The Book of Belief and Disbelief
Providing Food for a Believer
9ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ الْوَابِشِيِّ قَالَ ذُكِرَ أَصْحَابُنَا عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) فَقُلْتُ مَا أَتَغَدَّى وَلا أَتَعَشَّى إِلا وَمَعِيَ مِنْهُمُ الإثْنَانِ وَالثَّلاثَةُ وَأَقَلُّ وَأَكْثَرُ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) فَضْلُهُمْ عَلَيْكَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ كَيْفَ وَأَنَا أُطْعِمُهُمْ طَعَامِي وَأُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ مَالِي وَأُخْدِمُهُمْ عِيَالِي فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمْ إِذَا دَخَلُوا عَلَيْكَ دَخَلُوا بِرِزْقٍ مِنَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ كَثِيرٍ وَإِذَا خَرَجُوا خَرَجُوا بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ لَكَ.
9. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from abu Muhammad al-Wabishi who has said the following: “Our people were mentioned before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.). I said, ‘I do not eat lunch or dinner without two, three or more or less of them with me.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) said, ‘Their merit over you is greater than your merit over them.’ I then said, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, how can it be as such? I feed them and spent for them from my property and my family serves them.’ The Imam said, ‘When they come to you they come with plenty of sustenance from Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, and when they leave, they do so with forgiveness for you.’”
10ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُقَرِّنٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ الله الْوَصَّافِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لأنْ أُطْعِمَ رَجُلاً مُسْلِماً أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أُعْتِقَ أُفُقاً مِنَ النَّاسِ قُلْتُ وَكَمِ الأفُقُ فَقَالَ عَشَرَةُ آلافٍ.
10. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Muhammad ibn Muqrin from ‘Ubayd Allah al-Wassafi from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘Feeding a Muslim man is more beloved to me than setting free a horizon (full) of people.’ I then asked, ‘How many is a horizon of people?’ The Imam said, ‘It is ten thousand people.’”
11ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ رِبْعِيٍّ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) مَنْ أَطْعَمَ أَخَاهُ فِي الله كَانَ لَهُ مِنَ الأجْرِ مِثْلُ مَنْ أَطْعَمَ فِئَاماً مِنَ النَّاسِ قُلْتُ وَمَا الْفِئَامُ مِنَ النَّاسِ قَالَ مِائَةُ أَلْفٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ.
11. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Rib’i who has said the following: “Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) said, ‘Whoever feeds his Muslim brother (in belief) for the sake of Allah his reward will be like the reward of a person who feeds a Fi’Am, (whole group) of people.’ 1 then asked, ‘How many is a Fi’am of people?’ The Imam said, ‘It is one hundred thousand people.’”
12ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ سَدِيرٍ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تُعْتِقَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ نَسَمَةً قُلْتُ لا يَحْتَمِلُ مَالِي ذَلِكَ قَالَ تُطْعِمُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مُسْلِماً فَقُلْتُ مُوسِراً أَوْ مُعْسِراً قَالَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْمُوسِرَ قَدْ يَشْتَهِي الطَّعَامَ.
12. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn al-Hakam from Sadir al-Sayrafi who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has asked, ‘What prevents you from setting free a soul every day?’ I said, ‘My property is not enough to bear it.’ The Imam said, ‘Feed a Muslim every day.’ I asked, ‘Is it so, regardless, of his being affluent or poor?’ The Imam said, ‘Affluent people also desire food.’”
13ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ الْجَمَّالِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ أَكْلَةٌ يَأْكُلُهَا أَخِي الْمُسْلِمُ عِنْدِي أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أُعْتِقَ رَقَبَةً.
13. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Basir from Safwan al-Jammal from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “A meal that (I may provide) for a Muslim brother (in belief) is more beloved to me than setting free a slave.”
14ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ الْجَمَّالِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لأنْ أُشْبِعَ رَجُلاً مِنْ إِخْوَانِي أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أَدْخُلَ سُوقَكُمْ هَذَا فَأَبْتَاعَ مِنْهَا رَأْساً فَأُعْتِقَهُ.
14. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Isma’il ibn Mehran from Safwan al-Jammal from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Feeding one of my brothers (in belief) to his satisfaction is more beloved to me than entering your market to buy a slave and set him free.”
15ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لأنْ آخُذَ خَمْسَةَ دَرَاهِمَ وَأَدْخُلَ إِلَى سُوقِكُمْ هَذَا فَأَبْتَاعَ بِهَا الطَّعَامَ وَأَجْمَعَ نَفَراً مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أُعْتِقَ نَسَمَةً.
15. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “With five Dirhams, if I enter your market to buy food to feed a few Muslim people is more beloved to me than setting free of a slave.”
16ـ عَنْهُ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سُئِلَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) مَا يَعْدِلُ عِتْقَ رَقَبَةٍ قَالَ إِطْعَامُ رَجُلٍ مُسْلِمٍ.
16. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from al-Washsha’ from Ali ibn abu Hamza from abu Basir from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.) asked, ‘How much is the value of setting free a slave?’ The Imam said, ‘It is equal to feeding a Muslim man to his satisfaction.’”
17ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ أَبِي شِبْلٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) مَا أَرَى شَيْئاً يَعْدِلُ زِيَارَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِلا إِطْعَامَهُ وَحَقٌّ عَلَى الله أَنْ يُطْعِمَ مَنْ أَطْعَمَ مُؤْمِناً مِنْ طَعَامِ الْجَنَّةِ.
17. Muhammad ibn Y ahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn abu al- Khattab from Muhammad ibn Isma’il from Salih ibn ‘Aqabah from abu Shabal who has said the following: “I do not find anything equal in reward to visiting a believer except feeding him. Allah considers it His responsibility to feed, from the food of paradise, one who feeds a believer.”
18ـ مُحَمَّدٌ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ رِفَاعَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لأنْ أُطْعِمَ مُؤْمِناً مُحْتَاجاً أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أَزُورَهُ وَلأنْ أَزُورَهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أُعْتِقَ عَشْرَ رِقَابٍ.
18. Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Isma’il from Salih ibn ‘Aqabah from Rufa’a from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Feeding a needy believer is more beloved to me than visiting him, and to visit him is more beloved to me than setting free of ten slaves.”
