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 عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ مَنْصُورٍ قَالَ صَحِبْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) وَهُوَ مُتَوَجِّهٌ إِلَى مَكَّةَ فَلَمَّا صَلَّى قَالَ اللهمَّ خَلِّ سَبِيلَنَا وَأَحْسِنْ تَسْيِيرَنَا وَأَحْسِنْ عَافِيَتَنَا وَكُلَّمَا صَعِدَ أَكَمَةً قَالَ اللهمَّ لَكَ الشَّرَفُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَرَفٍ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Hudhayfah ibn Mansur who has said the following: “I accompanied abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), on the way to Makkah and when he completed his salat (prayer) he said, ‘O Allah, open the way for us. Make our journey and our health full of goodness.’ Whenever he climbed a higher place, he would say, ‘You possess highness and You are over all goodness.’” 

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فِي سَفَرِهِ إِذَا هَبَطَ سَبَّحَ وَإِذَا صَعِدَ كَبَّرَ.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Um ay r from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar 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, during his journey, when climbing down would say, ‘Allah is free of all defects’ and when climbing up would say, ‘Allah is great beyond description.’” 

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ قَاسِمٍ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ عَنْ حَفْصِ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) إِنَّ عَلَى ذِرْوَةِ كُلِّ جِسْرٍ شَيْطَانٌ فَإِذَا انْتَهَيْتَ إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْ بِسْمِ الله يَرْحَلْ عَنْكَ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from al-Qasim al-Sayrafiy from Hafs ibn al-Qasim who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘On every bridge there is a Satan. When you approach him, say, ‘(I seek help) by the name of Allah.’ He moves away from you.’” 

4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الله الْقُمِّيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ قُلِ اللهمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ لِنَفْسِيَ الْيَقِينَ وَالْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ اللهمَّ أَنْتَ ثِقَتِي وَأَنْتَ رَجَائِي وَأَنْتَ عَضُدِي وَأَنْتَ نَاصِرِي بِكَ أَحُلُّ وَبِكَ أَسِيرُ قَالَ وَمَنْ يَخْرُجْ فِي سَفَرٍ وَحْدَهُ فَلْيَقُلْ مَا شَاءَ الله لا قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِالله اللهمَّ آنِسْ وَحْشَتِي وَأَعِنِّي عَلَى وَحْدَتِي وَأَدِّ غَيْبَتِي.

4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from ‘Isa ibn ‘Abdullah al-Qummiy from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who said: “Say: ‘O Allah, I appeal before You to grant my soul certainty, forgiveness and good health in this life and in the next life. O Allah, You are my trustee, my hope, my shoulder (power) and my supporter. With Your help I disembark and travel.’ Allahumma inni as'aluka li nafsiya al-yaqina wal-'afwa wal-'afiyata fi al-dunya wal-akhirah. Allahumma anta thiqati wa anta raja'i wa anta 'adudi wa anta nasiri. Bika ahullu wa bika asiru. He (the Imam) said, ‘If one travels alone he should say: ‘Whatever Allah wills happens. There is no power without the help of Allah. O Allah, comfort me in my fear, help me in my loneliness and make the end of my absence (from my home) closer.’” Ma sha'a Allah la quwwata illa billah Allahumma anis waḥshatī wa-aʿinnī ʿalā waḥdatī wa-add ghaybatī.

5ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمُكَارِي عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله قَالَ إِذَا خَرَجْتَ فِي سَفَرٍ فَقُلِ اللهمَّ إِنِّي خَرَجْتُ فِي وَجْهِي هَذَا بِلا ثِقَةٍ مِنِّي بِغَيْرِكَ وَلا رَجَاءٍ آوِي إِلَيْهِ إِلاَّ إِلَيْكَ وَلا قُوَّةٍ أَتَّكِلُ عَلَيْهَا وَلا حِيلَةٍ أَلْجَأُ إِلَيْهَا إِلاَّ طَلَبَ فَضْلِكَ وَابْتِغَاءَ رِزْقِكَ وَتَعَرُّضاً لِرَحْمَتِكَ وَسُكُوناً إِلَى حُسْنِ عَادَتِكَ وَأَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا سَبَقَ لِي فِي عِلْمِكَ فِي سَفَرِي هَذَا مِمَّا أُحِبُّ أَوْ أَكْرَهُ فَإِنَّمَا أُوقِعْتُ عَلَيْهِ يَا رَبِّ مِنْ قَدَرِكَ فَمَحْمُودٌ فِيهِ بَلاؤُكَ وَمُنْتَصِحٌ عِنْدِي فِيهِ قَضَاؤُكَ وَأَنْتَ تَمْحُو مَا تَشَاءُ وَتُثْبِتُ وَعِنْدَكَ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ اللهمَّ فَاصْرِفْ عَنِّي مَقَادِيرَ كُلِّ بَلاءٍ وَمَقْضِيَّ كُلِّ لاوَاءٍ وَابْسُطْ عَلَيَّ كَنَفاً مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ وَلُطْفاً مِنْ عَفْوِكَ وَسَعَةً مِنْ رِزْقِكَ وَتَمَاماً مِنْ نِعْمَتِكَ وَجِمَاعاً مِنْ مُعَافَاتِكَ وَأَوْقِعْ عَلَيَّ فِيهِ جَمِيعَ قَضَائِكَ عَلَى مُوَافَقَةِ جَمِيعِ هَوَايَ فِي حَقِيقَةِ أَحْسَنِ أَمَلِي وَادْفَعْ مَا أَحْذَرُ فِيهِ وَمَا لا أَحْذَرُ عَلَى نَفْسِي وَدِينِي وَمَالِي مِمَّا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي وَاجْعَلْ ذَلِكَ خَيْراً لآِخِرَتِي وَدُنْيَايَ مَعَ مَا أَسْأَلُكَ يَا رَبِّ أَنْ تَحْفَظَنِي فِيمَنْ خَلَّفْتُ وَرَائِي مِنْ وُلْدِي وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَحُزَانَتِي وَقَرَابَتِي وَإِخْوَانِي بِأَحْسَنِ مَا خَلَفْتَ بِهِ غَائِباً مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَحْصِينِ كُلِّ عَوْرَةٍ وَحِفْظٍ مِنْ كُلِّ مَضِيعَةٍ وَتَمَامِ كُلِّ نِعْمَةٍ وَكِفَايَةِ كُلِّ مَكْرُوهٍ وَسَتْرِ كُلِّ سَيِّئَةٍ وَصَرْفِ كُلِّ مَحْذُورٍ وَكَمَالِ كُلِّ مَا يَجْمَعُ لِيَ الرِّضَا وَالسُّرُورَ فِي جَمِيعِ أُمُورِي وَافْعَلْ ذَلِكَ بِي بِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَالسَّلامُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَيْهِمْ وَرَحْمَةُ الله وَبَرَكَاتُهُ.

5. Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ali from Hammad from a man from abu Sa‘id al-Mukariy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when you come out for a journey say, ‘O Allah, I have come out in this direction without placing my trust in anyone other than You. I do not have any hope in anyone to which I incline except to You. I have no power to rely on, or any plan to use, except seeking favors from You. I seek kindness from You and comfort in Your best methods. You know best about my past in Your knowledge, during my journey, what I like and what I dislike. In whatever matters of Your measures I may face, affliction will be praiseworthy to me and Your decision about it will be something from which I will learn a lesson and You, however, establish whatever You will and delete whatever You will and with You is the mother book. O Allah, divert from me the measures of all trials and afflictions, the approval of all constraints and expand for me a corner in Your mercy, a gift from Your forgiveness, an increase in Your sustenance and a completion in Your bounties, and comprehensiveness in Your granting good health. Apply to me all Your approval in harmony with my wishes and my best hopes. Expel what I am afraid of and what I am not afraid of for my soul, my religion, my possessions and that which You know more than I do, and make this a goodness for my next life as well as for this life along with what I ask from You. O my Lord, protect me along with what I have left behind, like my children, family, possessions, means of livelihood, my dependents, my relatives and brothers with the best of deputies which You assign for one who is absent from his home. (You assign for the protection) of believing people in matters of safety and protection of all privacies and safety of all belongings, completion of all bounties, sufficing in all hardships, concealment of all evil matters, diversion of obstacles, perfection of all that accumulates for my happiness and pleasure in all of my affairs. Do it for me through Muhammad and the family of Muhammad and grant salawat (favors and compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause) with kindness and blessings. 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 3, Chapter 48