Hadith record

2. Sahl ibn Ziyad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Basir from Hanan ibn Sadir who has said the following: “Once we visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when Farqad al-Hajjam was also with us. He (Farqad) asked him (the Imam) saying, ’May Allah keep my soul in the service of your cause, I perform a certain kind of work and I have asked more than one person about the legal status of what I do and they think it is a detestable work. I like to ask you. If it is as they say I will stop performing such works. Instead I will find some other kind of work. I will take your word as the word in the matter.’ He (the Imam) asked, ’What kind of work is it?’ He (the man) replied, ‘It is cupping.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You can use the income thereof for living, give charity, pay the expenses of your Hajj and marriage thereof, O brother, (in faith). The Holy Prophet had used cupping services and paid for them. Had it been unlawful he would not pay for it.’ He (the man) then asked, saying, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I have a he-goat. People hire it for goat grooming. What do you say about the income thereof?’ He (the Imam) replied, ’You can use the income thereof; it is lawful, although people may dislike it.’ I (Hanan) then asked, ’Why people dislike it when it is lawful?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is because people scorn each other about it.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.