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 أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ ذَرِيحٍ الْمُحَارِبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ مَنْ مَاتَ وَلَمْ يَحُجَّ حَجَّةَ الإِسْلامِ لَمْ يَمْنَعْهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ حَاجَةٌ تُجْحِفُ بِهِ أَوْ مَرَضٌ لا يُطِيقُ فِيهِ الْحَجَّ أَوْ سُلْطَانٌ يَمْنَعُهُ فَلْيَمُتْ يَهُودِيّاً أَوْ نَصْرَانِيّاً.

1. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from Dharih al-Muharibiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that one who dies without performing Hajjahta al-Islam when nothing such as poverty, illness with which he could not perform al-Hajj, or the ruling authorities prevent him from performing al-Hajj, he dies as a Jew or as a Christian.’” 

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَمَنْ كانَ فِي هذِهِ أَعْمى‏ فَهُوَ فِي الآخِرَةِ أَعْمى‏ وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلاً فَقَالَ ذَلِكَ الَّذِي يُسَوِّفُ نَفْسَهُ الْحَجَّ يَعْنِي حَجَّةَ الإِسْلامِ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَهُ الْمَوْتُ.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id who has narrated from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, from Ali ibn abu Hamzah, from abu Basir, who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘One who is blind in this life in the next life will also be blind and in much more straying.’ (17:72) He (the Imam) replied, ‘He is one who procrastinates in performing al-Hajj, which is Hajjahta al-Islam, until death takes him away.” 

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ أَبِي جَمِيلَةَ عَنْ زَيْدٍ الشَّحَّامِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) التَّاجِرُ يُسَوِّفُ نَفْسَهُ الْحَجَّ قَالَ لَيْسَ لَهُ عُذْرٌ وَإِنْ مَاتَ فَقَدْ تَرَكَ شَرِيعَةً مِنْ شَرَائِعِ الإِسْلامِ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu Najran from abu Jamilah from Zayd al-Shahham who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘There is a merchant who procrastinates in performing al-Hajj. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he does it without good reason, he has violated one of the laws of al-Islam.’” 

4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي الصَّبَّاحِ الْكِنَانِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ أَ رَأَيْتَ الرَّجُلَ التَّاجِرَ ذَا الْمَالِ حِينَ يُسَوِّفُ الْحَجَّ كُلَّ عَامٍ وَلَيْسَ يَشْغَلُهُ عَنْهُ إِلاَّ التِّجَارَةُ أَوِ الدَّيْنُ فَقَالَ لا عُذْرَ لَهُ يُسَوِّفُ الْحَجَّ إِنْ مَاتَ وَقَدْ تَرَكَ الْحَجَّ فَقَدْ تَرَكَ شَرِيعَةً مِنْ شَرَائِعِ الإِسْلامِ. عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) مِثْلَهُ.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu al-Sabbah al-Kinaniy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘What do you say about a wealthy business man who procrastinates in performing al-Hajj every year when no other thing prevents him from al-Hajj except business and debts?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘He does not have any good excuse. He must not procrastinate performing al-Hajj. If he dies, he has violated one of the laws of al-Islam.’” 

5ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ النَّهْدِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ ذَرِيحٍ الْمُحَارِبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ مَنْ مَاتَ وَلَمْ يَحُجَّ حَجَّةَ الإِسْلامِ لَمْ تَمْنَعْهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ حَاجَةٌ تُجْحِفُ بِهِ أَوْ مَرَضٌ لا يُطِيقُ فِيهِ الْحَجَّ أَوْ سُلْطَانٌ يَمْنَعُهُ فَلْيَمُتْ يَهُودِيّاً أَوْ نَصْرَانِيّاً.

5. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Nahdiy from Muhammad ibn al-Walid from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from Dharih al-Muharibiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that one who dies without performing Hajjata al-Islam and without any good excuse, such as poverty, an illness with which one cannot perform al-Hajj or any ruling authority’s preventing him from performing al-Hajj, he dies as a Jew or a Christian.” 

6ـ حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ الْمِيثَمِيِّ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) يَقُولُ مَنْ مَاتَ وَهُوَ صَحِيحٌ مُوسِرٌ لَمْ يَحُجَّ فَهُوَ مِمَّنْ قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ أَعْمى‏ قَالَ قُلْتُ سُبْحَانَ الله أَعْمَى قَالَ نَعَمْ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَعْمَاهُ عَنْ طَرِيقِ الْحَقِّ.

6. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama‘ah from Ahmad ibn al-Hassan al-Mithamiy from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from abu Basir who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘If one dies without performing al-Hajj when in good health and wealthy, he is one of those about whom Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has said, ‘We will, on the Day of Judgment, raise him blind.’ (20:124) I (the narrator) then said, ‘Allah is free of all defects. Will he be raised blind?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, blind he will be raised. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has turned him blind toward the true path.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 3, Chapter 31