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 أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ وَأَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُمَا كَرِهَا رُكُوبَ الْبَحْرِ لِلتِّجَارَةِ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Khalid from ibn abu Najran from al-‘Ala’ from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far, and abu ‘ Abd Allah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, have said, ‘We dislike sailing on the sea for business.’” 

2- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَا أَجْمَلَ فِي الطَّلَبِ مَنْ رَكِبَ الْبَحْرَ لِلتِّجَارَةِ.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated in a marfu’ manner the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (a.s.), ‘has said, ‘How beautiful is the quest for trade to sail on the sea!”’ [Note: H 9118 and H 9119 appear to occur during two different eras, perhaps of safe and unsafe sailing times] 

3- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ حَمَلْتُ مَعِي مَتَاعاً إِلَى مَكَّةَ فَبَارَ عَلَيَّ فَدَخَلْتُ بِهِ الْمَدِينَةَ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنِّي حَمَلْتُ مَتَاعاً قَدْ بَارَ عَلَيَّ وَقَدْ عَزَمْتُ عَلَى أَنْ أَصِيرَ إِلَى مِصْرَ فَأَرْكَبُ بَرّاً أَوْ بَحْراً فَقَالَ مِصْرُ الْحُتُوفِ يُقَيَّضُ لَهَا أَقْصَرُ النَّاسِ أَعْمَاراً وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) مَا أَجْمَلَ فِي الطَّلَبِ مَنْ رَكِبَ الْبَحْرَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي لا عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ قَبْرَ رَسُولِ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَتُصَلِّيَ عِنْدَهُ رَكْعَتَيْنِ فَتَسْتَخِيرَ اللهَ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ فَمَا عَزَمَ لَكَ عَمِلْتَ بِهِ فَإِنْ رَكِبْتَ الظَّهْرَ فَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ وَإِنْ رَكِبْتَ الْبَحْرَ فَإِذَا صِرْتَ فِي السَّفِينَةِ فَقُلْ بِسْمِ اللهِ مَجْرَيهَا وَمُرْسَيهَا إِنَّ رَبِّي لَغَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ فَإِذَا هَاجَتْ عَلَيْكَ الأمْوَاجُ فَاتَّكِ عَلَى يَسَارِكَ وَ أَوْمِ إِلَى الْمَوْجَةِ بِيَمِينِكَ وَقُلْ قِرِّي بِقَرَارِ اللهِ وَاسْكُنِي بِسَكِينَةِ اللهِ وَلا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إِلا بِاللهِ [الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ] قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَسْبَاطٍ فَرَكِبْتُ الْبَحْرَ فَكَانَتِ الْمَوْجَةُ تَرْتَفِعُ فَأَقُولُ مَا قَالَ فَتَتَقَشَّعُ كَأَنَّهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَسْبَاطٍ وَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا السَّكِينَةُ قَالَ رِيحٌ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ لَهَا وَجْهٌ كَوَجْهِ الإنْسَانِ أَطْيَبُ رَائِحَةً مِنَ الْمِسْكِ وَهِيَ الَّتِي أَنْزَلَهَا اللهُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) بِحُنَيْنٍ فَهَزَمَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ali ibn Asbat who has said the following: “I had carried goods with me to Makkah. I faced severe competition there so I went to visit abu al- Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), and told him (the Imam) that I had carried goods to Makkah but I faced competition and I decided to travel to Egypt. Should I travel by land or by sea? He (the Imam) said, ’Egypt is destructive. It wrecks the youngest in age. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, “How beautiful is sailing on the sea in quest for trade.’” He (the Imam) said, ‘It will not be against you if you go to the shrine of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, perform near him two Rak’at Salat (prayer) and ask Allah for what is good, one hundred times; then whatever decision comes to your mind follow that decision. When you ride say, “All praise belongs to Allah who has made it possible for us when we were not able to reach it. To our Lord, we return.” After you sail on the sea in the ship say, “In the name of Allah who has made it to flow and sail. My Lord is forgiving and merciful.” If waves agitate on you, lean to your left and make a gesture to your right to the waves and say, “Calm down through the calmness of Allah and be tranquil through tranquility of Allah. There is no means and power except the power and means of Allah, the most High, most Great.’” “Ali ibn Asbat has said, ‘I sailed on the sea and waves rose. I would say what I was told to say. It would break into pieces as if there was nothing.’ Ali ibn Asbat has said, ‘I asked him (the Imam) saying I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what is al-Sakinah ?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is a wind from paradise with a face like the face of the human being, more sweet smelling than musk, and it is the one Allah sent to the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, in Hunayn (name of a place) which defeated the pagans.’” 

5- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِي رُكُوبِ الْبَحْرِ لِلتِّجَارَةِ يُغَرِّرُ الرَّجُلُ بِدِينِهِ.

4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from Hammad from Hariz from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘In sailing on the sea for trade one is deceived in his religion.’” 

5- عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنْ مُعَلًّى أَبِي عُثْمَانَ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ خُنَيْسٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يُسَافِرُ فَيَرْكَبُ الْبَحْرَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ أَبِي كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ يُضِرُّ بِدِينِكَ هُوَ ذَا النَّاسُ يُصِيبُونَ أَرْزَاقَهُمْ وَمَعِيشَتَهُمْ.

5. It is narrated from him from his father from Safwan from Mu’alla’ abu ‘ Uthman from Mu’alla’ ibn al-Khunayth who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who traveled and sailed on the sea. He (the Imam) said, ‘My father would say that it causes harms to one’s religion. There are people who find their livelihood and sustenance.’” 

6- عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ عَنْ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَلاءِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّ رَجُلا أَتَى أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ إِنَّا نَتَّجِرُ إِلَى هَذِهِ الْجِبَالِ فَنَأْتِي مِنْهَا عَلَى أَمْكِنَةٍ لا نَقْدِرُ أَنْ نُصَلِّيَ إِلا عَلَى الثَّلْجِ فَقَالَ أَلا تَكُونُ مِثْلَ فُلانٍ يَرْضَى بِالدُّونِ وَلا يَطْلُبُ تِجَارَةً لا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ إِلا عَلَى الثَّلْجِ. 

6. It is narrated from him from Muhammad ibn Ali from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu Hashim from Husayn ibn abu al-‘Ala’ who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once a man came to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), and said, ‘We work for business in these mountains and come upon areas where we cannot perform Salat (prayer) except on snow. He (the Imam) said, ‘Why can you not be like so and so who is happy with less and does not demand such things because of which he cannot performing Salat (prayer) except on snow.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 5

Book 2, Chapter 121