Al-Kāfi - Volume 6


Book 1, Chapter 3

Excellence of Daughters
12 Aḥadīth

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مِهْزَمٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْكَرْخِيِّ عَنْ ثِقَةٍ حَدَّثَهُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا قَالَ تَزَوَّجْتُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَقَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) كَيْفَ رَأَيْتَ قُلْتُ مَا رَأَى رَجُلٌ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فِي امْرَأَةٍ إِلَّا وَ قَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ فِيهَا وَ لَكِنْ خَانَتْنِي فَقَالَ وَ مَا هُوَ قُلْتُ وَلَدَتْ جَارِيَةً قَالَ لَعَلَّكَ كَرِهْتَهَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ آباؤُكُمْ وَ أَبْناؤُكُمْ لا تَدْرُونَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ لَكُمْ نَفْعاً .


1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il ibn Bazi‘ from Ibrahim ibn Mehzam from Ibrahim al-Karkhiy from a trustworthy man who narrated from certain persons of our people who have said the following: “I married in al-Madinah and abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s), asked me, ‘How is your married life?’ I replied, ‘Every good thing that a man can see in a woman I found with her but she betrayed me.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘How did she do so?’ I replied, ‘She gave birth to a girl.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You may have disliked her but Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, says, ‘Regardless of how you feel about your parents or children, you do not know which of them is more beneficial to you. Allah is All-knowing and All-wise. (4:11)’”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) أَبَا بَنَاتٍ .


2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman, from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s) who said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was a father of daughters.”

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ الْوَاسِطِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) قَالَ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) سَأَلَ رَبَّهُ أَنْ يَرْزُقَهُ ابْنَةً تَبْكِيهِ وَ تَنْدُبُهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ .


3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from Muhammad al-Wasitiy from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s) who said, “Ibrahim (a.s) asked his Lord to give him a daughter who will weep and mourn for him after his death.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ جَارُودٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) إِنَّ لِي بَنَاتٍ فَقَالَ لَعَلَّكَ تَتَمَنَّى مَوْتَهُنَّ أَمَا إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَمَنَّيْتَ مَوْتَهُنَّ فَمِتْنَ لَمْ تُؤْجَرْ وَ لَقِيتَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَوْمَ تَلْقَاهُ وَ أَنْتَ عَاصٍ .


4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from and Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from all from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn al-Hakam from Jarud who has said the following: “I once said to Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s), that I have several daughters. He (the Imam) said, ‘Perhaps you wish that they die. You must take notice that if you wished that they die and they died, you will have no reward and will meet Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, as a disobedient person.’”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) نِعْمَ الْوَلَدُ الْبَنَاتُ مُلْطِفَاتٌ مُجَهِّزَاتٌ مُونِسَاتٌ مُبَارَكَاتٌ مُفَلِّيَاتٌ .


5. 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 ﷺ has said, ‘The best of children are daughters, who are kind, serving, comforting, blessed and nursing (their parents).”’

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ اَلْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبِي اَلْعَبَّاسِ اَلزَّيَّاتِ عَنْ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ يَرْفَعُهُ قَالَ: أُتِيَ رَجُلٌ وَ هُوَ عِنْدَ اَلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فَأُخْبِرَ بِمَوْلُودٍ أَصَابَهُ فَتَغَيَّرَ وَجْهُ اَلرَّجُلِ فَقَالَ لَهُ اَلنَّبِيُّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ مَا لَكَ فَقَالَ خَيْرٌ فَقَالَ قُلْ قَالَ خَرَجْتُ وَ اَلْمَرْأَةُ تَمْخَضُ فَأُخْبِرْتُ أَنَّهَا وَلَدَتْ جَارِيَةً فَقَالَ لَهُ اَلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ اَلْأَرْضُ تُقِلُّهَا وَ اَلسَّمَاءُ تُظِلُّهَا وَ اَللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَ هِيَ رَيْحَانَةٌ تَشَمُّهَا ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ مَنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ اِبْنَةٌ فَهُوَ مَفْدُوحٌ وَ مَنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ اِبْنَتَانِ فَيَا غَوْثَاهْ بِاللَّهِ وَ مَنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ ثَلاَثٌ وُضِعَ عَنْهُ اَلْجِهَادُ وَ كُلُّ مَكْرُوهٍ وَ مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ أَرْبَعٌ فَيَا عِبَادَ اَللَّهِ أَعِينُوهُ يَا عِبَادَ اَللَّهِ أَقْرِضُوهُ يَا عِبَادَ اَللَّهِ اِرْحَمُوهُ .


6. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Khalid from Ali ibn al-Hakam from abu al-‘Abbas al- Zayyat from Hamzah ibn Humran in a marfu‘ manner has said the following: “A man once was with the Holy Prophet ﷺ and he informed him about the birth of a child but his face changed. The Holy Prophet asked him, ‘What is the matter with you?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘Say that it is good.’ He then said, ‘I left and my wife was in labor. I am informed that she has given birth to a girl.’ The Holy Prophet said, ‘The earth carries her weight, the sky provides her shadow, Allah gives her sustenance and she is a sweet smelling flower: you enjoy her fragrance.’ He (the Messenger of Allah) then said this to his companions: ‘One who has one daughter carries a heavy load, one who has two daughters is like scorched land that begs for rain from Allah and one who has three daughters is exempt from Jihad (serving in the army) and all hardships. One who has four daughters, then O slaves of Allah you must help him, O slaves of Allah you must give him a loan and O slaves of Allah you must have mercy on him.’”

ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ مَنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ ابْنَةٌ فَهُوَ مَفْدُوحٌ وَ مَنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ ابْنَتَانِ فَيَا غَوْثَاهُ بِاللَّهِ وَ مَنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ ثَلَاثٌ وُضِعَ عَنْهُ الْجِهَادُ وَ كُلُّ مَكْرُوهٍ وَ مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ أَرْبَعٌ فَيَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ أَعِينُوهُ يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ أَقْرِضُوهُ يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ ارْحَمُوهُ .وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْقَاسَانِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ مُقْبِلٍ الْمَدَائِنِيِّ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى عَلَى الْإِنَاثِ أَرْأَفُ مِنْهُ عَلَى الذُّكُورِ وَ مَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ يُدْخِلُ فَرْحَةً عَلَى امْرَأَةٍ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَهَا حُرْمَةٌ إِلَّا فَرَّحَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ .


Then he turned to his companions and said, "Whoever has a daughter is overburdened, and whoever has two daughters, oh, let him seek Allah's help. And whoever has three daughters, jihad and all hardships are lifted from him, and whoever has four daughters, oh servants of Allah, help him, oh servants of Allah, lend him, oh servants of Allah, have mercy on him." And from him, from Ali ibn Muhammad al-Qasani, from Abu Ayyub Suleiman ibn Muqbil al-Madaini, from Suleiman ibn Ja'far al-Ja'fari, from Abu al-Hasan al-Ridha (a.s), who said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Indeed, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, is more compassionate towards females than He is towards males. And no man brings joy to a woman with whom he has a relationship except that Allah will bring him joy on the Day of Resurrection.'"

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ بَعْضِ مَنْ رَوَاهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحِيمِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ الْبَنَاتُ حَسَنَاتٌ وَ الْبَنُونَ نِعْمَةٌ فَإِنَّمَا يُثَابُ عَلَى الْحَسَنَاتِ وَ يُسْأَلُ عَنِ النِّعْمَةِ .


8. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from certain persons who narrated to him from Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahim from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s), has said, ‘Daughters are good deeds and sons are bounties. Reward comes only from good deeds and for bounties one will be held for questioning.’”

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْعَاصِمِيُّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ التَّيْمُلِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْجَارُودِ بْنِ الْمُنْذِرِ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) بَلَغَنِي أَنَّهُ وُلِدَ لَكَ ابْنَةٌ فَتُسْخِطُهَا وَ مَا عَلَيْكَ مِنْهَا رَيْحَانَةٌ تَشَمُّهَا وَ قَدْ كُفِيتَ رِزْقَهَا وَ قَدْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) أَبَا بَنَاتٍ .


9. Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-‘Asemiy has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hassan al-Taymuliy from Ali ibn Asbat from his father from al-Jarud ibn al-Mundhir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s), once said to me, ‘I am told a girl is born to you whom you dislike. What has she brought upon you? She is a sweet smelling flower you enjoy and her sustenance is guaranteed, besides, the Messenger of Allah was a father of girls.’”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) مَنْ عَالَ ثَلَاثَ بَنَاتٍ أَوْ ثَلَاثَ أَخَوَاتٍ وَجَبَتْ لَهُ الْجَنَّةُ فَقِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ اثْنَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ وَ اثْنَتَيْنِ فَقِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَ وَاحِدَةً فَقَالَ وَ وَاحِدَةً .


10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn al-Hakam from ‘Umar ibn Yazid who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s), has said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has said, 'One who supports three daughters or three sisters, paradise becomes obligatory for him.’ It then was asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what happens if one supports just two?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) replied, ‘Even if they are just two.’ It then was asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what happens if it is only one?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) replied, ‘Even if she is just one.’”

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عِدَّةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يُوسُفَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ اللَّخْمِيِّ قَالَ وُلِدَ لِرَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا جَارِيَةٌ فَدَخَلَ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) فَرَآهُ مُتَسَخِّطاً فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) أَ رَأَيْتَ لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى أَوْحَى إِلَيْكَ أَنْ أَخْتَارُ لَكَ أَوْ تَخْتَارُ لِنَفْسِكَ مَا كُنْتَ تَقُولُ قَالَ كُنْتُ أَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ تَخْتَارُ لِي قَالَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدِ اخْتَارَ لَكَقَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ الْغُلَامَ الَّذِي قَتَلَهُ الْعَالِمُ الَّذِي كَانَ مَعَ مُوسَى ( عليه السلام ) وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَأَرَدْنا أَنْ يُبْدِلَهُما رَبُّهُما خَيْراً مِنْهُ زَكاةً وَ أَقْرَبَ رُحْماً أَبْدَلَهُمَا اللَّهُ بِهِ جَارِيَةً وَلَدَتْ سَبْعِينَ نَبِيّاً .


11. A number of our companions narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid, from several of his companions, from al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Yusuf, from al-Hasan ibn Said al-Lakhmi, who said: "A man from our companions had a girl born to him, so he entered upon Abu Abdillah al-Sadiq (a.s) and saw him displeased. Abu Abdillah (a.s) said to him, 'What would you say if Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, inspired you to choose what He would choose for you or for yourself?' He replied, 'I would say, O Lord, choose for me.' He said, 'Indeed, Allah has chosen for you.' Then he said, 'The boy whom the scholar killed, who was with Musa (a.s), is the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: 'So We intended that their Lord should substitute for them a better one in purity and closer in mercy.' Allah replaced them with a girl who gave birth to seventy prophets.'"

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْفَضْلِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ الْبَنُونَ نَعِيمٌ وَ الْبَنَاتُ حَسَنَاتٌ وَ اللَّهُ يَسْأَلُ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ وَ يُثِيبُ عَلَى الْحَسَنَاتِ .


12. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Musa from Ahmad ibn al-Fadl who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s), has said, ‘Sons are bounties and daughters are good deeds, Allah questions one about the bounties but for the good deeds He gives good rewards.”’