Minimum Limits of I‘tikaf

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from abu Wallad al-Hannat who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a woman whose husband was not present. He came and she was performing Ttikaf by the permission of her husband. Upon learning that her husband has arrived, she comes out of Masjid to her house and prepares herself until he falls on her (for sexual relation). He (the Imam) said, ’If she goes out of the Masjid before completing three days, and had not set a condition in her Ttikaf, she is required to do what is required because of Zihar (calling on oath the back of one’s wife as the back of one’s mother).”’

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

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ghiyath ibn Ibrahim who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ‘Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘Advance payment for a merchandise is not harmful if it is for known measures and appointed time. Advance payment is not made except for threshing and the time of harvest.’”

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

2. Ahmad ibn Muhammad from has narrated from ibn Mahbub from abu Ayyub from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘An Ttikaf for less than three days is not valid. One who is in Ttikaf must also fast and it is proper for one in Ttikaf to set a condition as a person in the state of ’Ihram does.’”

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

2. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan from ibn Muskan from Muhammad al-Halabiy who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about advance payment for foodstuff of a known measure and an appointed time. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’”

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

3. Ahmad ibn Muhammad from has narrated from ibn Mahbub from abu Ayyub from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘If one remains in Ttikaf for one day without setting a condition, he can leave and depart the ’ Ttikaf but if one remains in ’Ttikaf for two days without condition being set, he then cannot leave out the ’Ttikaf; until three days are complete.’”

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

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who makes advance payment to buy foodstuff from a man who does not have any farm or foodstuff or animals except that he at the appointed time buys the foodstuff and delivers it. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he guarantees it within the appointed time then it is not harmful.’ I then asked, ‘If he delivers a certain amount and cannot deliver a certain amount, is it proper for me to demand from him the remaining of my capital? He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, that is very good.’”

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

4. Ahmad ibn Muhammad from has narrated from ibn Mahbub from abu Ayyub from abu ‘Ubaydah who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘In the state of ’Ttikaf one must not smell perfumes, enjoy sweet basil, argue, buy or sell.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘After three days of ’Ttikaf one has the choice to remain in ’Ttikaf for another three days or leave the Masjid. If one remains for two days after the first three days, he must not leave the Masjid until after the second three days are complete.’”

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

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali al-Nu’man from ibn Muskan from Sulayman ibn Khalid who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who makes advance payment for farms and takes a certain amount of his foodstuff and a certain amount remains. The other party offers him the remaining of his capital. He (the Imam) said, ‘He must accept it; it is lawful.’ I then said, ‘He sells his foodstuff that he has received and it doubles.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If he does, it is lawful.’ I then asked him (the Imam) about a man who makes advance payment for what is not a farm or palm trees. He (the Imam) said, ‘He must name something for an appointed time.’”

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

5. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Dawud ibn Sarhan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once initiated speaking without my asking anything, ‘’Ttikaf consists of three days, meaning, according to the Sunnah, by the will of Allah.’”

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

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father all from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man to whom I made advance payment for foodstuff. When the time arrived he sent to me dirhams. He (the Imam) said, ‘Buy foodstuff for yourself and compensate for your right.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘I deem it proper that you appoint someone else for such work until you receive what belongs to you and you alone must not undertake the task and work.’”

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

6. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from certain persons of our people who has said the following: “About the case of a man who makes advance payment for foodstuff for an appointed time and when the foodstuff is ready he says, ‘I do not have any foodstuff but consider what its price is and take it from me’, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not harmful . 555

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

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Safwan from al-‘Is ibn al-Qasim who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who makes advance payment of dirhams in exchange for wheat until the appoint time comes and he does not have any foodstuff but has animals and other assets and slaves; if it is lawful for him to take from his assets in exchange for his foodstuff. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he must name such and such items for such and such Sa‘ (of foodstuff). 5 ”

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

8. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama‘ah from more than one person from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from Ya’qub ibn Shu’ayb and ‘Ubayd ibn Zurarah who has said the following: “We once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who sells foodstuff in exchange for dirhams for an appointed time. When the time comes and he demands it, the party says, ‘I do not have dirhams. Take from me foodstuff . 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful; his are dirhams in exchange, for which he can take whatever he likes . 555

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

9. Humayd has narrated from ibn Sama‘ah from more than one person from Aban from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who makes advance payment of dirhams in exchange for foodstuff and the time comes but the party sends him dirhams. He (the Imam) said, ‘He can buy foodstuff to compensate for his right. Do you see any problems in it ? 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘There must be someone else with him to work to make it happen . 555

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

10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about the case of a man who makes advance payment in exchange for five Mukhatim (a container) of wheat or barley for an appointed time but the party cannot deliver all that he owes on due time, and he asks the other party to accept half of the foodstuff or one-third or less or more and take the remaining of his capital back. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful . 5 ‘Can saffron be purchased through advance payment of twenty dirham for twenty Mithqal (a certain unit of weight) or less or more ? 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful. If the party cannot deliver all of saffron, the other party can take one-third or two-thirds of the remaining of his capital for his right . 555

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

11. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from all from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hafs ibn al-Bakhtariy from Khalid ibn al-Hajjaj who has said the following: “About the case of a man who buys foodstuff of a certain town, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If the foodstuff of a certain town exactly is not mentioned he can give it from anywhere he likes . 555

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

12. Sahl ibn Ziyad has narrated from Mu‘awiyah ibn Hakim from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Faddal who has said the following: “I once wrote to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), and asked, ‘I make an advance payment deal with a man for foodstuff and when it is due time I do not have any foodstuff, if I can give him dirhams in exchange. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, you can do so.”’

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