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General Rules

Rights of one’s Relatives

  1. Maintaining ties with one’s relations (silatur rahim) is obligatory upon Muslims, and severing those ties (qat‘ur rahim) is one of the major sins. Since maintaining the ties is obligatory and severing them is a major sin for which Allah has threatened Hell-fire, the need for maintaining the ties becomes more important in foreign lands; and observing this obligation takes greater priority in countries where relations are few, families break up, religious bonds erode, and material values rule supreme.
    Allãh, the Almighty, has forbidden the severing of ties with one’s relatives. He said in the Holy Book: “But if you held command, you were sure to make mischief in the land and cut off the ties of kinship! Those it is whom Allãh has cursed so He has made them deaf and blinded their eyes.” (47:22)

    Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said, “A family that is united and whose members support one another, Allãh gives them sustenance, even if they be sinners; a family that is divided and severs ties with one another, Allãh deprives them [from sustenance], even if they be pious.”1
    It has been narrated from Imam al-Bãqir (a.s.) that: “In the book of ‘Ali [it says], ‘There are three traits whoever possesses them shall not die until he sees their evil consequences: adultery, severing the ties with one’s relations, and a false oath in which Allãh is invoked. Indeed the good deed that expedites reward is maintaining the ties with one’s relations. There could be a people who are sinners, yet they maintain ties with one another, and so their wealth increases and they have affluence. Verily a false oath and severing of ties will destroy populated centres.”2

  2. It is harãm to cut the ties with one’s relation even if that person had severed his ties [with you]. It is harãm to do so, even if he or she is negligent of salãt, a drunkard, and takes some religious injunctions lightly (for example by not observing the hijãb, etc) to the extent that there is no use in advising, counseling or warning him or her. This prohibition is only lifted when maintaining the ties encourages that relation to continue in his or her immoral ways.
    Our holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said, “The best of virtues is to maintain the ties with one who has severed it; to give in charity to one who has deprived you [of help]; and to forgive one who has done wrong to you.”3 He also said, “Do not sever the ties with your relations even if they have severed them with you.”4

  3. Probably the least of deeds that a Muslim can do (within the realm of possibility and ease) in order to maintain the ties with his relations is to visit them and meet them; or to inquire about their well being by enquiring even from far [via telephone, etc].
    O ur noble Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said, “The good deed that brings rewards faster [than other deeds] is maintaining the ties with one’s relations.”5 Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said, “Maintain the link with your relations even by greeting. Allãh, the Almighty, says, ‘Be careful of (your duty towards) Allãh by whom you demand of one another (your rights), and (to) the ties of relationship; surely Allãh ever watches over you.’ (4:1)”6
    Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said, “Maintaining the ties and charity make the reckoning [of the Day of Judgement] simple, and protects from the sins. Therefore, maintain the ties with your relations and be charitable towards your brethren even by greeting kindly and replying to the greetings.”7

The Parents

  1. The most serious type of severing the ties is causing distress (‘uqûq) to the parents whom Almighty Allãh has enjoined kindness and compassion. The Almighty says in His noble Book, “And your Lord enjoins that you should not worship but Him and be kind to the parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them (so much as) ‘ugh’ nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word.” (17:23)
    The Imam says, “The lowest kind of ‘uqûq is to say ‘ugh’. If Allãh the Almighty had known anything lower than that, He would surely have forbidden it.”8
    Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said, “Anyone who looks towards his parents with hatred, even if they had been unjust to him, Allãh shall not accept his salãt.” There are many such ahãdíth.9

  2. As opposed to the above is being kind to one’s parents which indeed is the best means of attaining the pleasure of Almighty Allãh. He has said in the holy Qur’ãn: “…and lower for them the wings of humility out of mercy, and say, ‘My Lord! Have mercy on them as they had nourished me when I was an infant.’” (17:24)
    Ibrãhim bin Shu‘ayb narrated that he said to Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.), “My father has become very old and weak so much so that we carry him [to the toilet] when need be.” He said, “If you can help him in that, then do so, and [also] feed him with your hand because this [service] will be a shield [against the hell-fire] for you tomorrow [i.e., in the next world].”10

    Maintaining the ties with one’s mother before the father has also been mentioned in many noble ahãdíth. Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said, “A person came to the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) and said, ‘O Messenger of Allãh! To whom should I do a good deed?’ He replied, ‘To your mother.’ Then the person asked, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet replied, ‘Your mother.’ Then the person asked, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet replied, ‘Your mother.’ Then the person asked, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet answered, ‘Your father.’”11 (See the question-answer section below.)

