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- الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْهَاشِمِيُّ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمَّادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ لِي يَا زِيَادُ إِنَّكَ لَتَعْمَلُ عَمَلَ السُّلْطَانِ قَالَ قُلْتُ أَجَلْ قَالَ لِي وَلِمَ قُلْتُ أَنَا رَجُلٌ لِي مُرُوءَةٌ وَعَلَيَّ عِيَالٌ وَلَيْسَ وَرَاءَ ظَهْرِي شَيْ‏ءٌ فَقَالَ لِي يَا زِيَادُ لأنْ أَسْقُطَ مِنْ حَالِقٍ فَأَتَقَطَّعَ قِطْعَةً قِطْعَةً أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أَتَوَلَّى لأحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ عَمَلا أَوْ أَطَأَ بِسَاطَ أَحَدِهِمْ إِلا لِمَا ذَا قُلْتُ لا أَدْرِي جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَقَالَ إِلا لِتَفْرِيجِ كُرْبَةٍ عَنْ مُؤْمِنٍ أَوْ فَكِّ أَسْرِهِ أَوْ قَضَاءِ دَيْنِهِ يَا زِيَادُ إِنَّ أَهْوَنَ مَا يَصْنَعُ اللهُ بِمَنْ تَوَلَّى لَهُمْ عَمَلا أَنْ يُضْرَبَ عَلَيْهِ سُرَادِقٌ مِنْ نَارٍ إِلَى أَنْ يَفْرُغَ اللهُ مِنْ حِسَابِ الْخَلائِقِ يَا زِيَادُ فَإِنْ وُلِّيتَ شَيْئاً مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ فَأَحْسِنْ إِلَى إِخْوَانِكَ فَوَاحِدَةٌ بِوَاحِدَةٍ وَاللهُ مِنْ وَرَاءِ ذَلِكَ يَا زِيَادُ أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ تَوَلَّى لأحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ عَمَلا ثُمَّ سَاوَى بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ فَقُولُوا لَهُ أَنْتَ مُنْتَحِلٌ كَذَّابٌ يَا زِيَادُ إِذَا ذَكَرْتَ مَقْدُرَتَكَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَاذْكُرْ مَقْدُرَةَ اللهِ عَلَيْكَ غَداً وَنَفَادَ مَا أَتَيْتَ إِلَيْهِمْ عَنْهُمْ وَبَقَاءَ مَا أَتَيْتَ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَيْكَ.

1. Al-Husayn ibn al-Hassan al-Hashimiy has narrated from Salih ibn abu Hammad from Muhammad ibn Khalid from Ziyad ibn abu Salmah who has said the following: “I once went to visit abu al-Hassan Musa (a.s.), and he (the Imam) asked me, ‘O Ziyad, do you work for Sultan ? 5 I replied, ‘Yes, I do so . 5 He (the Imam) said to me, ‘Why do you do so ? 5 I replied, ‘I am a man of fairness and I have a family to feed. I do not have any other means for support . 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘O Ziyad, if I fall from the top of a mountain and I am cut into pieces, it is more beloved to me than working for any of these people, or spread the furnishing of any of them except for what ? 5 I replied, ‘I do not know, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause . 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘Except for relieving the agony of a believer, freeing him from his shakle, or paying his debts. O Ziyad, the least that Allah will do to those who become agents of these people for a certain work is that He will place them in the chamber of fire until Allah completes His judging all creatures. O Ziyad, if you become the person in charge of a certain work for them, you must do good to your brothers in belief one for one and Allah is behind it (to keep the account). O Ziyad, if anyone of you becomes the person in charge of a certain work for these people, then treats you just as he treats them, you must tell him that he is a pretending liar. O Ziyad, if you find yourself to have power over people, you must also remember the power of Allah over you tomorrow, and that what you give them will soon perish and what you receive remains forever . 555 

2- أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ حَبِيبٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ ذُكِرَ عِنْدَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْعِصَابَةِ قَدْ وُلِّيَ وَلايَةً فَقَالَ كَيْفَ صَنِيعَتُهُ إِلَى إِخْوَانِهِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَيْسَ عِنْدَهُ خَيْرٌ فَقَالَ أُفٍّ يَدْخُلُونَ فِيمَا لا يَنْبَغِي لَهُمْ وَلا يَصْنَعُونَ إِلَى إِخْوَانِهِمْ خَيْراً.

2. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘ Abd al-Jabbar from ibn abu Najran from ibn Sinan from Habib from abu Basir who has said the following: “In the presence of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), a man of this group (followers of ‘A’immah) was mentioned and that he had become the in charge person of an official position of the rulers. He (the Imam) asked, ‘How is his dealing with his brothers in belief ? 5 I (the narrator) replied, ‘There is nothing good in him in this issue . 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘It is awful. They involve themselves in something which they are not supposed to do; then they do not do anything good for their brothers in belief . 555 

3- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ أَبِي مَحْمُودٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَا تَقُولُ فِي أَعْمَالِ هَؤُلاءِ قَالَ إِنْ كُنْتَ لا بُدَّ فَاعِلا فَاتَّقِ أَمْوَالَ الشِّيعَةِ قَالَ فَأَخْبَرَنِي عَلِيٌّ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَجْبِيهَا مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ عَلانِيَةً وَيَرُدُّهَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِي السِّرِّ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from those whom he has mentioned from Ali ibn Asbat from Ibrahim ibn abu Mahmud from Ali ibn Yaqtin who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), ‘How is working for these people ? 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘If you do not have any choice, you must observe caution about properties of al-Shi 5 ah . 5 He (the narrator) has said that Ali told me, ‘He would collect funds from al-Shi 5 ah in public, then return it to them secretly . 555 

4- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ الأنْبَارِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً أَسْتَأْذِنُهُ فِي عَمَلِ السُّلْطَانِ فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي آخِرِ كِتَابٍ كَتَبْتُهُ إِلَيْهِ أَذْكُرُ أَنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَى خَبْطِ عُنُقِي وَأَنَّ السُّلْطَانَ يَقُولُ لِي إِنَّكَ رَافِضِيٌّ وَلَسْنَا نَشُكُّ فِي أَنَّكَ تَرَكْتَ الْعَمَلَ لِلسُّلْطَانِ لِلرَّفْضِ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيَّ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَدْ فَهِمْتُ كِتَابَكَ وَمَا ذَكَرْتَ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ فَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ إِذَا وُلِّيتَ عَمِلْتَ فِي عَمَلِكَ بِمَا أَمَرَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) ثُمَّ تُصَيِّرُ أَعْوَانَكَ وَكُتَّابَكَ أَهْلَ مِلَّتِكَ فَإِذَا صَارَ إِلَيْكَ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَاسَيْتَ بِهِ فُقَرَاءَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَتَّى تَكُونَ وَاحِداً مِنْهُمْ كَانَ ذَا بِذَا وَإِلا فَلا.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ali ibn al-Hakam from al-Hassan ibn al-Husayn al-Anbariy who has said the following: “I wrote to abu al-Hassan, al-Rida 5  (a.s.), for fourteen years asking his permission to work for Sultan. In the last letter I wrote saying that I fear for my life if I did not work for the Sultan, because he calls me a Rafidiy (rejecter) saying, ‘We have no doubt that you have refused to work for the Sultan because of your rejection . 5 Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), wrote to me, ‘I have noted what you have mentioned in your letter and your fear for your life. If you know that on accepting to work for him you will not violate what the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has commanded you to do and employ people from your nation to work for you as clerks and helpers, and if you gain anything you will assist the poor believing people until your gains and help is equal, otherwise, it (permission) is negative.’” 

5- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مِهْرَانَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ مَا مِنْ جَبَّارٍ إِلا وَمَعَهُ مُؤْمِنٌ يَدْفَعُ اللهُ بِهِ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَهُوَ أَقَلُّهُمْ حَظّاً فِي الآخِرَةِ يَعْنِي أَقَلَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَظّاً لِصُحْبَةِ الْجَبَّارِ.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn al-Husayn from his father from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Mehran ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘With every tyrant there is a believing person with whom Allah defends the believing people, and he (such believing person) receives the least of rewards in the next life because of his association with the tyrant.’” 

6- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنِ السَّيَّارِيِّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ زَكَرِيَّا الصَّيْدَلانِيِّ عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ بَنِي حَنِيفَةَ مِنْ أَهْلِ بُسْتَ وَسِجِسْتَانَ قَالَ رَافَقْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي السَّنَةِ الَّتِي حَجَّ فِيهَا فِي أَوَّلِ خِلافَةِ الْمُعْتَصِمِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ وَأَنَا مَعَهُ عَلَى الْمَائِدَةِ وَهُنَاكَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءِ السُّلْطَانِ إِنَّ وَالِيَنَا جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ رَجُلٌ يَتَوَلاكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُحِبُّكُمْ وَعَلَيَّ فِي دِيوَانِهِ خَرَاجٌ فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ جَعَلَنِيَ اللهُ فِدَاكَ أَنْ تَكْتُبَ إِلَيْهِ كِتَاباً بِالإحْسَانِ إِلَيَّ فَقَالَ لِي لا أَعْرِفُهُ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّهُ عَلَى مَا قُلْتُ مِنْ مُحِبِّيكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَكِتَابُكَ يَنْفَعُنِي عِنْدَهُ فَأَخَذَ الْقِرْطَاسَ وَكَتَبَ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ مُوصِلَ كِتَابِي هَذَا ذَكَرَ عَنْكَ مَذْهَباً جَمِيلا وَإِنَّ مَا لَكَ مِنْ عَمَلِكَ مَا أَحْسَنْتَ فِيهِ فَأَحْسِنْ إِلَى إِخْوَانِكَ وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ سَائِلُكَ عَنْ مَثَاقِيلِ الذَّرِّ وَالْخَرْدَلِ قَالَ فَلَمَّا وَرَدْتُ سِجِسْتَانَ سَبَقَ الْخَبَرُ إِلَى الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ النَّيْسَابُورِيِّ وَهُوَ الْوَالِي فَاسْتَقْبَلَنِي عَلَى فَرْسَخَيْنِ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَدَفَعْتُ إِلَيْهِ الْكِتَابَ فَقَبَّلَهُ وَوَضَعَهُ عَلَى عَيْنَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي مَا حَاجَتُكَ فَقُلْتُ خَرَاجٌ عَلَيَّ فِي دِيوَانِكَ قَالَ فَأَمَرَ بِطَرْحِهِ عَنِّي وَقَالَ لِي لا تُؤَدِّ خَرَاجاً مَا دَامَ لِي عَمَلٌ ثُمَّ سَأَلَنِي عَنْ عِيَالِي فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِمَبْلَغِهِمْ فَأَمَرَ لِي وَلَهُمْ بِمَا يَقُوتُنَا وَفَضْلا فَمَا أَدَّيْتُ فِي عَمَلِهِ خَرَاجاً مَا دَامَ حَيّاً وَلا قَطَعَ عَنِّي صِلَتَهُ حَتَّى مَاتَ.

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from al-Sayyariy from Ahmad ibn Zakariya al-Saydalaniy from a man of banu Hanifah from the people of Bust and Sajistan who has said the following: “I accompanied abu Ja‘far (a.s.), in the year that he performed al-Hajj in the beginning of the Khilafat of al-Mu‘tasam. I once said to him (the Imam) when I was with him (the Imam) on the table in the presence of a group of the supporters of the Sultan, ‘Our governor, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, is a man who supports you, Ahl al-Bayt and loves you. In his office there are taxes due on me. If you consider it proper, please write. I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, write to him a letter for me to kindly help me in this matter. He (the Imam) said, ‘I do not know him.’ I then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, as I mentioned, he is one who loves you Ahl al-Bayt and your letter will benefit me in his office.’ He (the Imam) picked up a piece of paper and wrote, ‘In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Thereafter, the bearer of this letter that I have written has spoken good things about you. You must take notice that of your deeds what is for you is what you do good. Thus, do good to your brothers in belief. You must also take notice that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, will question you about things as small as an atom and mustard seeds.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘When I arrived in Sajistan the news reached al-Husayn ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Naysaburiy, the governor. He came two farsakh from the city (twelve miles) away to meet me. I gave him the letter. He kissed it and placed it on his eyes. He then asked me about the kind of help I needed. I said, ‘In your office payable taxes are recorded against me and I need relief.’ He commanded to write it off, and said, ‘You do not have to pay taxes as long as I will have this work.’ He then asked about my family and their condition which I explained to him and he commanded to appropriate a certain amount for them enough for our expenses and with something extra. I did not pay taxes as long as he had that work and lived and he did not discontinue the grant that he had assigned for us.’” 

7- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ للهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مَعَ السُّلْطَانِ أَوْلِيَاءَ يَدْفَعُ بِهِمْ عَنْ أَوْلِيَائِهِ. 

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from certain persons of our people from Ali ibn Yaqtin who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), once said to me, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has friends with the Sultan through whom He protects His friends.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 5

Book 2, Chapter 31