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 مُحَمَّدٍ وَسَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْكَرِيمِ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لا تُؤَاجِرُوا الأرْضَ بِالْحِنْطَةِ وَلا بِالشَّعِيرِ وَلا بِالتَّمْرِ وَلا بِالأرْبِعَاءِ وَلا بِالنِّطَافِ وَلَكِنْ بِالذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ لأنَّ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ مَضْمُونٌ وَهَذَا لَيْسَ بِمَضْمُونٍ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from and Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from ‘Abd al-Karim from Sama‘ah from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must not rent land in exchange for wheat, barley, dates, canals or small amount of water, but you can do so in exchange for gold or silver; gold and silver are guaranteed and those are not guaranteed.’” 

2- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لا تَسْتَأْجِرِ الأرْضَ بِالتَّمْرِ وَلا بِالْحِنْطَةِ وَلا بِالشَّعِيرِ وَلا بِالأرْبِعَاءِ وَلا بِالنِّطَافِ قُلْتُ وَمَا الأرْبِعَاءُ قَالَ الشِّرْبُ وَالنِّطَافُ فَضْلُ الْمَاءِ وَلَكِنْ تَقَبَّلْهَا بِالذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالنِّصْفِ وَالثُّلُثِ وَالرُّبُعِ.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Safwan from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must not rent land in exchange for dates, wheat, barley, al-Arbi‘a’ or al-Nitaf.’ I then asked, ‘What is al-Arbi‘a?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is a small amount of water and al-Nitaf means extra water, but rent it in exchange for gold or silver, for half of the produce, one-third or one-fourth.’” 

3- أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لا تَسْتَأْجِرِ الأرْضَ بِالْحِنْطَةِ ثُمَّ تَزْرَعَهَا حِنْطَةً.

3. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan from ibn Muskan from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must not rent land in exchange for wheat where you plant wheat.’” 

4- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَجَّالِ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ بُرَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي الرَّجُلِ يَتَقَبَّلُ الأرْضَ بِالدَّنَانِيرِ أَوْ بِالدَّرَاهِمِ قَالَ لا بَأْسَ.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Tha’labah ibn Maymun from Burayd who has said the following: “About the case of a man who accepts dinar or dirham for (the rent of) land, abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not unlawful.’” 

5- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَسَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ جَمِيعاً عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ سِرْحَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي الرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ لَهُ الأرْضُ عَلَيْهَا خَرَاجٌ مَعْلُومٌ وَرُبَّمَا زَادَ وَرُبَّمَا نَقَصَ فَيَدْفَعُهَا إِلَى رَجُلٍ عَلَى أَنْ يَكْفِيَهُ خَرَاجَهَا وَيُعْطِيَهُ مِائَتَيْ دِرْهَمٍ فِي السَّنَةِ قَالَ لا بَأْسَ.

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Sahl ibn Ziyad all from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from Dawud ibn Sarhan who has said the following: “About the case of a man who has a piece of land for which he pays a certain amount of tax that may increase or decrease; and he gives it to another man to pay its taxes and two hundred dirham every year. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’” 

6- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ السِّنْدِيِّ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ بَكْرٍ عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ إِجَارَةِ الأرْضِ بِالطَّعَامِ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ طَعَامِهَا فَلا خَيْرَ فِيهِ.

6. Ali has narrated from Salih al-Sindiy from Ja’far ibn Bashir from Musa ibn Bakr from al-Fudayl ibn Yasar who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about renting land in exchange for foodstuff. He (the Imam) said, ‘If it is of the produce of the same land, there is nothing good in it.’” 

7- حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ الْفَضْلِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ رَجُلٍ اسْتَأْجَرَ مِنْ رَجُلٍ أَرْضاً فَقَالَ أُجْرَتُهَا كَذَا وَكَذَا عَلَى أَنْ أَزْرَعَهَا فَإِنْ لَمْ أَزْرَعْهَا أَعْطَيْتُكَ ذَلِكَ فَلَمْ يَزْرَعْهَا قَالَ لَهُ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ إِنْ شَاءَ تَرَكَهُ وَإِنْ شَاءَ لَمْ يَتْرُكْهُ.

7. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama‘ah from more than one person from Aban ibn ‘Uthman ibn al-Fadl who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who rented a piece of land from another man saying, ‘I rent this piece of land to cultivate, and if I will not cultivate I will still pay you the rent’; and he does not cultivate it. He (the Imam) said, ‘He has the right to collect the rent whether he cultivates it or not.’” 

8- الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ رَجُلٍ يَشْتَرِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ أَرْضاً جُرْبَاناً مَعْلُومَةً بِمِائَةِ كُرٍّ عَلَى أَنْ يُعْطِيَهُ مِنَ الأرْضِ فَقَالَ حَرَامٌ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ فَمَا تَقُولُ جَعَلَنِيَ اللهُ فِدَاكَ إِنِ اشْتَرَى مِنْهُ الأرْضَ بِكَيْلٍ مَعْلُومٍ وَحِنْطَةٍ مِنْ غَيْرِهَا قَالَ لا بَأْسَ.

8. Al-Fiusayn from Muhammad has narrated from Mu’alla’ ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from al-Washsha’ who has said the following: “I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about the case of a man who bought a certain piece of land from another man in exchange for one hundred Kur (a certain unit of measurement) to be paid from the land. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is unlawful.’ I then asked, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what do you say if I buy from him the land for a known measure of wheat from other sources. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’” 

9- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَزْرَعُ لَهُ الْحَرَّاثُ الزَّعْفَرَانَ وَيَضْمَنُ لَهُ أَنْ يُعْطِيَهُ فِي كُلِّ جَرِيبِ أَرْضٍ يُمْسَحُ عَلَيْهِ وَزْنَ كَذَا وَكَذَا دِرْهَماً فَرُبَّمَا نَقَصَ وَغَرِمَ وَرُبَّمَا اسْتَفْضَلَ وَزَادَ قَالَ لا بَأْسَ بِهِ إِذَا تَرَاضَيَا.

9. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Sahl from his father who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a man for whom the farmers cultivate saffron and guarantee to give him a certain amount by the weight of dirham for every Jirib (a certain unit of measurement) that is cultivated and then it may produce less thus, he is in loss or may produce more, thus, he gains. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful if they mutually agree.’” 

10- أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ يُزْرَعُ لَهُ الزَّعْفَرَانُ فَيَضْمَنُ لَهُ الْحَرَّاثُ عَلَى أَنْ يَدْفَعَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ كُلِّ أَرْبَعِينَ مَنَا زَعْفَرَانٍ رَطْبٍ مَنًا وَيُصَالِحُهُ عَلَى الْيَابِسِ وَالْيَابِسُ إِذَا جُفِّفَ يَنْقُصُ ثَلاثَةُ أَرْبَاعِهِ وَيَبْقَى رُبُعُهُ وَقَدْ جُرِّبَ قَالَ لا يَصْلُحُ قُلْتُ وَإِنْ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ أَمِينٌ يُحْفَظُ بِهِ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ حِفْظَهُ لأنَّهُ يُعَالِجُ بِاللَّيْلِ وَلا يُطَاقُ حِفْظُهُ قَالَ يُقَبِّلُهُ الأرْضَ أَوَّلا عَلَى أَنَّ لَكَ فِي كُلِّ أَرْبَعِينَ مَنًا مَنًا. 

10. Ahmad ibn Muhammad from has narrated from Muhammad ibn Sahl from his father from ‘ Abd Allah ibn Bukayr who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man for whom saffron was cultivated and the farmers guaranteed to give him one Mann (a certain unit of weight) out of every forty Mann fresh saffron and made a settlement about the dried saffron. Dried saffron reduces by three-fourth from fresh kind and one-fourth remains and this is experimented. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not valid.’ I then said, ‘If he appoints trusted people for protection, he cannot do so because it is worked upon during the night, it is not difficult to protect.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He can contract the land first in which he must say that from every forty Mann it is one Mann .’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 5

Book 2, Chapter 127