  3. In some ahãdíth the right of the eldest brother over the younger ones has been mentioned. This right should be observed and implemented in order to strengthen the ties of brotherhood within the single family and to guarantee its survival as a strong and well-knit structure if and when it goes through a rough patch. The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said, “ The right of the eldest brother over the younger ones is like the right of the father over his child.”12

  4. Besides the guardian of the child or someone authorized by him, no one is allowed to physically punish a child when he commits a forbidden act or causes harm to others. The guardian and someone authorized by him are allowed to discipline a child. [However, there are limits that must be observed:] the act of, say, hitting should be light, not agonizing, and should not be such that it leaves bruises on the child’s skin; that it should not exceed three hits [in one instance]; and that also only when disciplining the child depends on corporal punishment.

    Therefore, the elder brother does not have the right to hit the younger brother unless he is the legal guardian of the child or authorized by the guardian. It is not permissible at all to hit a school pupil without the permission of his guardians or someone authorized by the guardian. (See the question-answer section below.)

  5. It is not permissible to hit a bãligh child in order to prevent him from an evil act, except in accordance with the conditions of al-amru bi ’l-ma‘rûf wa ’n-nahi ‘ani ’l-munkar (enjoining the good and forbidding the evil) with the permission of the religious authority. Based on obligatory precaution, a bãligh child should not be hit at all.

The Elderly

  1. Respecting the Elders: The noble Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) has asked us to respect the elderly and honour them. He said, “One who recognizes the virtue of an elder person and honours him for his age, Allãh shall protect him from the fear of the Day of Judgement.”13 He also said, “One way of exalting Allãh, the Almighty, is to honour the believer with a white beard.”14

Visiting One Another

  1. Many noble ahãdíth from the Prophet (s.a.w.) and the Imams (a.s.) have emphasized the idea of visiting one another, maintaining cordial relationship among the believers, making the believers happier, fulfilling their needs, visiting their sick, participating in their funerals, and helping them in good as well as restrained circumstances. Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said, “Anyone who visits his brother [in faith] for the sake of Allãh, Almighty Allãh will say, ‘You have visited Me, therefore your reward is upon Me, and I will not be satisfied with a reward for you less than Paradise.’”15
    The Imam said to Khaythamah, “Convey our greetings to those who love us and advise them to fear Allãh, and that the affluent and strong ones among them should visit the poor and weak ones; they should participate in their funerals and meet one another in their homes.”16

The Neighbour

  1. The right of the neighbour is close [in importance] to the right of kin. A Muslim and a non-Muslim neighbour are equal in this right because the Messenger of Allãh (s.a.w.) established the right of the non-Muslim neighbour when he said: “There are three kinds of neighbours: 1. Some of them have three rights [upon you]: the right of Islam, the right of neighbourhood, and the right of relationship. 2. Some have two rights: the right of Islam and the right of neighbourhood. 3. Some have just one right: the non-Muslim who has the right of neighbourhood.”17 The Prophet said, “The best neighbourly act is to be trustworthy for those who are your neighbours.”18

    In the advice Imam ‘Ali gave to Imams al-Hasan and al-Husayn after the accursed Ibn Muljim had wounded him, he also talked about neighbours. He said, “be mindful of your duty towards Allãh regarding your neighbours because it was the advice of your Prophet who continuously talked good about them until we thought that he might give them a share in our estate.”19 Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said, “Accursed, accursed is he who harasses his neighbour.”20 He also said, “One who does not maintain good neighbourly relations with his neighbours is not one of us.”21 (See the question-answer section below.)

