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 أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَنِ الْحَرَمِ وَأَعْلامِهِ كَيْفَ صَارَ بَعْضُهَا أَقْرَبَ مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَبَعْضُهَا أَبْعَدَ مِنْ بَعْضٍ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَمَّا أَهْبَطَ آدَمَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ هَبَطَ عَلَى أَبِي قُبَيْسٍ فَشَكَا إِلَى رَبِّهِ الْوَحْشَةَ وَأَنَّهُ لا يَسْمَعُ مَا كَانَ يَسْمَعُهُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَأَهْبَطَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْهِ يَاقُوتَةً حَمْرَاءَ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي مَوْضِعِ الْبَيْتِ فَكَانَ يَطُوفُ بِهَا آدَمُ فَكَانَ ضَوْؤُهَا يَبْلُغُ مَوْضِعَ الأَعْلامِ فَيُعَلَّمُ الأَعْلامُ عَلَى ضَوْئِهَا وَجَعَلَهُ الله حَرَماً. عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَبِي هَمَّامٍ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ هَمَّامٍ الْكِنْدِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) نَحْوَ هَذَا.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan, al-Rida (a.s.), about the Sacred Area, about its landmarks and why certain ones of its landmarks are closer than others, and others are farther?’ He (the Imam) replied, ’When Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, sent Adam down from paradise, he landed on abu Qubays (hill). He complained before his Lord against loneliness and that he does not hear what he used to hear in paradise. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, then sent for him a piece of red ruby. He placed it on the site of the House. Adam walked around it. The light from it fell on certain surrounding sites of the landmarks which are distinguished as such (the landmarks). Allah made them the boundary of the Sacred Area.’” 

2ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَأَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ آبَائِهِ (عَلَيْهِم السَّلاَم) أَنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَوْحَى إِلَى جَبْرَئِيلَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) أَنَا الله الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُ وَأَنِّي قَدْ رَحِمْتُ آدَمَ وَحَوَّاءَ لَمَّا شَكَيَا إِلَيَّ مَا شَكَيَا فَاهْبِطْ عَلَيْهِمَا بِخَيْمَةٍ مِنْ خِيَمِ الْجَنَّةِ وَعَزِّهِمَا عَنِّي بِفِرَاقِ الْجَنَّةِ وَاجْمَعْ بَيْنَهُمَا فِي الْخَيْمَةِ فَإِنِّي قَدْ رَحِمْتُهُمَا لِبُكَائِهِمَا وَوَحْشَتِهِمَا فِي وَحْدَتِهِمَا وَانْصِبِ الْخَيْمَةَ عَلَى التُّرْعَةِ الَّتِي بَيْنَ جِبَالِ مَكَّةَ قَالَ وَالتُّرْعَةُ مَكَانُ الْبَيْتِ وَقَوَاعِدِهِ الَّتِي رَفَعَتْهَا الْمَلائِكَةُ قَبْلَ آدَمَ فَهَبَطَ جَبْرَئِيلُ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) عَلَى آدَمَ بِالْخَيْمَةِ عَلَى مِقْدَارِ أَرْكَانِ الْبَيْتِ وَقَوَاعِدِهِ فَنَصَبَهَا قَالَ وَأَنْزَلَ جَبْرَئِيلُ آدَمَ مِنَ الصَّفَا وَأَنْزَلَ حَوَّاءَ مِنَ الْمَرْوَةِ وَجَمَعَ بَيْنَهُمَا فِي الْخَيْمَةِ قَالَ وَكَانَ عَمُودُ الْخَيْمَةِ قَضِيبَ يَاقُوتٍ أَحْمَرَ فَأَضَاءَ نُورُهُ وَضَوْؤُهُ جِبَالَ مَكَّةَ وَمَا حَوْلَهَا قَالَ وَامْتَدَّ ضَوْءُ الْعَمُودِ قَالَ فَهُوَ مَوَاضِعُ الْحَرَمِ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ كُلِّ نَاحِيَةٍ مِنْ حَيْثُ بَلَغَ ضَوْءُ الْعَمُودِ قَالَ فَجَعَلَهُ الله حَرَماً لِحُرْمَةِ الْخَيْمَةِ وَالْعَمُودِ لأَنَّهُمَا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ قَالَ وَلِذَلِكَ جَعَلَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ فِي الْحَرَمِ مُضَاعَفَةً وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ مُضَاعَفَةً قَالَ وَمُدَّتْ أَطْنَابُ الْخَيْمَةِ حَوْلَهَا فَمُنْتَهَى أَوْتَادِهَا مَا حَوْلَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ قَالَ وَكَانَتْ أَوْتَادُهَا