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 وَأَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَحَدَهُمَا (عَلَيْهِما السَّلام) عَنْ شِرَاءِ الْخِيَانَةِ وَالسَّرِقَةِ فَقَالَ لا إِلا أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدِ اخْتَلَطَ مَعَهُ غَيْرُهُ فَأَمَّا السَّرِقَةُ بِعَيْنِهَا فَلا إِلا أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنْ مَتَاعِ السُّلْطَانِ فَلا بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from ibn Mahbub from abu Ayyub from abu Basir who has said the following: “I once asked one of the two Imam, (abu Ja’far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, about buying goods from cheating and stealing. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not lawful unless it is mixed with other goods. The very substance of stolen goods cannot be purchased unless it is of the properties of the sultan in which case it is not unlawful.’” 

2- ابْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ مِنَّا يَشْتَرِي مِنَ السُّلْطَانِ مِنْ إِبِلِ الصَّدَقَةِ وَغَنَمِ الصَّدَقَةِ وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ يَأْخُذُونَ مِنْهُمْ أَكْثَرَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ الَّذِي يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ فَقَالَ مَا الإبِلُ وَالْغَنَمُ إِلا مِثْلَ الْحِنْطَةِ وَالشَّعِيرِ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ لا بَأْسَ بِهِ حَتَّى تَعْرِفَ الْحَرَامَ بِعَيْنِهِ قِيلَ لَهُ فَمَا تَرَى فِي مُصَدِّقٍ يَجِيئُنَا فَيَأْخُذُ صَدَقَاتِ أَغْنَامِنَا فَنَقُولُ بِعْنَاهَا فَيَبِيعُنَاهَا فَمَا تَرَى فِي شِرَائِهَا مِنْهُ قَالَ إِنْ كَانَ قَدْ أَخَذَهَا وَعَزَلَهَا فَلا بَأْسَ قِيلَ لَهُ فَمَا تَرَى فِي الْحِنْطَةِ وَالشَّعِيرِ يَجِيئُنَا الْقَاسِمُ فَيَقْسِمُ لَنَا حَظَّنَا وَيَأْخُذُ حَظَّهُ فَيَعْزِلُهُ بِكَيْلٍ فَمَا تَرَى فِي شِرَاءِ ذَلِكَ الطَّعَامِ مِنْهُ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ قَبَضَهُ بِكَيْلٍ وَأَنْتُمْ حُضُورُ ذَلِكَ الْكَيْلِ فَلا بَأْسَ بِشِرَاهُ مِنْهُ بِغَيْرِ كَيْلٍ.

2. Ibn Mahbub has narrated from Hisham ibn Salim from abu ‘Ubayd who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the case of one of our men who bought from the sultan of the camels of charity and sheep of charity and he knew that they took more than what is rightly due on them. He (the Imam) said, ‘Camels and sheep are just like wheat and barley and other goods. It is not unlawful unless he recognizes the very substance of what is unlawful.’ It was asked, ‘What do you say about the charity collectors who come to us, collect the charity from our sheep, then we ask them to sell them to us and they sell them? What do you say about buying from them? He (the Imam) said, ‘If he has taken them away, then it is not unlawful.’ It was asked, ‘What do you say about wheat and barley which the charity collector takes from us with his measurement and keeps it to one side: if we buy such foodstuff from him?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If he has taken possession with a certain measurement, then it is not unlawful to buy from him without measuring.” 

3- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَشْتَرِي مِنَ الْعَامِلِ وَهُوَ يَظْلِمُ قَالَ يَشْتَرِي مِنْهُ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ ظَلَمَ فِيهِ أَحَداً.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali from Aban from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who bought from a charity collector who committed injustice. He (the Imam) said, ‘He can buy from him unless he learns that he has done injustice in collecting those goods.’” 

4- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ جَرَّاحٍ الْمَدَائِنِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لا يَصْلُحُ شِرَاءُ السَّرِقَةِ وَالْخِيَانَةِ إِذَا عُرِفَتْ.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from al-Qasim ibn Sulayman from Jarrah al-Mada’iniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Buying and selling of goods obtained by cheating and stealing are not valid and not lawful.’” 

5- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ قَالَ أَرَادُوا بَيْعَ تَمْرِ عَيْنِ أَبِي زِيَادٍ فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَشْتَرِيَهُ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ حَتَّى أَسْتَأْمِرَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَأَمَرْتُ مُعَاذاً فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَالَ قُلْ لَهُ يَشْتَرِيهِ فَإِنَّهُ إِنْ لَمْ يَشْتَرِهِ اشْتَرَاهُ غَيْرُهُ.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamil ibn Salih who has said the following: “They wanted to sell the dates of ‘ Ayn of abu Ziyad (name of a place with farms that belonged to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.)), and I wanted to buy it but then I decided to ask permission from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), so I asked Mu‘adh and he asked him (the Imam) about it and he (the Imam) said, ‘He can buy it because if he does not buy it someone else will buy it.’” 

6- الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ النَّهْدِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنِ اشْتَرَى سَرِقَةً وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ فَقَدْ شَرِكَ فِي عَارِهَا وَإِثْمِهَا.

6. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from al-Nahdiy from ibn abu Najran from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Whoever buys stolen goods when he knows it, he shares its shame and sin.’” 

7- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ السِّنْدِيِّ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَلاءِ عَنْ أَبِي عُمَرَ السَّرَّاجِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي الرَّجُلِ يُوجَدُ عِنْدَهُ السَّرِقَةُ قَالَ هُوَ غَارِمٌ إِذَا لَمْ يَأْتِ عَلَى بَائِعِهَا بِشُهُودٍ. 

7. Ali has narrated from Salih al-Sindiy from Ja‘far ibn Bashir from al-Husayn ibn abu al-‘Ala’ from abu ‘Umar al-Sarraj who has said the following: “About the case of a man with whom stolen goods were found, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘He is held responsible unless he presents testimony against the seller such as witnesses.”’ 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 5

Book 2, Chapter 104