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- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ لابْنِهِ مَالٌ فَيَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ الأبُ قَالَ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ فَأَمَّا الأمُّ فَلا تَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ إِلا قَرْضاً عَلَى نَفْسِهَا.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad from Hariz from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man whose son owned a certain amount of wealth and his father was needy. He (the Imam) replied, ‘He has permission to use such wealth for food; however, a mother does not have such permission but she can borrow on her own responsibility.’” 

2- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَأْكُلُ مِنْ مَالِ وَلَدِهِ قَالَ لا إِلا أَنْ يُضْطَرَّ إِلَيْهِ فَيَأْكُلَ مِنْهُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَلا يَصْلُحُ لِلْوَلَدِ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ مِنْ مَالِ وَالِدِهِ شَيْئاً إِلا أَنْ يَأْذَنَ وَالِدُهُ.

2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Asbat from Ali ibn Ja’far who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ibrahim (a.s.), about a man who used the properties of his sons for food. He (the Imam) replied, ‘No, unless he is compelled by pressing needs, in which case he spends in a fair manner but it is not proper for the sons to spend the properties of their father without the permission of the father.’” 

3- سَهْلُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ الثُّمَالِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) لِرَجُلٍ أَنْتَ وَمَالُكَ لأبِيكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَمَا أُحِبُّ لَهُ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ مِنْ مَالِ ابْنِهِ إِلا مَا احْتَاجَ إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا لا بُدَّ مِنْهُ إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لا يُحِبُّ الْفَسَادَ.

3. Sahl ibn Ziyad has narrated from ibn Mahbub from abu Hamzah al-Thumaliy who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, once said to a man, ‘You and your property belong to your father.’ Abu Ja’far (a.s.), then said, ‘I do not like his spending from the property of his son more than what he needs for his bare necessities; Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, does not love destruction.’” 

4- أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْكُوفِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْسِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْكَرِيمِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي الرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ لِوَلَدِهِ مَالٌ فَأَحَبَّ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ مِنْهُ قَالَ فَلْيَأْخُذْ فَإِنْ كَانَتْ أُمُّهُ حَيَّةً فَمَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَأْخُذَ مِنْهُ شَيْئاً إِلا قَرْضاً عَلَى نَفْسِهَا.

4. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Kufiy from ‘Ubays ibn Hisham from “Abd al-Karim from ibn abu Ya’fur who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man whose son owned a certain amount of wealth and liked to take something from it. He (the Imam) replied, ‘He has permission to do so; however, were his mother alive I would not like her taking anything from his property except as a loan on her own responsibility.’” 

5- سَهْلُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى مَالِ ابْنِهِ قَالَ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ مَا شَاءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سَرَفٍ وَقَالَ فِي كِتَابِ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الْوَلَدَ لا يَأْخُذُ مِنْ مَالِ وَالِدِهِ شَيْئاً إِلا بِإِذْنِهِ وَالْوَالِدَ يَأْخُذُ مِنْ مَالِ ابْنِهِ مَا شَاءَ وَلَهُ أَنْ يَقَعَ عَلَى جَارِيَةِ ابْنِهِ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنِ الابْنُ وَقَعَ عَلَيْهَا وَذَكَرَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قَالَ لِرَجُلٍ أَنْتَ وَمَالُكَ لأبِيكَ.

5. Sahl ibn Ziyad has narrated from ibn Mahbub from al-‘ Ala’ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), about a man who needed to spend from the property of his son. He (the Imam) replied, ‘He has permission to use the property of his son for food as much as he wants but without excess.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is in the book of Ali (a.s.), that a son does not have permission to spend from the property of his father anything unless his father grants him permission. A father has permission to take from the property of his sons as he wants. He may also have carnal relations with the slave-girl of his son if his son has not yet engaged in carnal relations with her.’ He (the Imam) also mentioned that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, once said to a man, ‘You and your property belong to your father.’” 

6- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَلاءِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَا يَحِلُّ لِلرَّجُلِ مِنْ مَالِ وَلَدِهِ قَالَ قُوتُهُ بِغَيْرِ سَرَفٍ إِذَا اضْطُرَّ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ فَقَوْلُ رَسُولِ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) لِلرَّجُلِ الَّذِي أَتَاهُ فَقَدَّمَ أَبَاهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَنْتَ وَمَالُكَ لأبِيكَ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا جَاءَ بِأَبِيهِ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ هَذَا أَبِي وَقَدْ ظَلَمَنِي مِيرَاثِي مِنْ أُمِّي فَأَخْبَرَهُ الأبُ أَنَّهُ قَدْ أَنْفَقَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى نَفْسِهِ فَقَالَ أَنْتَ وَمَالُكَ لأبِيكَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَ الرَّجُلِ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَفَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) يَحْبِسُ الأبَ لِلابْنِ.   

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Al-Husayn ibn al-‘Ala’ who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘How much can a father spend from the property of his sons?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘He can take for his basic necessities without excess when pressing needs compel him.’ I (the narrator) then asked about the words of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, to a man who came to him and had brought his father also. The Messenger of Allah said to him, ‘You and your property belong to your father’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘He brought his father before the Holy Prophet saying, “O Messenger of Allah, he has done injustice to me in the matters of the legacy of my mother.” The father informed him of his spending her legacy on the son and for his own expenses. Then he (the Messenger of Allah) said, “You and your property belong to your father.” The man did not own anything. Should the Messenger of Allah stop the father benefiting from the son?’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 5

Book 2, Chapter 47