مِنْ عِقْيَانِ الْجَنَّةِ وَأَطْنَابُهَا مِنْ ضَفَائِرِ الأُرْجُوَانِ قَالَ وَأَوْحَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى جَبْرَئِيلَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) اهْبِطْ عَلَى الْخَيْمَةِ بِسَبْعِينَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ يَحْرُسُونَهَا مِنْ مَرَدَةِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَيُؤْنِسُونَ آدَمَ وَيَطُوفُونَ حَوْلَ الْخَيْمَةِ تَعْظِيماً لِلْبَيْتِ وَالْخَيْمَةِ قَالَ فَهَبَطَ بِالْمَلائِكَةِ فَكَانُوا بِحَضْرَةِ الْخَيْمَةِ يَحْرُسُونَهَا مِنْ مَرَدَةِ الشَّيَاطِينِ الْعُتَاةِ وَيَطُوفُونَ حَوْلَ أَرْكَانِ الْبَيْتِ وَالْخَيْمَةِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ كَمَا كَانُوا يَطُوفُونَ فِي السَّمَاءِ حَوْلَ الْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُورِ قَالَ وَأَرْكَانُ الْبَيْتِ الْحَرَامِ فِي الأَرْضِ حِيَالَ الْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُورِ الَّذِي فِي السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَوْحَى إِلَى جَبْرَئِيلَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَنِ اهْبِطْ إِلَى آدَمَ وَحَوَّاءَ فَنَحِّهِمَا عَنْ مَوَاضِعِ قَوَاعِدِ بَيْتِي وَارْفَعْ قَوَاعِدَ بَيْتِي لِمَلائِكَتِي ثُمَّ وُلْدِ آدَمَ فَهَبَطَ جَبْرَئِيلُ عَلَى آدَمَ وَحَوَّاءَ فَأَخْرَجَهُمَا مِنَ الْخَيْمَةِ وَنَحَّاهُمَا عَنْ تُرْعَةِ الْبَيْتِ وَنَحَّى الْخَيْمَةَ عَنْ مَوْضِعِ التُّرْعَةِ قَالَ وَوَضَعَ آدَمَ عَلَى الصَّفَا وَحَوَّاءَ عَلَى الْمَرْوَةِ فَقَالَ آدَمُ يَا جَبْرَئِيلُ أَ بِسَخَطٍ مِنَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَوَّلْتَنَا وَفَرَّقْتَ بَيْنَنَا أَمْ بِرِضاً وَتَقْدِيرٍ عَلَيْنَا فَقَالَ لَهُمَا لَمْ يَكُنْ ذَلِكَ بِسَخَطٍ مِنَ الله عَلَيْكُمَا وَلَكِنَّ الله لا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ يَا آدَمُ إِنَّ السَّبْعِينَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ الَّذِينَ أَنْزَلَهُمُ الله إِلَى الأَرْضِ لِيُؤْنِسُوكَ وَيَطُوفُوا حَوْلَ أَرْكَانِ الْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُورِ وَالْخَيْمَةِ سَأَلُوا الله أَنْ يَبْنِيَ لَهُمْ مَكَانَ الْخَيْمَةِ بَيْتاً عَلَى مَوْضِعِ التُّرْعَةِ الْمُبَارَكَةِ حِيَالَ الْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُورِ فَيَطُوفُونَ حَوْلَهُ كَمَا كَانُوا يَطُوفُونَ فِي السَّمَاءِ حَوْلَ الْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُورِ فَأَوْحَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَيَّ أَنْ أُنَحِّيَكَ وَأَرْفَعَ الْخَيْمَةَ فَقَالَ آدَمُ قَدْ رَضِينَا بِتَقْدِيرِ الله وَنَافِذِ أَمْرِهِ فِينَا فَرَفَعَ قَوَاعِدَ الْبَيْتِ الْحَرَامِ بِحَجَرٍ مِنَ الصَّفَا وَحَجَرٍ مِنَ الْمَرْوَةِ وَحَجَرٍ مِنْ طُورِ سَيْنَاءَ وَحَجَرٍ مِنْ جَبَلِ السَّلامِ وَهُوَ ظَهْرَ الْكُوفَةِ وَأَوْحَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى جَبْرَئِيلَ أَنِ ابْنِهِ وَأَتِمَّهُ فَاقْتَلَعَ جَبْرَئِيلُ الأَحْجَارَ الأَرْبَعَةَ بِأَمْرِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ مَوَاضِعِهِنَّ بِجَنَاحِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا حَيْثُ أَمَرَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي أَرْكَانِ الْبَيْتِ عَلَى قَوَاعِدِهِ الَّتِي قَدَّرَهَا الْجَبَّارُ وَنَصَبَ أَعْلامَهَا ثُمَّ أَوْحَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى جَبْرَئِيلَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) أَنِ ابْنِهِ وَأَتِمَّهُ بِحِجَارَةٍ مِنْ أَبِي قُبَيْسٍ وَاجْعَلْ لَهُ بَابَيْنِ بَاباً شَرْقِيّاً وَبَاباً غَرْبِيّاً قَالَ فَأَتَمَّهُ جَبْرَئِيلُ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فَلَمَّا أَنْ فَرَغَ طَافَتْ حَوْلَهُ الْمَلائِكَةُ فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ آدَمُ وَحَوَّاءُ إِلَى الْمَلائِكَةِ يَطُوفُونَ حَوْلَ الْبَيْتِ انْطَلَقَا فَطَافَا سَبْعَةَ أَشْوَاطٍ ثُمَّ خَرَجَا يَطْلُبَانِ مَا يَأْكُلانِ. 

