Chapter on the Virtue of Charity

Hadith.1731 - "Charity given by hand protects against an evil death, wards off seventy kinds of calamities, and loosens the grip of seventy devils, all of whom urge the person not to give."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1732 - Imam (as) said: "It is recommended for a sick person to give to the beggar with his own hand and to ask the beggar to pray for him."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1733 - Imam (as) said: "Give charity early in the day, for calamities do not surpass it. Whoever gives charity at the beginning of the day, Allah (swt) will protect him from the evil that descends from the sky that day. And if he gives charity at the beginning of the night, Allah (swt) will protect him from the evil that descends from the sky during that night."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1735 - The Prophet (sw), peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "Charity given in secret extinguishes the wrath of the Lord (azj), majestic and exalted is He."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1736 - Ammar narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) that he said to me: "O Ammar, charity given in secret, by Allah (swt), is better than charity given openly, and likewise, by Allah (swt), worship in secret is better than worship in public."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1738 - The Messenger of Allah (swt), peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "Charity is rewarded tenfold, a loan eighteenfold, kindness to brothers twentyfold, and maintaining ties of kinship twenty-fourfold."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1739 - Imam (as) was asked: "Which charity is the best?" Imam (as) replied: "To a relative who harbors enmity (against you)."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1740 - Imam (as) said: "There is no (valid) charity while a relative is in need."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1741 - Imam (as) said: "Cursed, cursed is the one who burdens others with his responsibilities. Cursed, cursed is the one who neglects those under his care."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1743 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) was asked about a beggar who asks without it being known what their true condition is. Imam (as) said: "Give to the one for whom your heart feels mercy." Imam (as) also said: "Give him less than a dirham." I asked, "What is the most that can be given?" Imam (as) replied: "Four daniqs."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1744 - Al-Wassafi narrates from Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) that he said: "Among the things Allah (swt), Glorified and Exalted, confided to Musa (as) was this: 'O Musa, honor the beggar, either by giving a small amount or by responding with kindness. Indeed, those who come to you may not be humans or jinn, but angels from among the angels of the Most Merciful who test you in what I have entrusted to you. They ask you from what I have granted you, so consider carefully how you will act, O son of Imran.'"

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1745 - Imam (as) said: "Give to the one who asks, even if you are on horseback."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1747 - It is narrated from Al-Waleed ibn Sabeeh who said: "I was with Abu Abdullah (as) when a beggar came to him, and he gave to him. Then another came, and he gave to him. Then a third came, and he gave to him. Then a fourth came, and he said, 'May Allah (swt) grant you abundance.' Then he said, 'If a man had wealth amounting to thirty or forty thousand dirhams and wished to spend all of it in rightful ways, he could do so and leave himself with nothing. However, he would then be among the three whose supplication is rejected.' I asked: 'Who are they?' Imam (as) replied: 'One of them is a man who had wealth but spent it in ways other than those Allah (swt) approves, and then says, "My Lord (azj), provide for me." Allah (swt), the Almighty, will say, "Did I not provide for you already?" Another is a man who sits in his house and does not strive to seek sustenance but says, "My Lord (azj), provide for me." Allah (swt), the Almighty, will say, "Did I not make a way for you to seek sustenance?" And the third is a man with a wife who causes him harm, and he says, "My Lord (azj), free me from her." Allah (swt), the Almighty, will say, "Did I not place her matter in your hands?"'"

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1749 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "When you give to them (those in need), teach them to pray for you, for their prayers for you will be answered, though their prayers for themselves may not be."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1751 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) was asked, "Which charity is the best?" Imam (as) replied: "The charity given by one in hardship. Have you not heard the words of Allah (swt), the Mighty and Glorious: 'And they give preference over themselves, even though they are in need.' Do you see any surplus here?"

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1752 - Imam Ali ibn Al-Husayn (as) said: "I have taken a pledge from my Lord (azj), the Mighty and Glorious, that anyone who asks without necessity will one day be compelled by circumstances to beg for a real need."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1753 - Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as), said: "Follow the saying of the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family) where he said: 'Whoever opens a door of begging for themselves, Allah (swt) will open for them a door of poverty.'"

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1758 - A group from the Ansar came to the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and greeted him with peace. He returned their greeting and said, "What is your need?" They replied: "We have a significant request of you." He said: "Tell me your request." They said: "We ask that you guarantee us Paradise from your Lord (azj)." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) lowered his head and began to draw in the ground. Then he raised his head and said: "I will grant you this on the condition that you do not ask anyone for anything." It was said that after this, one of them would be on a journey, and if his whip fell, he would not ask anyone to hand it to him but would dismount and pick it up himself to avoid asking. Similarly, when they were seated at a table, if someone closer to the water could pass it, they would not request it but instead stand up and take it themselves.

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1759 - Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as), said: "Be independent of people, even if it is with the splinters of a toothstick."

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

Hadith.1762 - Mas’ada ibn Sadaqa narrates from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as), from his forefathers (as): "Indeed, the Commander of the Faithful (as) sent to a man five wasaq (measures) of dates from al-Bughaibigha. This man was among those who would hope for his generosity, appreciate his kindness, and be content with what he gave. He would not ask anything of Ali (as) or anyone else. A man said to the Commander of the Faithful (as), 'By Allah (swt), so-and-so did not ask you for anything, and one wasaq would have sufficed him from the five wasaqs.' The Commander of the Faithful (as) replied to him: 'May Allah (swt) not increase among the believers those like you. I give, and you are miserly with it. If I do not give to the one who hopes for me except after he asks me, and then I give it to him after he has asked, then I have only given him the price of what I have taken from him. That is because I have subjected him to sacrifice his dignity for me, which he places in the dust before his Lord (azj) and my Lord (azj), the Almighty, in his devotion to Him and his request for his needs from Him. Whoever does this to his Muslim brother, knowing that he is deserving of his kindness and support, has not been truthful with Allah (swt), the Almighty, in his supplication for him. This is when he prays for him, saying: "O Allah (swt), forgive the believers, male and female." By this supplication, he is asking for Paradise for him. How unfair is he who prays with his tongue but does not support it with action, withholding the trivial wealth of this world from him. That is because the servant may say in his supplication, "O Allah (swt), forgive the believers, male and female." When he supplicates for his forgiveness, he is asking for Paradise for him. Thus, he is not fair who does this with his words but does not fulfill it with his deeds.'"

Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.