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 مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ الْبَجَلِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) يَا سَيِّدِي إِنِّي أَرْجُو أَنْ أَصُومَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ فَقَالَ تَصُومُ بِهَا إِنْ شَاءَ الله قُلْتُ وَأَرْجُو أَنْ يَكُونَ خُرُوجُنَا فِي عَشْرٍ مِنْ شَوَّالٍ وَقَدْ عَوَّدَ الله زِيَارَةَ رَسُولِ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَأَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَزِيَارَتَكَ فَرُبَّمَا حَجَجْتُ عَنْ أَبِيكَ وَرُبَّمَا حَجَجْتُ عَنْ أَبِي وَرُبَّمَا حَجَجْتُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ مِنْ إِخْوَانِي وَرُبَّمَا حَجَجْتُ عَنْ نَفْسِي فَكَيْفَ أَصْنَعُ فَقَالَ تَمَتَّعْ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي مُقِيمٌ بِمَكَّةَ مُنْذُ عَشْرِ سِنِينَ فَقَالَ تَمَتَّعْ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Musa ibn al-Qasim al-Bajaliy who has said the following: “I once said to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘My master, I hope to fast during the month of Ramadan in al-Madinah.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You will do so by the will of Allah.’ I then said, ‘I hope to leave by the tenth of the month of Shawwal after visiting the Messenger of Allah, his family and yourself, may Allah grant me such opportunity again. I sometimes perform al-Hajj on behalf of your father or on behalf of my father, or on behalf of a man from our brothers (in belief) or perform al-Hajj for myself. How should I perform such al-Hajj?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You should perform al-Hajj in al- Tamattu‘ manner.’ I then said, ‘I am a resident of Makkah for the past twenty years.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You should perform al-Hajj in al-Tamattu‘ manner.’” 

2ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْكُوفِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَدْ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَطُوفَ عَنْكَ وَعَنْ أَبِيكَ فَقِيلَ لِي إِنَّ الأَوْصِيَاءَ لا يُطَافُ عَنْهُمْ فَقَالَ لِي بَلْ طُفْ مَا أَمْكَنَكَ فَإِنَّهُ جَائِزٌ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ لَهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بِثَلاثِ سِنِينَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ اسْتَأْذَنْتُكَ فِي الطَّوَافِ عَنْكَ وَعَنْ أَبِيكَ فَأَذِنْتَ لِي فِي ذَلِكَ فَطُفْتُ عَنْكُمَا مَا شَاءَ الله ثُمَّ وَقَعَ فِي قَلْبِي شَيْ‏ءٌ فَعَمِلْتُ بِهِ قَالَ وَمَا هُوَ قُلْتُ طُفْتُ يَوْماً عَنْ رَسُولِ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَقَالَ ثَلاثَ مَرَّاتٍ صَلَّى الله عَلَى رَسُولِ الله ثُمَّ الْيَوْمَ الثَّانِيَ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ثُمَّ طُفْتُ الْيَوْمَ الثَّالِثَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) وَالرَّابِعَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) وَالْخَامِسَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ (عَلَيْهِما السَّلاَم) وَالسَّادِسَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِما السَّلاَم) وَالْيَوْمَ السَّابِعَ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِما السَّلاَم) وَالْيَوْمَ الثَّامِنَ عَنْ أَبِيكَ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) وَالْيَوْمَ التَّاسِعَ عَنْ أَبِيكَ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) وَالْيَوْمَ الْعَاشِرَ عَنْكَ يَا سَيِّدِي وَهَؤُلاءِ الَّذِينَ أَدِينُ الله بِوَلايَتِهِمْ فَقَالَ إِذَنْ وَالله تَدِينَ الله بِالدِّينِ الَّذِي لا يَقْبَلُ مِنَ الْعِبَادِ غَيْرَهُ قُلْتُ وَرُبَّمَا طُفْتُ عَنْ أُمِّكَ فَاطِمَةَ (عَلَيْها السَّلاَم) وَرُبَّمَا لَمْ أَطُفْ فَقَالَ اسْتَكْثِرْ مِنْ هَذَا فَإِنَّهُ أَفْضَلُ مَا أَنْتَ عَامِلُهُ إِنْ شَاءَ الله. 

2. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from al-Hassan al-Kufiy from Ali ibn Mahziyar from Musa al-Qasim who has said the following: “I once said to abu Ja‘far, the second ‘Alayhi al-Salam, ‘I want to perform Tawaf on your behalf and on behalf of your father.’ It was said to me, ‘Tawaf is not performed on behalf of the executors of the will (of the Messenger of Allah).’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Perform Tawaf as much as you can; it is permissible.’ I then after three years said, to him, ‘I had sought permission from you to perform Tawaf on your behalf and on behalf of your father and you had granted permission. I then performed Tawaf on behalf of both of you as much as Allah willed. I then said, ‘Then something came to my mind and I then did something accordingly.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What did you do?’ I then replied, ‘I one day performed Tawaf on behalf of the Messenger of Allah; he (the Imam) said three times, “O Allah, grant salawat (favors and compensation to Muhammad worthy of his services to your cause).” I then on the second day performed Tawaf on behalf of ’Amir al-Mu’minin. On the third day, I performed Tawaf on behalf of al-Hassan (a.s.). On the fourth day, I performed Tawaf on behalf of al-Husayn (a.s.). On the fifth day, I performed Tawaf on behalf of Ali ibn al- Husayn. On the sixth day, I performed Tawaf on behalf of abu Ja’far; on the seventh day, I performed Tawaf on behalf of Ja’far ibn Muhammad. On the eighth day, I performed Tawaf on behalf of your grandfather, Musa ibn Ja’far. On the ninth day, I performed Tawaf on behalf of your father. On the tenth day, I performed Tawaf on your behalf, O my master. These are those whose divine authority is part of my religion in obedience to Allah.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The religion you have followed in obedience to Allah is the one beside which no other religion is accepted from the servants (of Allah).’ I then said, ‘I may have performed Tawaf on behalf of your mother, Fatimah, ‘Alayha al-Salam, also, or may not have done so.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You should do so very often; this is better than what you may do, by the will of Allah.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 4

Book 3, Chapter 71