with which You have named Yourself for any of Your creatures, or have treasured or kept high in Your hidden knowledge before You. I appeal before You through the greatest of Your great names, whereby if You are asked You deem it necessary to answer, please cleanse me of this blood.’ If it did not stop, she should say this prayer. 0 Allah, I appeal before You through every word that You revealed to Muhammad (SAW). (I appeal before You) through every word that You revealed to Moses, through every word that You revealed to Jesus and through every word that You revealed in any of Your books, through every prayer with which any of Your angels have prayed before You to cleanse me of this blood.’ If it did not stop, she should do the same thing the next day at the same time. She should take a shower when the sun declines to the west, from a point verhead, say salat (prayer) and women should say ‘Amen’ for her prayer.’ That woman followed the instruction and she became clean. She performed all acts of al-Umrah and al-Hajj in clean condition and returned. As soon as we reached the gardens of banu ‘Amir, she experienced menses again. I then asked him (the Imam), ‘Can I read those two supplications after my salat (prayer). He (the Imam) replied, ‘You can read the first supplication if you like, but do not read the second unless it is a desperate condition.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 3, Chapter 156