  2. Among the qualities of the good believers is to emulate the noble character of Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) whom the Almighty has described in His Book as follows: “And you verily are on a high level of noble character.” (68: 4-6.)22 Indeed the Messenger of Allãh (s.a.w.) said, “Nothing will be placed on the scale of the Day of Judgement better than good character.”23 Once the Prophet was asked, “Who is the best in faith among the believers?” He replied, “The best among them in character.”24

Truthfulness

  1. Among the qualities of good believers is truthfulness in speech and action, and fulfilling the promise. Almighty Allãh has praised Prophet Ismã‘íl (a.s.) by saying: “He indeed was true in [fulfillment of] promise and was a messenger, a prophet.” (19:54) The noble Prophet said, “One who believes in Allãh and the Last Day should fulfill whatever he promises.”25
    The importance of truthfulness and fulfillment of promise is more emphasized when we realize that many non-Muslims judge Islam by the action of Muslims. As much good a Muslim does, he positively portrays Islam to non-Muslims through his good conduct, and as much evil a Muslim does, he negatively portrays Islam through his bad conduct.

Husand and Wife

  1. Among the qualities of a good wife is refraining from harassing, hurting, and irritating her husband. Among the qualities of a good husband is refraining from harassing, hurting, and irritating his wife. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “If a man has a wife who harasses him, Allãh will neither accept her ritual prayer (salãt) nor any of her good deeds —until she has pleased him— even if she fasts and prays at all times, emancipates slaves, and gives away her wealth in charity for the sake of Allãh. She will be the first to enter the Fire.” Then he said, “And the husband has the same burden and chastisement, if he is a harasser and unjust [in his behaviour towards his wife].”26

Friendship with non-Muslims

  1. A Muslim is allowed to take non-Muslims for acquaintances and friends, to be sincere towards them and they be sincere towards him, to help one another in fulfilling the needs of this life. Almighty Allãh has said in His noble Book: “Allãh does not forbid you in regard to those who have not made war against you on account of (your) religion, and have not driven you forth from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allãh loves the doers of justice.” (60:8)
    When these kinds of friendship produce good results, it guarantees that the non-Muslim friend, neighbour, or colleague and business partner will know about the values of Islam, and it will bring him closer to this upright religion. The Prophet said to Imam ‘Ali, “If Allãh guides through you a single person from His servants, that is better for you than anything upon which the Sun shines from the East to the West.”27 (See the question-answer section below.)

  2. It is permissible to greet Ahlul Kitãb (the Jews and the Christians, etc) and also the non-Ahlul Kitãb on the occasions they celebrate like the New Year, Christmas, Easter, and the Passover.

Al-Amr bi ’l-Ma‘rûf and an-Nahi ‘ani ’l-Munkar

  1. Enjoining good and forbidding evil are obligatory rituals, whenever the conditions exist, on all believing men and women. Almighty Allãh has said in His noble Book: “There should be a group among you who should be calling (people) to the good, enjoining the good, and forbidding the evil; they are the successful ones.” (3:104) He also said, “The believing men and the believing women are helpers of one another, they enjoin the good and forbid the evil.” (9:71)
    Our noble Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said, “My community will continue to be blessed as long they enjoin the good and forbid the evil, and help one another in good deeds. When they do not do this, blessings will be withheld from them, and some [evil persons] among them will have hegemony over the others; and they shall have no helper neither on the earth nor in the heaven.”28

    Imam Ja‘far as-Sãdiq (a.s.) qualted the Messenger of Allãh (s.a.w.) as saying, “How will it be with you when your women will become corrupt and, your youths sinful while you will not be enjoining the good nor forbidding the evil?” The people said, “Will this happen, O Messenger of Allãh?” He replied, “Yes; and even worse than that. How will it be with you when you will be enjoining the evil and forbidding the good?” The people said, “O Messenger of Allãh! will this actually happen?” He said, “Yes, and even worse than that. How will it be with you when you will think of good as evil and of evil as good?”29
    These two obligations become more pressing when the person neglecting the good or committing the evil is one of your family members. You might find someone among your family who neglects some obligations or takes them lightly; you might find some of them performing wudhu or tayammum or ghusl incorrectly, or does not purify his body and clothes from impurities correctly. Or does not recite the two surahs and the obligatory recitations in salãt correctly; or does not purify his wealth by paying khums and zakãt.

