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 سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ يَقُولُ كُنَّا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَقَالَ إِنَّ خَيْرَ نِسَائِكُمُ الْوَلُودُ الْوَدُودُ الْعَفِيفَةُ الْعَزِيزَةُ فِي أَهْلِهَا الذَّلِيلَةُ مَعَ بَعْلِهَا الْمُتَبَرِّجَةُ مَعَ زَوْجِهَا الْحَصَانُ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ الَّتِي تَسْمَعُ قَوْلَهُ وَتُطِيعُ أَمْرَهُ وَإِذَا خَلا بِهَا بَذَلَتْ لَهُ مَا يُرِيدُ مِنْهَا وَلَمْ تَبَذَّلْ كَتَبَذُّلِ الرَّجُلِ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn ‘Isa and Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from all from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn Ri’ab from abu Hamzah who has said the following: “I once heard Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah saying, ‘Once we were with the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, when he said, “The best of your women are the child bearing, loving and chaste who are dear at home, humble with her husband, showing her beauty to her husband, fortressed from strangers, who listens to his words and obeys his orders and in private offers to him what he wants and she does not display vulgar manners as man does.’”” 

2- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ خَيْرُ نِسَائِكُمُ الَّتِي إِذَا خَلَتْ مَعَ زَوْجِهَا خَلَعَتْ لَهُ دِرْعَ الْحَيَاءِ وَإِذَا لَبِسَتْ لَبِسَتْ مَعَهُ دِرْعَ الْحَيَاءِ.

2. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Barqiy from Ahmad ibn abu Nasr from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The best of your women are those who in privacy removes the shield of shyness before her husband and when dressed up dresses with him the shield of shyness.’” 

3- الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي الْعَلاءِ وَالْفَضْلِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) خَيْرُ نِسَائِكُمُ الْعَفِيفَةُ الْغَلِمَةُ.

3. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu’alla’ ibn Muhammad from certain persons of his people from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from Yahya ibn abu al-‘Ala’ and al-Fadl ibn ‘Abd al-Malik who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (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, has said, ‘The best of your women is the chaste and full of carnal appetite.’” 

4- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) أَفْضَلُ نِسَاءِ أُمَّتِي أَصْبَحُهُنَّ وَجْهاً وَأَقَلُّهُنَّ مَهْراً.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfali from al-Sakuni who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah (saww) has said, ‘The best of the women of my followers are those who have a beautiful face and the least amount of Mahr (dowry).’” 

5- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) خَيْرُ نِسَائِكُمُ الْخَمْسُ قِيلَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَمَا الْخَمْسُ قَالَ الْهَيِّنَةُ اللَّيِّنَةُ الْمُؤَاتِيَةُ الَّتِي إِذَا غَضِبَ زَوْجُهَا لَمْ تَكْتَحِلْ بِغُمْضٍ حَتَّى يَرْضَى وَإِذَا غَابَ عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا حَفِظَتْهُ فِي غَيْبَتِهِ فَتِلْكَ عَامِلٌ مِنْ عُمَّالِ اللهِ وَعَامِلُ اللهِ لا يَخِيبُ.

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Barqiy from ‘Isma’il ibn Mehran from Sulayman al- Ja‘fariy who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan al-Rida’ (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘The best of your women are five.’ It was asked, ‘O ’Amir al-Mu’minin what kind of five are they?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘Simple, nice and suitable, when her husband becomes angry, does not neglect him until he is pleased, and when he is absent she protects him in his absence and that is a worker from Allah and the worker from Allah does not fail.’” 

6- وَعَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ رِجَالِهِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) خَيْرُ نِسَائِكُمُ الطَّيِّبَةُ الرِّيحِ الطَّيِّبَةُ الطَّبِيخِ الَّتِي إِذَا أَنْفَقَتْ أَنْفَقَتْ بِمَعْرُوفٍ وَإِذَا أَمْسَكَتْ أَمْسَكَتْ بِمَعْرُوفٍ فَتِلْكَ عَامِلٌ مِنْ عُمَّالِ اللهِ وَعَامِلُ اللهِ لا يَخِيبُ وَلا يَنْدَمُ.

6. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from Muhammad ibn Sinan from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The best of your women are those who smell nice, cook nice and when spending she spends what is proper and withholds what is proper. That is a worker from Allah and a worker from Allah does not fail or become regretful.’” 

7- حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُوسَى الْخَشَّابِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يُوسُفَ بْنِ بَقَّاحٍ عَنْ مُعَاذٍ الْجَوْهَرِيِّ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ جُمَيْعٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) خَيْرُ نِسَائِكُمُ الطَّيِّبَةُ الطَّعَامِ الطَّيِّبَةُ الرِّيحِ الَّتِي إِنْ أَنْفَقَتْ أَنْفَقَتْ بِمَعْرُوفٍ وَإِنْ أَمْسَكَتْ أَمْسَكَتْ بِمَعْرُوفٍ فَتِلْكَ عَامِلٌ مِنْ عُمَّالِ اللهِ وَعَامِلُ اللهِ لا يَخِيبُ. 

7. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Musa al-Khashshab from af-Hassan ibn Afi ibn Yusuf ibn Baqqah from Mu’adh al-Jawhariy from ‘(Belief in the Divine Authority of ‘ A’immah) ibn Jami’ who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (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, has said, ‘The best of your women are those who cook nice, smell nice, when spending she spends what is proper and withholds what is proper. That is a worker from Allah and a worker from Allah does not fail.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 5

Book 3, Chapter 4