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- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُعَمَّرِ بْنِ خَلادٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ رَجُلا أَتَى جَعْفَراً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) شَبِيهاً بِالْمُسْتَنْصِحِ لَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ كَيْفَ صِرْتَ اتَّخَذْتَ الأمْوَالَ قِطَعاً مُتَفَرِّقَةً وَلَوْ كَانَتْ فِي مَوْضِعٍ [وَاحِدٍ] كَانَتْ أَيْسَرَ لِمَئُونَتِهَا وَأَعْظَمَ لِمَنْفَعَتِهَا فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) اتَّخَذْتُهَا مُتَفَرِّقَةً فَإِنْ أَصَابَ هَذَا الْمَالَ شَيْ‏ءٌ سَلِمَ هَذَا الْمَالُ وَالصُّرَّةُ تُجْمَعُ بِهَذَا كُلِّهِ.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Mu’ammar ibn Khallad who has said the following: “I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.), saying, ‘Once a man came to Ja‘far (a.s.), as if giving him good advice; he said, ‘O abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, why have you made the properties in scattered pieces? Had they been in one piece, more profit with fewer expenses could have been made? Abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, replied, ‘I have kept them scattered so that if losses affect one piece, others remain unaffected, but a bag keeps all of them together (vulnerable to losses).”’ 

2- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ مَا يُخَلِّفُ الرَّجُلُ شَيْئاً أَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَالِ الصَّامِتِ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ بِهِ قَالَ يَجْعَلُهُ فِي الْحَائِطِ يَعْنِي فِي الْبُسْتَانِ أَوِ الدَّارِ.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from the one whom he has mentioned (in his book) from Zurarah from Abu ‘Abdillah (AS) who said, "The most difficult property to protect is of the silent kind (gold and silver).’ I then asked, ‘What should one do about it?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘One should keep them inside walls, a garden or a house.’"

3- حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ قَالَ دَعَانِي جَعْفَرٌ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ بَاعَ فُلانٌ أَرْضَهُ فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ مَكْتُوبٌ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ أَنَّهُ مَنْ بَاعَ أَرْضاً أَوْ مَاءً وَلَمْ يَضَعْهُ فِي أَرْضٍ أَوْ مَاءٍ ذَهَبَ ثَمَنُهُ مَحْقاً.

3. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama‘ah from more than one person from Aban ibn ‘Uthman who has said the following: “Once Ja‘far, Alayhi al-Salam, called me and asked, ‘Has so and so sold his land?’ I replied, ‘Yes, he has done so.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is written in the Torah that whoever sells a piece of land or water and does not replace it by another piece of land or water, its price (money received) loses its blessings.” 

4- عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ وَهْبٍ الْحَرِيرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مُشْتَرِي الْعُقْدَةِ مَرْزُوقٌ وَبَائِعُهَا مَمْحُوقٌ.

4. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Ali has narrated from Salih ibn abu Hammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali from Wahab al-Haririy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘The buyer of real property receives sustenance and the seller thereof suffers a serious loss.” 

5- الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ النَّهْدِيِّ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُرَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لِمُصَادِفٍ مَوْلاهُ اتَّخِذْ عُقْدَةً أَوْ ضَيْعَةً فَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا نَزَلَتْ بِهِ النَّازِلَةُ أَوِ الْمُصِيبَةُ فَذَكَرَ أَنَّ وَرَاءَ ظَهْرِهِ مَا يُقِيمُ عِيَالَهُ كَانَ أَسْخَى لِنَفْسِهِ.

5. Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Nahdiy from Ya’qub ibn Yazid from Muhammad ibn Murazim from his father who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, once said to his Mawla’, Musadif, ‘Find some real property or goods; when man faces hardship or misfortune, and then finds out that behind him there is something for support of his family, he feels more generous to allow his soul to depart (his body).”’ 

6- عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ بُنْدَارَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يُوسُفَ عَنْ عَبْدِ السَّلامِ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ أَحْمَرَ عَنْ أَبِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ ثَمَنُ الْعَقَارِ مَمْحُوقٌ إِلا أَنْ يُجْعَلَ فِي عَقَارٍ مِثْلِهِ.

6. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Bandar has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Yusuf from ‘Abd al-Salam from Hisham ibn Ahmar who has said the following: “Abu Ibrahim, Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the price (money) received in exchange for real estate is a loss unless another piece of real estate is purchased therewith.” 

7- أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْكُوفِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْسِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الصَّمَدِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لَمَّا دَخَلَ النَّبِيُّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) الْمَدِينَةَ خَطَّ دَوْرَهَا بِرِجْلِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللهُمَّ مَنْ بَاعَ رِبَاعَهُ فَلا تُبَارِكْ لَهُ.

7. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Kufiy from ‘Ubays ibn Hisham from ‘Abd al-Samad ibn Bashir from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar from, who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam has said, that when the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, arrived in al-Madinah he drew a line around its houses and said, ‘O Allah, do not make it a blessing for those who sell its houses.”’ 

8- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ شَمُّونٍ عَنِ الأصَمِّ عَنْ مِسْمَعٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ لِي أَرْضاً تُطْلَبُ مِنِّي وَيُرَغِّبُونِّي فَقَالَ لِي يَا أَبَا سَيَّارٍ أَمَإ؛ عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ مَنْ بَاعَ الْمَاءَ وَالطِّينَ ذَهَبَ مَالُهُ هَبَاءً قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي أَبِيعُ بِالثَّمَنِ الْكَثِيرِ وَأَشْتَرِي مَا هُوَ أَوْسَعُ رُقْعَةً مِمَّا بِعْتُ قَالَ فَلا بَأْسَ. 

8. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan ibn Shammun from al-Asamm from Misma‘ who has said the following: “Once I said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I have a piece of land in which buyers are much interested to purchase.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘O abu Sayyar, do you know that whoever sells land or water (like a fountain for irrigation and so on), his wealth goes away as a bad loss.’ I then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I will sell it for a high price and then I can buy a piece of land bigger than this one.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Then it is all right.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 5

Book 2, Chapter 18