Virtue and Excellence of Serving in the Army

Jihad of Man and Woman

Kinds of Jihad (struggle)

To Whom Does the Obligation of Jihad Apply, and to Whom it Does not Apply

Mobilization Along with People when there is Fear for al-Islam

Under Whose Command Obligatory Jihad Takes Place?

‘Amr ibn ‘Ubayd and al-Mu’taziliy Groups’ Visiting abu ‘Abd Allah ‘Alayhi al-Salam

The Recommendations of the Messenger of Allah and Amir al-Mu’minin, about Smaller Armed Expeditions

Chapter 9(a) - Granting Immunity

Chapter 9(b)

Chapter 9(c)

Challenging the Enemy for a Fight

Kindness to the Prisoners and Providing Him Food

Calling to al-Islam before Fighting

Chapter 13(a) - Matters about which Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s), Recommended at the Time of War

Chapter 13(b)

It is not Lawful for a Muslim to Reside in a War Zone

Chapter 15(a) - Distribution of the Properties Captured from the Enemy

Chapter 15(b)

Chapter 15(c)

The Slogan

The Virtue of Maintaining Horses, Racing and Sharp Shooting Contests

Man’s Defending Himself Against the Thief

The Case of one Murdered over His Stolen Property

Chapter 20(a) - The Excellence of Martyrdom

Chapter 20(b)

Chapter 20(c)

Commanding others what is Obligatory and to Prohibit them from doing Evil

Chapter 22(a) - Rejecting Evil in one’s Heart

Chapter 22(b)

The Case of those who Displease the Creator to Please the Creatures

It is Detestable to Expose One’s Self to What He Cannot Endure

Al-Sufiy People’s Visiting Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam

The Meaning of Zuhd (Asceticism)

Using the Worldly Resources as Means for Success in the Hereafter

The Degree Of Efforts Which One Must Make In Search For One’s Sustenance To Follow In the Footsteps of ‘A’immah ‘Alayhim al-Salam

Promoting The Quest For Sustenance And Work To Make A Living

Al^Ibla’ (Trying) in the Work for Living

Meticulous Effort to Make a Living

Receiving Sustenance from Unexpected Sources

The Detestability of Sleeping and Passing Time without Work

Detestability of Laziness

One’s Working in His House

Amending one’s Properties and Planning for one’s Living

Hard Work for the Family

Earning Lawful kind of Sustenance

Saving for One’s Living Expenses

Detestability of Offering Oneself for Hire

Performing Personally one’s Business Tasks

Buying and Selling Real Estate

Debts and Borrowing

Payment of Debts

To Retaliate and Offset for Debts

When a Man Dies Payment of his Debts becomes Due

The Case of One Who Borrows But Does Not Intend To Pay Back

Sell off Debts in Exchange for Debts

Etiquette of Asking for Payment

The Case of Delaying Due Payment

Lodging With a Borrower When Demanding Payment

Chapter 28(a) - The Case of Gift to a Creditor

Chapter 28(b) - Bail out and Assignment or Referral

Working for al-Sultan and his Rewards

The Conditions to Work for al-Sultan

Selling Arms to al- Sultan

The Crafts (Technologies)

The Legal Status of Income from Cupping Operation

Income from Eulogizing Someone to Make People Mourn

The Legal Status of Income from Hairdressing and Circumcising

The Legal Status of the Income of Female Singer from Singing and Selling Singers (Slave-girls)

The Legal Status of Income from Teaching

The legal Status of Income from Selling Copies of the Holy Quran

Gambling and Looting

Earning in Unlawful ways

Unlawful Earnings in the form of al-Suht such as Buying and Selling of Intoxicating Liquors . . .

Consuming the Properties of Orphans

The Amount a Supervisor of the Properties of Orphans Can Lawfully Use

Using the Properties of Orphans in Business and Lending

Safe Return of Trust

A Father and Son’s Using Each Others Properties

A Husband and Wife’s Using Each Other’s Properties

Found and Lost Properties

Gifts and Presents

Rule about Unlawful Interest

Unlawful Interest Does Not Apply Between a Father and Son

The Excellence of Doing Business and Giving It Proper Attention

Etiquettes of Doing Business

Excellence of Keeping Accounts and Books

Entering the Market Before Others

Speaking of Allah, Most High, in the Market

Words to Say When Buying for Resale Purposes

People With Whom Doing Business Is Not Recommended

Using Proper and Improper Measurements in Business

Cheating in Business

Swearing at the Time of Buying and Selling

The Case of Prices of Goods

The Case of Monopolization (Hoarding) Goods in Public Demand

Another Chapter

Excellence of Buying Wheat and Food

Detestability of Estimating and Preferability of Using Measurements

Continuing Profitable Businesses

1- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الأشْعَرِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَدَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ عَدُوُّ الْعَمَلِ الْكَسَلُ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash’ariy from ibn al-Qaddah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ’Laziness is an enemy of work.’” 

2- سَهْلُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي خَلَفٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَبِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لِبَعْضِ وُلْدِهِ إِيَّاكَ وَالْكَسَلَ وَالضَّجَرَ فَإِنَّهُمَا يَمْنَعَانِكَ مِنْ حَظِّكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ.

2. Sahl ibn Ziyad has narrated from ibn Mahbub from Sa‘d ibn abu Khalaf from abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan, Musa has said, ‘My father (a.s.), once said to a certain one of his sons, “Beware of laziness and impatience; these two can deprive you of your share in this world as well as in the hereafter.’”” 

3- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ كَسِلَ عَنْ طَهُورِهِ وَصَلاتِهِ فَلَيْسَ فِيهِ خَيْرٌ لأمْرِ آخِرَتِهِ وَمَنْ كَسِلَ عَمَّا يُصْلِحُ بِهِ أَمْرَ مَعِيشَتِهِ فَلَيْسَ فِيهِ خَيْرٌ لأمْرِ دُنْيَاهُ‏.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘Umar ibn ‘Udhaynah from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If one feels lazy to cleansing himself and to take wudu’ for Salat (prayer), there is nothing good in him in regards to his affairs in the hereafter. One who feels lazy in organizing his living conditions, there is nothing good in him for his worldly life.’” 

4- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنِّي لأبْغِضُ الرَّجُلَ أَوْ أُبْغِضُ لِلرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَكُونَ كَسْلاناً [كَسْلانَ] عَنْ أَمْرِ دُنْيَاهُ وَمَنْ كَسِلَ عَنْ أَمْرِ دُنْيَاهُ فَهُوَ عَنْ أَمْرِ آخِرَتِهِ أَكْسَلُ.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Al-Husayn from Safwan from ‘Ala’ from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘I dislike a man -or dislike for a man- who is lazy in his worldly affairs. One who is lazy in his worldly affairs is lazier in the affairs of his hereafter.’” 

5- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِيَّاكَ وَالْكَسَلَ وَالضَّجَرَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ كَسِلْتَ لَمْ تَعْمَلْ وَإِنْ ضَجِرْتَ لَمْ تُعْطِ الْحَقَّ.

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from Sama‘ah ibn Mehran from abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), has said, ‘Beware of laziness and impatience; with laziness you do not work and with impatience you do not yield to the truth.” 

6- أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لا تَسْتَعِنْ بِكَسْلانَ وَلا تَسْتَشِيرَنَّ عَاجِزاً.

6. Ahmad ibn Muhammad from has narrated from certain persons of our people from Salih ibn ‘Umar from al-Hassan ibn ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Do not seek help from a lazy person and you must not consult a helpless one.’” 

7- أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْهَيْثَمِ النَّهْدِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو الْوَاسِطِيِّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عُمَرَ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ زَيْدٍ الْقَتَّاتِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ تَجَنَّبُوا الْمُنَى فَإِنَّهَا تُذْهِبُ بَهْجَةَ مَا خُوِّلْتُمْ وَتَسْتَصْغِرُونَ بِهَا مَوَاهِبَ اللهِ تَعَالَى عِنْدَكُمْ وَ تُعْقِبُكُمُ الْحَسَرَاتُ فِيمَا وَهَّمْتُمْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَكُمْ.

7. Ahmad ibn Muhammad from has narrated from al-Haytham al-Nahdiy from ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn ’Amr al-Wasitiy from Ahmad ibn ‘Umar al-Halabiy from Zayd al-Qattat from Aban ibn Taghlib who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘Avoid wishing (daydreaming); it destroys the beauty of Allah’s favors to you and causes to suffer feeling of failure in your daydreaming and what you imagined.’” 

8- عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الأشْيَاءَ لَمَّا ازْدَوَجَتْ ازْدَوَجَ الْكَسَلُ وَالْعَجْزُ فَنُتِجَا بَيْنَهُمَا الْفَقْرَ.

8. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated in a marfu’ manner the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘When things (works) double, laziness and failure join hands, and they both give birth to poverty.’” 

9- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ قَالَ كَتَبَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَلا تُجَادِلِ الْعُلَمَاءَ وَلا تُمَارِ السُّفَهَاءَ فَيُبْغِضَكَ الْعُلَمَاءُ وَيَشْتِمَكَ السُّفَهَاءُ وَلا تَكْسَلْ عَنْ مَعِيشَتِكَ فَتَكُونَ كَلا عَلَى غَيْرِكَ أَوْ قَالَ عَلَى أَهْلِكَ. 

9. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Harun ibn Muslim from Mas’adah ibn Sadaqah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once wrote to one of his companions the following: . . thereafter take notice of the following. You must not excessively argue with the scholars, you must not verbally quarrel with the dimwitted ones; the scholars will hate you and the dimwitted ones will abuse you. You must not be lazy in the work for your sustenance; you will become a burden on the others’ - or that he (the Imam) said, ‘a burden on your family.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 5

Book 2, Chapter 10