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 عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَمَّنْ أَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ كُلُّ مَنْ سَاقَ هَدْياً تَطَوُّعاً فَعَطِبَ هَدْيُهُ فَلا شَيْ‏ءَ عَلَيْهِ يَنْحَرُهُ وَيَأْخُذُ نَعْلَ التَّقْلِيدِ فَيَغْمِسُهَا فِي الدَّمِ وَيَضْرِبُ بِهِ صَفْحَةَ سَنَامِهِ وَلا بَدَلَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَا كَانَ مِنْ جَزَاءِ صَيْدٍ أَوْ نَذْرٍ فَعَطِبَ فَعَلَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَعَلَيْهِ الْبَدَلُ وَكُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ إِذَا دَخَلَ الْحَرَمَ فَعَطِبَ فَلا بَدَلَ عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ تَطَوُّعاً أَوْ غَيْرَهُ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad from Hariz from those who narrated to him who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Whoever drives an offering animal optionally and it is damaged, he is not obligated for anything in this matter. He slaughters it and takes away the shove off its neck, stains it with blood, applies against its hump and he does not owe any replacement for it. Any offering animal, which is as expiation and penalty because of hunting or a vow and becomes damaged, he must do with it as the case above but he owes its replacement. Everything that enters al-Haram (the sacred area) and becomes damaged, the owner does not owe any replacement for it, regardless of being optional or otherwise.’” 

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى جَمِيعاً عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَنْ رَجُلٍ اشْتَرَى أُضْحِيَّةً فَمَاتَتْ أَوْ سُرِقَتْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَذْبَحَهَا فَقَالَ لا بَأْسَ وَإِنْ أَبْدَلَهَا فَهُوَ أَفْضَلُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَشْتَرِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr and Muhammad ibn ‘Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Safwan ibn Yahya all from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who buys an animal for offering but it dies or is stolen before slaughtering. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful but it is better to replace it, and if he does not buy, he is not obligated for anything in this matter.’” 

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ رَجُلٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَنِ الْبَدَنَةِ يُهْدِيهَا الرَّجُلُ فَتُكْسَرُ أَوْ تَهْلِكُ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ هَدْياً مَضْمُوناً فَإِنَّ عَلَيْهِ مَكَانَهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مَضْمُوناً فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ قُلْتُ أَ وَيَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from a man who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who offers a badanah but it suffers damage or is destroyed. He (the Imam) said, ’If it is a binding obligation, he owes its replacement, otherwise, he is not obligated for anything in this matter.’ I then asked, ‘Can he use it for food?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’” 

4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْهَدْيِ الْوَاجِبِ إِذَا أَصَابَهُ كَسْرٌ أَوْ عَطَبٌ أَ يَبِيعُهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَيَسْتَعِينُ بِثَمَنِهِ عَلَى هَدْيٍ آخَرَ قَالَ يَبِيعُهُ وَيَتَصَدَّقُ بِثَمَنِهِ وَيُهْدِي هَدْياً آخَرَ.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man whose obligatory offering animal suffers damage or is destroyed; if he can sell it and get help from its sale to buy its replacement. He (the Imam) said, ‘He can sell it, give the proceeds as charity and offer another offering.’” 

5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنِ الْعَلاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا (عَلَيْهِما السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِذَا وَجَدَ الرَّجُلُ هَدْياً ضَالاًّ فَلْيُعَرِّفْهُ يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ وَالْيَوْمَ الثَّانِيَ وَالْيَوْمَ الثَّالِثَ ثُمَّ يَذْبَحُهُ عَنْ صَاحِبِهِ عَشِيَّةَ يَوْمِ الثَّالِثِ وَقَالَ فِي الرَّجُلِ يَبْعَثُ بِالْهَدْيِ الْوَاجِبِ فَيَهْلِكُ الْهَدْيُ فِي الطَّرِيقِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَبْلُغَ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ سَعَةُ أَنْ يُهْدِيَ فَقَالَ الله سُبْحَانَهُ أَوْلَى بِالْعُذْرِ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ إِذَا سَأَلَ أُعْطِيَ.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn, from Safwan ibn Yahya from al-‘Ala’ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “One of the two Imam, (abu Ja’far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said, ‘If one finds a lost offering animal, he must make a public announcement. He can do so on the day of al-Nahr (slaughtering the offering, 10th of Dhu al-Hajjah). On the second day and on the third day, then slaughter it on behalf of its owner in the evening of the third day.’ About a man who sends an obligatory offering and it is destroyed on the way before reaching its place and he is not able to replace it, he (the Imam) said, ‘Allah, most Glorious, is the first to accept his excuse, unless he knows that if he asks he is given his wish.’” 

6ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَنْ رَجُلٍ اشْتَرَى هَدْياً لِمُتْعَتِهِ فَأَتَى بِهِ أَهْلَهُ وَرَبَطَهُ ثُمَّ انْحَلَّ وَهَلَكَ هَلْ يُجْزِئُهُ أَوْ يُعِيدُ قَالَ لا يُجْزِئُهُ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لا قُوَّةَ بِهِ عَلَيْهِ.

6. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ibrahim (a.s.), about a man who buys an offering animal for al- Tamattu‘ (advantageous), al-Hajj. He brings it to his family and ties down for security then releases it and it dies, if it is sufficient or he has to do it again. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not sufficient unless he has no power on it.’” 

7ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ اشْتَرَى كَبْشاً فَهَلَكَ مِنْهُ قَالَ يَشْتَرِي مَكَانَهُ آخَرَ قُلْتُ فَإِنِ اشْتَرَى مَكَانَهُ آخَرَ ثُمَّ وَجَدَ الأَوَّلَ قَالَ إِنْ كَانَا جَمِيعاً قَائِمَيْنِ فَلْيَذْبَحِ الأَوَّلَ وَلْيَبِعِ الآخَرَ وَإِنْ شَاءَ ذَبَحَهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ قَدْ ذَبَحَ الآخَرَ فَلْيَذْبَحِ الأَوَّلَ مَعَهُ.

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Sinan from ibn Muskan from abu Basir who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who buys a ram and it is destroyed (lost). He (the Imam) said, ‘He must buy another one to replace it.’ I then asked, ‘What is the rule if he buys another and finds the first one?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If both are available, he slaughters the first one and sells the other, and if he wants he can slaughter it; but if he has already slaughtered the second he must slaughter the first one also.’” 

8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَفْصِ بْنِ الْبَخْتَرِيِّ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ حَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فِي الرَّجُلِ يَضِلُّ هَدْيُهُ فَيَجِدُهُ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَيَنْحَرُهُ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ نَحَرَهُ بِمِنًى فَقَدْ أَجْزَأَ عَنْ صَاحِبِهِ الَّذِي ضَلَّ مِنْهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ نَحَرَهُ فِي غَيْرِ مِنًى لَمْ يُجْزِ عَنْ صَاحِبِهِ.

8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hafs ibn al-Bakhtariy from Mansur ibn Hazim who has said the following: “This is about a man whose offering becomes lost and another man finds it and slaughters it. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If he has slaughtered it in Mina’ it is sufficient for its owner. If it is slaughtered somewhere other than Mina’, it then is not sufficient for its owner,”’ 

9ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَدِيدٍ عَنْ جَمِيلٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا (عَلَيْهِما السَّلاَم) فِي رَجُلٍ اشْتَرَى هَدْياً فَنَحَرَهُ فَمَرَّ بِهِ رَجُلٌ فَعَرَفَهُ فَقَالَ هَذِهِ بَدَنَتِي ضَلَّتْ مِنِّي بِالأَمْسِ وَشَهِدَ لَهُ رَجُلانِ بِذَلِكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ لَحْمُهَا وَلا يُجْزِئُ عَنْ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا ثُمَّ قَالَ وَلِذَلِكَ جَرَتِ السُّنَّةُ بِإِشْعَارِهَا وَتَقْلِيدِهَا إِذَا عُرِّفَتْ. 

9. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn Hadid from Jamil from certain persons of our people who have said the following: “A man buys an offering animal then slaughters it. Another man passing by recognizes it and says, ‘It is my badanah that was lost yesterday.’ Two people testify in his favor. About such case, one of the two Imam, (abu Ja’far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said, ‘The meat belongs to him. As an offering it is not sufficient for neither of them.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘For this reason there is the Sunnah of ‘al-Tsh‘ar (to mark) or collaring (such as hanging a shove from the neck of the offering animal).’” (Fatwa best explains Hadith 1-8 of this Chapter) 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 3, Chapter 183