يُكَفِّرُ عَنْ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ بِمُدِّ حِنْطَةٍ أَوْ شَعِيرٍ.
“Once we asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about a man who makes a vow that if he is released from jail, he will fast the same day but he is unable to do so because of illness or other reasons, and during his life time he becomes indebted to carry out many days of fasting. What is the expiation for such fast? He (the Imam) said,
سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ نَذَرَ نَذْراً فِي صِيَامٍ فَعَجَزَ فَقَالَ كَانَ أَبِي يَقُولُ عَلَيْهِ مَكَانَ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ مُدٌّ.
“I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about a man who makes a vow and then fails to fast. He (the Imam) said, ‘My father (a.s.), would say that he is required to pay one mud (a certain measurement) for every day.’”
فِي رَجُلٍ نَذَرَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ إِنْ هُوَ سَلِمَ مِنْ مَرَضٍ أَوْ تَخَلَّصَ مِنْ حَبْسٍ أَنْ يَصُومَ كُلَّ يَوْمِ أَرْبِعَاءَ وَ هُوَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي تَخَلَّصَ فِيهِ فَعَجَزَ عَنِ الصَّوْمِ لِعِلَّةٍ أَصَابَتْهُ أَوْ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ فَمُدَّ لِلرَّجُلِ فِي عُمُرِهِ وَ اجْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهِ صَوْمٌ كَثِيرٌ مَا كَفَّارَةُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ تَصَدَّقَ لِكُلِّ يَوْمٍ بِمُدٍّ مِنْ حِنْطَةٍ أَوْ ثَمَنِ مُدٍّ.
“I once asked abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), about a man who vows to fast, if he is released from jail, every Wednesday. It is the day when he was released but he fails to do so due to illness or other reasons; and during his lifetime a large number of days of such fast become due upon him. What is the expiation for s
سَأَلْتُهُ عَمَّنْ لَمْ يَصُمِ الثَّلَاثَةَ الْأَيَّامِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَ هُوَ يَشُدُّ عَلَيْهِ الصِّيَامُ هَلْ فِيهِ فِدَاءٌ قَالَ مُدٌّ مِنْ طَعَامٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ.
“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who does not fast three days every month because fasting is difficult for him: if there is a ransom for it. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is one mud (a certain measurement) of food for everyday.’”
قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ الصَّوْمَ يَشُدُّ عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ لِي لَدِرْهَمٌ تَصَدَّقُ بِهِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صِيَامِ يَوْمٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ مَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَدَعَهُ.
“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), fasting is difficult for me. He (the Imam) said, ‘One dirham given as charity is better than fasting for one day. He (the Imam) then said, ‘I do not like if you neglect it.’”
شَكَوْتُ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي أُصَدَّعُ[1] إِذَا صُمْتُ هَذِهِ الثَّلَاثَةَ الْأَيَّامِ وَ يَشُقُّ عَلَيَّ قَالَ فَاصْنَعْ كَمَا أَصْنَعُ إِذَا سَافَرْتُ فَإِنِّي إِذَا سَافَرْتُ تَصَدَّقْتُ عَنْ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ بِمُدٍّ مِنْ قُوتِ أَهْلِي الَّذِي أَقُوتُهُمْ بِهِ.
“I once complained before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘I get a headache if I fast the three days (recommended for every month) and it is difficult for me. He (the Imam) said, ‘You must do as I do when I travel. When traveling I pay charity for every day of one mud (a certain measurement) of the kind of food which is
قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي قَدْ كَبِرْتُ- وَ ضَعُفْتُ عَنِ الصِّيَامِ فَكَيْفَ أَصْنَعُ بِهَذِهِ الثَّلَاثَةِ الْأَيَّامِ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ فَقَالَ يَا عُقْبَةُ تَصَدَّقْ بِدِرْهَمٍ عَنْ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ دِرْهَمٌ وَاحِدٌ قَالَ لَعَلَّهَا كَبُرَتْ عِنْدَكَ[2] وَ أَنْتَ تَسْتَقِلُّ الدِّرْهَمَ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ نِعَمَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَيَّ لَسَابِغَةٌ فَقَالَ يَا عُقْبَةُ
“I once said to abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), that I have become old and weak to fast the three days every month. He (the Imam) said, ‘O ‘Uqbah, give one dirham as charity for every day.’ I then said, ‘Just one dirham!’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Perhaps it seems greatly strange to you and you think one dirham is small.’ I said, ‘