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 عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَطِيَّةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ اخْتَارَ لأنْبِيَائِهِ الْحَرْثَ وَالزَّرْعَ كَيْلا يَكْرَهُوا شَيْئاً مِنْ قَطْرِ السَّمَاءِ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from certain persons of his people from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Muhammad ibn ‘Atiyyah who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has chosen farming and plantation for His prophets so that they will not dislike the drops falling from the sky.”’ 

2- عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ اللهَ جَعَلَ أَرْزَاقَ أَنْبِيَائِهِ فِي الزَّرْعِ وَالضَّرْعِ لِئَلا يَكْرَهُوا شَيْئاً مِنْ قَطْرِ السَّمَاءِ.

2. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad in a marfu’ manner the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah has placed means of the sustenance of His prophets in agriculture and stock farming so that they will not dislike drops falling from the sky.’” 

3- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ سَيَابَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَسْمَعُ قَوْماً يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ الزِّرَاعَةَ مَكْرُوهَةٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ ازْرَعُوا وَاغْرِسُوا فَلا وَاللهِ مَا عَمِلَ النَّاسُ عَمَلا أَحَلَّ وَلا أَطْيَبَ مِنْهُ وَاللهِ لَيَزْرَعُنَّ الزَّرْعَ وَلَيَغْرِسُنَّ النَّخْلَ بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ الدَّجَّالِ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Khalid from Sayabah who has said the following: “A man once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I hear a people who say that farming is Makruh (detestable).’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You must farm and plant, by Allah, there is no work that people do which is sweeter and fine than farming. By Allah, farming will be done as well as plantations even after the emergence of al- Dajjal.’” 

4- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عُمَارَةَ عَنْ مِسْمَعٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لَمَّا هُبِطَ بِ‏آدَمَ إِلَى الأرْضِ احْتَاجَ إِلَى الطَّعَامِ وَالشَّرَابِ فَشَكَا ذَلِكَ إِلَى جَبْرَئِيلَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ لَهُ جَبْرَئِيلُ يَا آدَمُ كُنْ حَرَّاثاً قَالَ فَعَلِّمْنِي دُعَاءً قَالَ قُلِ اللهُمَّ اكْفِنِي مَئُونَةَ الدُّنْيَا وَكُلَّ هَوْلٍ دُونَ الْجَنَّةِ وَأَلْبِسْنِي الْعَافِيَةَ حَتَّى تَهْنِئَنِي الْمَعِيشَةُ.

4. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Mahbub from al-Hassan ibn ‘Umarah from Misma’ who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When Adam descended to earth he needed food and drinks and he complained to Jibril. Jibril said to him, ‘O Adam, be a farmer.’ He said, ‘Teach me a prayer.’ Jibril said, ‘Say: “O Lord, protect me against the worldly impediments and all horrors that are before reaching paradise and dress me in good health so life becomes pleasant for me.’” 

5- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كَانَ أَبِي يَقُولُ خَيْرُ الأعْمَالِ الْحَرْثُ تَزْرَعُهُ فَيَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ الْبَرُّ وَالْفَاجِرُ أَمَّا الْبَرُّ فَمَا أَكَلَ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ اسْتَغْفَرَ لَكَ وَأَمَّا الْفَاجِرُ فَمَا أَكَلَ مِنْهُ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ لَعَنَهُ وَيَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ الْبَهَائِمُ وَالطَّيْرُ.

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from certain persons of our people who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘My father (a.s.), would say, “The best work is farming in which you plant, and the virtuous as well as sinful ones eat. The virtuous on eating asks forgiveness for you and the sinful one on eating it is condemned; and even animals and birds eat thereof.’” 

6- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سُئِلَ النَّبِيُّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) أَيُّ الْمَالِ خَيْرٌ قَالَ الزَّرْعُ زَرَعَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَأَصْلَحَهُ وَأَدَّى حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ قَالَ فَأَيُّ الْمَالِ بَعْدَ الزَّرْعِ خَيْرٌ قَالَ رَجُلٌ فِي غَنَمٍ لَهُ قَدْ تَبِعَ بِهَا مَوَاضِعَ الْقَطْرِ يُقِيمُ الصَّلاةَ وَيُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ قَالَ فَأَيُّ الْمَالِ بَعْدَ الْغَنَمِ خَيْرٌ قَالَ الْبَقَرُ تَغْدُو بِخَيْرٍ وَتَرُوحُ بِخَيْرٍ قَالَ فَأَيُّ الْمَالِ بَعْدَ الْبَقَرِ خَيْرٌ قَالَ الرَّاسِيَاتُ فِي الْوَحْلِ وَالْمُطْعِمَاتُ فِي الْمَحْلِ نِعْمَ الشَّيْ‏ءُ النَّخْلُ مَنْ بَاعَهُ فَإِنَّمَا ثَمَنُهُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ رَمَادٍ عَلَى رَأْسِ شَاهِقٍ اشْتَدَّتْ بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي يَوْمٍ عَاصِفٍ إِلا أَنْ يُخَلِّفَ مَكَانَهَا قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَأَيُّ الْمَالِ بَعْدَ النَّخْلِ خَيْرٌ قَالَ فَسَكَتَ قَالَ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَأَيْنَ الإبِلُ قَالَ فِيهِ الشَّقَاءُ وَالْجَفَاءُ وَالْعَنَاءُ وَبُعْدُ الدَّارِ تَغْدُو مُدْبِرَةً وَتَرُوحُ مُدْبِرَةً لا يَأْتِي خَيْرُهَا إِلا مِنْ جَانِبِهَا الأشْأَمِ أَمَا إِنَّهَا لا تَعْدَمُ الأشْقِيَاءَ الْفَجَرَةَ. وَرُوِيَ أَنَّ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ الْكِيمِيَاءُ الأكْبَرُ الزِّرَاعَةُ.

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah (sw) was asked, ‘Which assets (belongings) are good?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘A farm whose owner farms and maintains it, then pays the dues on it on the day of harvest.‘ He then asked, ‘What asset is better than farms?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘A man tends sheep, takes them to pasture, performs Salat (prayer), pays Zakat.‘ He then asked, ‘What asset is better than sheep?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘Cows go out safely and come back in the evening safely.‘ He then asked, ‘What asset is better than cows?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘Firmly established palm trees reach moisture, the grafted ones produce sweet. How good is palm tree! One who sells them must notice that its price is like dust on a high place in a stormy windy day unless one replaces it.’ It was asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what kind of asset is better after palm trees?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) remained calm for a while. A man then stood up and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what about camel?‘ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘In it there are misfortune, injustice, fatigue and farness from home. In the morning it is a loss and in the evening it is a loss. Its benefit comes only from its unfortunate side. It always is with the wicked sinful ones.’” It is narrated from abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.), that farming is the great alchemy. 

7- عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ السَّرِيِّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ هَارُونَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ الزَّارِعُونَ كُنُوزُ الأنَ��مِ يَزْرَعُونَ طَيِّباً أَخْرَجَهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَحْسَنُ النَّاسِ مَقَاماً وَأَقْرَبُهُمْ مَنْزِلَةً يُدْعَوْنَ الْمُبَارَكِينَ. 

7. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ibrahim ibn Ishaq from al-Hassan ibn al-Sariy from al-Hassan ibn Ibrahim from Yazid ibn Harun who has said the following: “I once heard abu £ Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ’Farmers are the mines of living creatures. They farm goodness that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, makes to grow and on the Day of Judgment they will have the best position and the closest place and they are called the blessed ones.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 5

Book 2, Chapter 124