The Book of Zakat
Virtue of Serving Food
6ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يُحِبُّ إِهْرَاقَ الدِّمَاءِ وَإِطْعَامَ الطَّعَامِ.
6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Ali ibn abu Hamzah from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah, the most Blessed, the most High, loves (shedding blood of edible animals) for serving meat and food.’”
7ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ مِنْ أَحَبِّ الأَعْمَالِ إِلَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِشْبَاعُ جَوْعَةِ الْمُؤْمِنِ أَوْ تَنْفِيسُ كُرْبَتِهِ أَوْ قَضَاءُ دَيْنِهِ.
7. Muhammad ibn Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn al-Hakam who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that of the most beloved deeds in the sight of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, is satisfying the hunger of a believer, relieving his suffering, or paying off his debts.”
8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُحِبُّ إِطْعَامَ الطَّعَامِ وَإِرَاقَةَ الدِّمَاءِ.
8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn ‘Ubayd from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and ibn Faddal from Tha’labah ibn Maymun from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, loves serving food and shedding blood (of edible animals for meat to serve for food).’”
9ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ أُتِيَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) بِأُسَارَى فَقُدِّمَ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ لِيُضْرَبَ عُنُقُهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ جَبْرَئِيلُ أَخِّرْ هَذَا الْيَوْمَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ فَرَدَّهُ وَأَخْرَجَ غَيْرَهُ حَتَّى كَانَ هُوَ آخِرَهُمْ فَدَعَا بِهِ لِيُضْرَبَ عُنُقُهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ جَبْرَئِيلُ يَا مُحَمَّدُ رَبُّكَ يُقْرِئُكَ السَّلامَ وَيَقُولُ لَكَ إِنَّ أَسِيرَكَ هَذَا يُطْعِمُ الطَّعَامَ وَيُقْرِي الضَّيْفَ وَيَصْبِرُ عَلَى النَّائِبَةِ وَيَحْمِلُ الْحَمَالاتِ فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِنَّ جَبْرَئِيلَ أَخْبَرَنِي فِيكَ مِنَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِكَذَا وَكَذَا وَقَدْ أَعْتَقْتُكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَيُحِبُّ هَذَا فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الله وَأَنَّكَ رَسُولُ الله وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ نَبِيّاً لا رَدَدْتُ عَنْ مَالِي أَحَداً أَبَداً.
9. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam, from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from a man who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that certain prisoners of war were brought before the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. One prisoner whose punishment was decapitation had been readied. Jibril came to the Holy Prophet and said, ‘O Muhammad, delay his case for one day. 5 His case was delayed and others were dealt with until it was the turn for that man again. He had been readied and Jibril said, ‘O Muhammad, your Lord sends you greetings of peace, and says to you, “This man who is your captive serves food, entertains guests, exercises patience in difficulties, and relieves others of liabilities.’” The Holy Prophet informed the man of what Jibril had conveyed to him from Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, and said, ‘I have decided to set you free.’ The man then asked, ’Does your Lord love this?’ The Holy Prophet replied, ‘Yes, He does.’ The man then declared, ‘I testify that no one deserves worship except Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah, who has sent you for a truthful purpose as prophet. I will never deny anyone to benefit from my wealth.’”
10ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ (عَلَيْهِما السَّلاَم) أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قَالَ الرِّزْقُ أَسْرَعُ إِلَى مَنْ يُطْعِمُ الطَّعَامَ مِنَ السِّكِّينِ فِي السَّنَامِ.
10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn Faddal from ‘Abd Allah ibn Maymun who has said the following: “Ja’far from his father (a.s.), has narrated that the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Sustenance comes to a man, who serves food, faster than a knife goes into the hump on the back of a camel.’”
1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ بَكْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) يَقُولُ مِنْ مُوجِبَاتِ مَغْفِرَةِ الرَّبِّ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى إِطْعَامُ الطَّعَامِ.
11. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from Musa ibn Bakr who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan (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, would say, ‘Of the reasons for the Lord, the Most Blessed, the most High, to grant forgiveness is one’s serving food.’”
12ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُعَمَّرِ بْنِ خَلاَّدٍ قَالَ كَانَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) إِذَا أَكَلَ أُتِيَ بِصَحْفَةٍ فَتُوضَعُ بِقُرْبِ مَائِدَتِهِ فَيَعْمِدُ إِلَى أَطْيَبِ الطَّعَامِ مِمَّا يُؤْتَى بِهِ فَيَأْخُذُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَيْئاً فَيَضَعُ فِي تِلْكَ الصَّحْفَةِ ثُمَّ يَأْمُرُ بِهَا لِلْمَسَاكِينِ ثُمَّ يَتْلُو هَذِهِ الآيَةَ فَلا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ عَلِمَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى عِتْقِ رَقَبَةٍ فَجَعَلَ لَهُمُ السَّبِيلَ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ.
12. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from his father from Mu’ammar ibn Khallad who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan, al-Rida (a.s.), would ask for an empty plate before having food. He would keep it on one side at the table, then pick up the best of food from each kind brought for him, place them on the empty plate, and ask his people to give it to destitute people. He then would read this, ‘. . . they have not entered the stage. . . .’ (90:11), and say, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, knows that everyone is not able to set free slaves, thus He has made a way to reach paradise, which is serving food.’”
The Book of Zakat
The Excellence of Moderation
1ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَسَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ صَلَوَاتُ الله عَلَيْهِمَا لِيُنْفِقِ الرَّجُلُ بِالْقَصْدِ وَبُلْغَةِ الْكَفَافِ وَيُقَدِّمُ مِنْهُ فَضْلاً لآِخِرَتِهِ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَبْقَى لِلنِّعْمَةِ وَأَقْرَبُ إِلَى الْمَزِيدِ مِنَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَأَنْفَعُ فِي الْعَافِيَةِ.
1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Mahbub from Jamil ibn Salih from Burayd ibn Mu‘awiyah who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said that Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), has said, ’One should spend moderately to a sufficient limit and send the extra for his next life. This is a better conservation of bounties, closer to its increase from Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, and more beneficial for good health (or consequences).’”
2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ السِّنْدِيِّ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ الرَّقِّيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِنَّ الْقَصْدَ أَمْرٌ يُحِبُّهُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَإِنَّ السَّرَفَ أَمْرٌ يُبْغِضُهُ الله حَتَّى طَرْحَكَ النَّوَاةَ فَإِنَّهَا تَصْلُحُ لِلشَّيْءِ وَحَتَّى صَبَّكَ فَضْلَ شَرَابِكَ.
2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Salih ibn al-Sindiy from Ja’far ibn Bashir from Dawud al-Riqqiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that moderation is a matter that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, loves, and extravagance is a thing that Allah hates. It applies even to one’s throwing the stone inside the piece of a date; it can be useful for something, and to throwing the leftover of what you drink.’”
3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) فِي قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَيَسْئَلُونَكَ ما ذا يُنْفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ قَالَ الْعَفْوُ الْوَسَطُ.
3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘ Umayr from certain individuals of his people who has said the following: “About the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘They ask you about what should spend (for the sake of Allah). Say, “It is disregarding. . .’” (2: 219), Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The word “al-‘Afw (disregarding)” refers to spending moderately.’”