    You might find someone among your family members committing some sins like masturbation or gambling or listening to songs or drinking intoxicants or eating harãm meat or devouring people’s property unlawfully or cheating and stealing.
    You might find someone among the women in your family not observing hijãb, not concealing her hair; and you might find that she does not remove the nail polish at the time of wudhu or ghusl. You might even find among them someone who wears perfume for men other than her husband; and does not conceal her hair or body from the eyes of her cousins (maternal or paternal), brother-in-law, or husband’s friend with the justification that they all live in the same house, and under the pretext that he is like her brother, or other similar groundless excuses.

    You might find someone in your family who habitually lies, backbites and infringes upon the rights of others, usurps people’s property, supports the wrong-doers in their unjust activities, and harasses his neighbour, etc.
    If you find any such situations, you should enjoin the good and forbid the evil by applying the first two methods: that is, expressing your displeasure at the situation, and then speaking about it. If these two methods do not work, then apply the third method (after asking the permission from the mujtahid): adopting practical [or physical] measures moving from softer to harsher ones. If that person is ignorant of the religious rules, it is your duty to teach them, if they have the intention of learning and acting accordingly.

Kindness towards People

  1. Kindness towards people, all the people, is among the recommended rituals that have been emphasized by our religion. The Messenger of Allãh said, “My Lord has commanded me to be kind towards the people just as He has commanded me to fulfill the obligatory [prayers].” He also said, “If a person does not have three things, his deeds are not complete: [spiritual] armor that prevents him from disobeying Allãh; noble character by which he shows kindness towards the people; and forbearance by which he repels the foolishness of the ignorant person.”30

    Kindness is not limited to the Muslims only. It has been narrated that Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) became a travelling companion of a non-Muslim on the way to Kufa. When they reached to a crossroad, the Imam walked with him for a distance before saying farewell. The non-Muslim asked him why he walked that extra distance, the Imam replied, “This is the right of companionship, i.e. see them through for a short distance when they separate. This is what our Prophet has ordered us to do.”31 That man accepted Islam because of this noble gesture.

    An interesting story was narrated by ash-Sha‘bi concerning the justice of Imam ‘Ali with one of his non-Muslim subjects. He narrated that one day ‘Ali bin Abi Tãlib went to the market and saw a Christian selling a coat of arms. ‘Ali (a.s.) recognized that coat of arms and said to the seller, “This is my body armour; let us go to the judge of the Muslims.” The Muslim judge was Shurayh, and ‘Ali himself had appointed him in that position.
    When they went to Shurayh, he said, “What is the matter, O Amiru ’l-mu’mineen?” ‘Ali (a.s.) said, “This is my coat of arms which I have lost since a long time now.” Then Shurayh asked the seller, “O Christian, what do you have to say?” The Christian seller said, “I am not accusing Amiru ’l-mu’mineen of lying, but the coat of arms is my property.” So Shurayh turned to ‘Ali (a.s.) and said, “I do not see [any ground on which] you can take it from his possession. Do you have a proof [supporting your claim]?” Since ‘Ali (a.s.) had no proof, he said, “Shurayh is correct [in his judgement].”32

    On hearing the judgement, the Christian seller said, “I bear witness that these are the laws of the prophets: the Leader of the Believers comes to a judge appointed by himself, and the judge passes a judgement against him! By God, O Amiru ’l-mu’mineen, this coat of arms is yours—I followed you in the army, and the coat of arms slipped down from your camel, so I took it. I bear witness that there is no god but Allãh and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allãh.” ‘Ali (a.s.) said, “Now that you have become a Muslim, it belongs to you.” Then he carried it on a horse. Sha‘bi said that he subsequently saw the man fighting the non-Muslims. This version of the hadíth has been narrated from Abu Zakariyya.33

