الكافي- ط الاسلامية, volume 4, page 66

2. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar from al-Misma‘iy who has heard the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), giving advice to his children in the beginning of the month of Ramadan. The Imam said, ‘Make yourselves to work hard; in it (month of Ramadan), sustenance is distributed and the duration of lives is written down. During this month, it is decided who should join the delegation before Allah. In it, there is a night when one good deed is better than a good deed for one thousand months.’”

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

3. 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 if one is not forgiven in the month of Ramadan, one will not be forgiven until the coming month of Ramadan unless he attends ‘Arafah (the ninth of the month of Dhul Hajjah).”

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

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya and people other than him have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub, from abu Ayyub from abu al-Ward, who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Once, the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, delivered a speech on the last Friday of the month of Sha‘ban. He thanked Allah, praised Him, and then said, “O people, a month is upon you when there is a night that is better than one thousand months. That month is the month of Ramadan. Allah has made fasting obligatory in the month of Ramadan. He has made one night in it wherein performing optional salat (prayer) is equal in reward to seventy nights of performing salat (prayer) in other months. For performing one good and virtuous deed voluntarily in it, He has assigned a reward equal to that for fulfilling an obligation toward Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious. For fulfilling an obligation toward Allah in this month, He has assigned a reward equal to that for fulfilling seventy obligations toward Allah in other months. It is the month of patience, and the reward for patience is Paradise. It is the month of cooperation. In this month, Allah increases the sustenance of the believing people. If one serves food for a fasting person at the end of a fasting day, Allah counts it equal in reward to setting free a slave and forgiveness of his sins of the past.” It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, not every one of us is able to serve food to a fasting person at the end of a fasting day.” The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, said, “Allah is gracious, He grants such reward even for serving some milk mixed with water or some sweet water or a few pieces of dates, if he is unable to do more than this. For one’s easing off the tasks for His servants to perform, Allah eases off his accountabilities. The beginning of this month is mercy and kindness, its middle is forgiveness, and its end is acceptance and freedom from the fire. You must have four characteristics during this month. With two of these characteristics, you will please Allah, but without the other two, you cannot have anything. The two with which you will please Allah is your testimony. ‘No one deserves worship besides Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’ The other two are asking Him to meet your needs and for Paradise, and asking Him to grant you good health and protection against hell fire.’””

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