2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from ibn Mahbub from Muhammad ibn Ishaq who have said the following: “Abu Ja’far, has narrated from his ancestors, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, who have said that Allah, the most Blessed, the most High, sent revelation to Jibril that said, I am Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. I granted mercy to Adam and Hawwa’ (Eve) when they complained to Me the way they did. Descend to them with a tent from paradise; provide them comfort on My behalf on their separation from paradise. Call them in one tent; I have granted them mercy due to their weeping, their fear and feeling lonely. Pitch the tent on al-Tur‘ah (a high place) in the mountains of Makkah’. He (the Imam) said, ‘Al-Tur’ah is the site of the House and its pillars that angels had raised before Adam.’ Jibril descended down with the tent, which was of the size of the site of the House, and its pillars. He (Jibril) pitched up the tent.’ He (the Imam) said, ’Jibril then asked Adam to come down from al-Safa’ and asked Hawwa’ to come down from al-Marwah. He (Jibril) brought them in one tent.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The pole of the tent was a pole made of red ruby, its light and rays shone at the hills of Makkah and its surroundings.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The light of the pole then extended.’ He (the Imam) said, ’Places on which the light from the pole fell became known as part of the Sacred Area today.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Allah made such area sacred due to the sanctity of the tent and the pole; they were from paradise.’ He (the Imam) said, ’For this reason Allah counts both good deeds and evil deeds in multiples.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Ropes of the tent were extended around it to fasten to the pegs which in turn mark the limits of the area of the Sacred Masjid.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The pegs were of pure gold and the ropes were of purple color fibers from paradise.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, sent revelation to Jibril that said, ‘Allow seventy thousand angels to guard the tent against satanic disobedient ones, comfort Adam and perform Tawaf around the tent to show the greatness of the House and the tent.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Jibril came with the angels and they were guards at the tent against disobedient and violent individuals of Satan. They performed Tawaf around the House and the tent every day and night just as they did around the established House in the heaven.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The pillars of the Sacred House on earth stand parallel with the Established House in the heaven.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, sent thereafter revelation to Jibril that said, “You must go to Adam and Hawwa’ (Eve), move them away from the pillars of the House and raise the pillars of the House for my angels, then for the children of Adam.” Jibril came to Adam and Hawwa’ (Eve), moved them away from the tent and al-Tur'ah of the House and removed the tent from al-Tur‘ah (the site of the House).’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Adam was placed on al-Safa’ and Hawwa’ was placed on al-Marwah. Adam then asked Jibril, “Is it because of the anger of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, that you have moved us and separated us from each other or with His agreement and measures for us?” He (Jibril) told them that it was not due to Allah’s anger against both of them but Allah cannot be questioned for what He does. O Adam, the seventy thousand angels that Allah has sent to earth provide you comfort; you must perform Tawaf around the pillars of the House, the Established one, and the tent. They asked Allah to build for them instead of the tent a house on the site of al-Tur‘ah, the blessed one, parallel to the Established House in heaven so they can perform Tawaf around it, as they do around the Established House in heaven. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, then sent to me revelation to move you away and the tent. Adam then said, “We are happy with the measures of Allah and whatever He commands about us.” The pillars of the Sacred House were raised with one stone from al-Safa’, one from al-Marwah, one from Mount Sinai and one from the Mount Peace which is behind al-Kufa. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, sent revelation to Jibril to build and complete it. Jibril then dug out the four stones by the command of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, from their places by his wing, and placed them on the corners of the House in places of the pillars marked and measured by the Almighty, as Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, had commanded him to do. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, then sent revelation to Jibril that said, “You must build and complete it with stones from abu Qubays and make two doors for it, one to the east and one to the west.’” He (the Imam) said, ‘He (Jibril) completed it. When he finished, angels performed Tawaf around it. When Adam and Hawwa’ looked to the angels performing Tawaf around the House, they moved to perform Tawaf by walking around it seven times and then they went out in search for food.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 3, Chapter 5