    Similarly, we have heard from Amiru ’l-mu’mineen ‘Ali (a.s.) what could be considered as a historical precedence of social security that is so commonly practiced at present in the Western world. ‘Ali did not differentiate between a Muslim and a non-Muslim in the Islamic state. The narrator said that one day an old blind person passed by him begging. Imam ‘Ali (a.s.), “What is this?” Those who were around him said, “O said, he is a Christian!” Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) answered, “You have used him until he became old and incapable, and now you are depriving him [of the benefits]! Provide for him from the public treasury.”34 It has also been narrated from Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.), “If a Jewish person comes to sit with you, make that a good meeting.”35

Making Peace Between People

  1. There is a great reward in making peace between people, reconciling their differences, making them friends of one another, and lessening the gulf of disagreement between them. More so when making peace is done in a non-Muslim land far away from the homeland, family, relations, and friends. Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) had given certain advice to his sons, al-Hassan and al-Husayn, just before his death after the Kharijite Ibn Muljim al-Murãdi had injured him. He said, “I advise you both, all my children and family members, and whosoever to whom this letter of mine reaches: to fear Allãh, to organize your affairs, to establish peace because I have heard your grandfather (s.a.w.) say, ‘Making peace is better than a whole year of praying and fasting.’”36

Sincere Advice for Muslim Brethren

  1. Sincere advice —that is, to wish that the blessings of Allãh may continue on the believing brethren, to dislike that evil may afflict them, and to exert efforts in guiding them towards what is good for them— is among the deeds loved by the Almighty Allãh.
    There are countless ahãdíth on the importance of sincere counsel. For instance, the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “The person with greatest status in the eyes of Allãh on the Day of Judgement will be the person who worked most in His earth to give sincere counsel to His creatures.”37 Imam al-Bãqir (a.s.) said, “The Messenger of Allãh (s.a.w.) said, ‘A person from among you should give sincere advice to his brother in faith as if he is advising himself.’”38 Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said, “It is necessary for a believer to sincerely advise another believer in his presence as well as in his absence.”39 He also said, “You should be careful about advising Allãh’s creatures sincerely for His sake because you can never meet Allãh with a deed better than that.”40

Spying

  1. Spying —that is, snooping in order to gain information and embarrass people— is forbidden in Islamic laws. Almighty Allãh has said in His Book: “O You who believe, refrain from most of suspicions because some suspicions are sins, and do not spy…” (49:12)
    Ishãq bin ‘Ãmmãr, a companion of Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.), said: I heard as-Sãdiq (a.s.) saying, “The Messenger of Allãh (s.a.w.) said, ‘O you who have accepted Islam with your tongue [i.e., with your verbal declarations of faith] and faith is yet to enter your hearts! Do not disparage the Muslims nor disclose their frailties, because whosoever discloses their shortcomings, Allãh shall disclose his; and he whose weaknesses are disclosed by Allãh, will indeed be disgraced, even if he is inside his house.’”41

Backbiting, Namímah

  1. Backbiting means “speaking ill of a believer in their absence with the purpose of disparaging or not, and no matter whether the alleged shortcoming was related to his body, lineage, behaviour, deeds, statements, religion, or life, and other defects which are [usually] concealed from the people. Similarly, it does not matter whether the description was done by words or by gesture.”42
    Almighty Allãh condemned backbiting in His noble Book and has described it such that mind and body feel abhorrence towards it. He said, “And some of you should not backbite the others: would anyone of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? No, you abhor it.” (49:12)

    The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Be careful of backbiting because backbiting is worse than adultery, in that a person who commits adultery can repent and ask forgiveness from God, and Allãh can forgive him whereas Allãh will not forgive the backbiter until the person who was at the receiving end forgives him.”43
    It is not appropriate for a believer to listen to backbiting against his believing brother. Indeed, it appears from the sayings of the Prophet and the Imams (may Allãh bless them all) that it is obligatory upon one who hears backbiting to support the person who is being disparaged; and that if he does not repel the backbiting [against his believing brother], Allãh will abandon him in this world as well as in the hereafter, and he shall be held accountable just like the one who did the backbiting.

  2. When we talk about backbiting, another religious terminology also comes to the mind of the believer that has been equally forbidden by Islam for the sake of holding the society together. It is the term known as “an-namímah” which means sowing dissension by statements like “So and so was saying this and that about you” with the intention of damaging the relationship between the believers or increasing bitterness between them.
    The Messenger of Allãh (s.a.w.) has said, “Shall I not inform you of the worst person among you?” People said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allãh!” He said, “Those who spread slanderous rumours; those who divide friends.”44 Imam al-Bãqir (a.s.) said, “Paradise is forbidden upon the backbiters and those who spread slanderous rumours.”45 Similarly, Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said, “The spiller of blood [i.e., murderer], the alcoholic, and the one who spreads slanderous rumours will not enter Paradise.”46

  3. Suspicion. Almighty Allãh has forbidden us from having suspicious thoughts. He says in His noble Book, “O you who believe! Refrain from most of the suspicions because some suspicions are a sin.” (49:12)
    Based on this noble Qur’ãnic verse, it is not permissible for a believer to entertain suspicious thoughts about his fellow Muslim without any clear proof and evidence, because no one other than Allãh knows the inner-most thoughts of a person. So, as long as it is possible to place the action of a believer in a proper context, we should do so until it is proven otherwise. Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said, “Place the affair of your brother in the best possible [context] until you get a proof which convinces you [of the contrary]. And do not have suspicious thoughts about a word that comes out of your brother [in faith] while you have a positive context for it.”47

Extravagance and Waste

  1. Extravagance and waste are two bad qualities condemned by Almighty Allãh. He says, “Eat and drink but do not waste because He does not like the squanderors.” (7:31) He has also condemned those who engage in waste by saying, “Verily the wastrels are brethren of the Satans, and verily the Satan was ungrateful to his Lord.” (19:27)
    Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) wrote a letter to Ziyãd in which he condemned wastage and squandering. He wrote: “Give up lavishness and be moderate. Every day remember the coming day. Hold back from the funds what you need and send forward the balance for the day of your need. Do you expect that Allãh may give you the reward of the humble while you yourself are arrogant in His view? And do you covet that He may give you the reward of those doing charity while you enjoy comforts and deny them to the weak and the widows? Certainly, a man is rewarded according to what he has done, and he shall meet what he has sent forth.”48

Charity

  1. Charity for the sake of Allãh: Allãh has encouraged us in His noble Book to give charity for His sake and has described it as a deal which will never go sour. He says, “Those who recite the Book of Allãh, establish the prayer, and give in charity secretly as well as openly out of what We have given them, they hope for a deal that will never go sour. Allãh shall pay them their rewards in full and give them more out of His grace; indeed He is Forgiving, Multiplier of rewards.” (35:29-30) In another chapter, He says, “Who is there that will offer to Allãh a good loan so that He will double it for him, and he shall have an excellent reward. On that day you will see the believing men and the believing women while their light shall be running before them and on their right side—[they will be told:] ‘good news to you today: gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide therein, that is the great achievement.’” (57:11-12)

    In a third verse, Allãh reminds us to hasten to giving charity before death strikes. He says, “And give in charity out of what We have given you before death comes to one of you, so that he should say, ‘My Lord! Why did Thou not respite me to a near term, so that I should have given alms and been of the doers of good deeds?’ And Allãh does not respite a soul when its appointed term has come, and Allãh is Aware of what you do.” (63:10-11)
    Then Allãh clarifies the end of those who hoard wealth and do not spend in charity for His sake. He says, “(As for) those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allãh’s way, announce to them a painful chastisement on the day when it shall be heated in the fire of hell, then their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it; this is what you hoarded up for yourselves, therefore taste what you hoarded.” (9:34-35)

    Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) was the living example and the embodiment of the great values of Islam; he gave in charity whatever his hands could hold, preferring frugality in this transitory world and avoiding its beauties and luxuries while he had the control of the entire public treasury of the Muslims. He describes himself [in letter to his governor in Basra] as follows:
    “If I wished I could have taken the way leading towards (worldly pleasures like) pure honey, fine wheat and silk clothes, but it cannot be that my passions lead me and greed takes me to choosing good meals while there may be people in the Hijaz and in Yamãmah who have no hope of getting bread or who do not have a full meal. Shall I lie with a full belly while around me there may be hungry bellies and thirsty livers? Or shall I be as the poet has said,
    It is enough for you to have a disease
    that you lie with your belly full
    While around you people may be badly yearning
    for dried meat?”    49

    Various sayings have come from the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) and the Imams (a.s.) describing clearly the benefits gained by the person who gives in charity, not only in this world, but also more than what he expects on “the day when neither wealth shall benefit [a person] nor children.”
    Sustenance is one reward that a generous person gets. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Let sustenance flow [from God] through charity.”50 Curing disease is another benefit of giving in charity. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Cure your sick ones through charity.”51 Prolonging life span and averting tragic death is another result of giving in charity. Imam al-Bãqir (a.s.) said, “Benevolence and charity eliminate poverty, prolong life span, and spare the charitable person seventy kinds of tragic deaths.”52 Fulfillment of debts and [increase in] blessings are also benefits of giving in charity. Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said, “Charity fulfills the payment of debts and yields.”53 The children of a charitable person are taken care of after blessing his death. Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said, “No person has given good charity in this world but that Allãh has made good provision for his children after his departure [from this world].”54

    Imam al-Bãqir (a.s.) said, “If I could take care of a Muslim family, feeding the hungry among them, clothing the naked among them, and protecting their honour in society [their having not to beg], this is preferable than going for hajj, [then another] hajj, [then a third] hajj until I go ten times or even until I go seventy times.”55 Doing charity for the sake of Allãh is a vast subject that cannot be fully covered in this short treatise.56

Gifts for Family members

  1. The Messenger of Allãh (s.a.w.) had encouraged heads of family to buy gifts for their families so as to make them happy. Ibn ‘Abbãs narrates from the Messenger of Allãh (s.a.w.) that he said, “Whosoever enters a market and buys a gift, and takes it to his family is like a person who do charity to those who are in need of it.”57

Concern for the Muslim Ummah

  1. One of the issues that the Islamic shari‘a has emphasized is the the of being concerned for the affairs of Muslims. The Messenger of Allãh (s.a.w.) said, “Whosoever get up in the morning and has no concern for the affairs of Muslims is not a Muslim.”58 He also said, “Whosoever gets up without being concerned with the affairs of Muslims is not one of them.”59 There are many other sayings on this issue cannot be mentioned here.60

1. Al-Kulayni, al-Usûl mina 'l-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 348.

2. Ibid, p. 347.

3. An-Naraqi, Jami'u 's-Sa'adat, vol. 2, p. 260.

4. Al-Kulayni, al-Usûl mina 'l-K?fi, vol. 2, p. 347; also see as-Sadûq, Man La Yahdhuruhu 'l-Faqih, vol. 4, p. 267.

5. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 152.

6. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 155.

7. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 157.

8. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 348.

9. Ibid.

10. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 162.

11. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 160.

12. An-Naraqi, Jami'u 's-Sa'adat, vol. 2, p. 267.

13. As-Sadûq, Thawabu 'l-A'mal wa 'Iqabu 'l-A'mal, p. 225.

14. Ibid.

15. Al-Kulayni, al-Usûl mina 'l-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 176.

16. Ibid; for more information, see the sections "Fulfilling the Needs of Believer" (vol. 2, p. 192), "Striving for Need of a Believer" (vol. 2, p. 196), "Relieving the Suffering of a Believer" (vol. 2, p. 199) of al-Usûl mina 'l-K?fi of al-Kulayni.

17. An-Nuri, Mustadraku 'l-Wasa'il ("Kitabu 'l-Hajj"), section 72.

18. An-Naraqi, Jami'u 's-Sa'adat, vol. 2, p. 267. Also see the section on "rights of the neighbour" in al-Usûl mina 'l-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 666.

19. Nahju 'l-Balagha (ed. Subhi as-Salih) p. 422.

20. Mustadraku 'l-Wasa'il, vol. 1, section 72.

21. An-Naraqi, Jami'u 's-Sa'adat, vol. 2, p. 268.

22. To know more about the noble character of the Prophet (a.s.), see at-Tabrasi, Makarimu 'l-Akhlaq, p. 15ff, and the various books of history and hadith.

23. An-Naraqi, Jami'u 's-Sa'adat, vol. 1, p. 443.

24. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 331. Also see al-Usûl mina 'l-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 99 and Wasa'ilu 'sh-Shi'a, vol. 15, p. 198ff.

25. An-Naraqi, ibid. Also see al-Usûl mina 'l-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 363ff.

26. Al-Hurr al-'Amili, Wasa'ilu 'sh-Shi'a, vol. 20, p. 82. Also see 'Abdu 'l-Husayn Dastghayb, adh-Dhunûbu 'l-Kabirah, vol. 2, p. 296-297.

27. An-Nuri, Mustadraku 'l-Wasa'il, vol. 12, p. 241.

28. Al-Hurr al-'Amili, Wasa'ilu 'sh-Shi'a, vol. 16, p. 396.

29. Ibid, vol. 16, p. 122.

30. Wasa'ilu 'sh-Shi'a, vol. 12, p. 200.

31. Ibid, p. 135.

32. Translator's Note: Shurayh's judgement was based on the principle that possession is itself a proof of ownership, and that the claimant has to provide the proof in support of his claim.

33. As-Sayyid al-Milani in Qadatuna, quoting al-Bayhaqi, as-Sunanu 'l-Kubra, vol. 4, p. 135.

34. At-Tusi, at-Tahdhib, vol. 6, p. 292.

35. Wasa'ilu 'sh-Shi'a, vol. 12, p. 201.

36. Nahju 'l-Balagha (Subhi as-Salih's edition) p. 421.

37. Al-Usûl mina 'l-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 208.

38. Ibid; also see Jami'u 's-Sa'adat, vol. 2, p. 213.

39. Ibid.

40. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 164; for more information see the relevent sections in Wasa'ilu 'sh-Shi'a, vol. 16, p. 381-384.

41. Ibid, vol. 12, p. 275.

42. As-Sayyid as-Sistani, Minhaju 's-Saliheen, vol. 1, p. 17.

43. An-Naraqi, Jami'u 's-Sa'adat, vol. 2, p. 302.

44. An-Naraqi, Jami'u 's-Sa'adat, vol. 2, p. 276.

45. Al-Usûl mina 'l-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 369.

46. As-Sadûq, Thawabu 'l-A'mal, p. 262.

47. Wasa'ilu 'sh-Shi'a, vol. 8, chapter 161.

48. Nahju 'l-Balagha, letter no. 21.

49. Nahju 'l-Balaghah, letter no. 45.

50. Al-Majlisi, Biharu 'l-Anwar, vol. 19, p. 118.

51. Al-Himyari, Qurbu 'l-Asnad, p. 74.

52. As-Sadûq, al-Khisal, vol. 1, p. 25.

53. Wasa'lu 'sh-Shi'a, vol. 6, p. 255.

54. Ibid, vol. 19, p. 118.

55. As-Sadûq, Thawabu 'l-A'mal, p. 172.

56. For more information on this, see as-Sayyid 'Izzu 'd-Din Bahru 'l-'Ulûm, al-Infaq fi Sabilillah.

57. As-Sadûq, Thawabu 'l-A'mal, p. 239

58. Jami'u 's-Sa'adat, vol. 2, p. 229.

59. Ibid.

60. See al-Usûl mina 'l-Kafi, section on "Being Concerned for Affairs of the Muslims."