Al-Kafi 8340

Translation

The Book of Jihad from Al-Kafi is completed, and it would be followed by the Book of Commerce. Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Haroun Bin Muslim, from Mas’ada Bin Sadaqa who said, ‘Sufyan Al-Sowry came over to Abu Abdullah^asws, so he saw white clothes upon him^asws, as if they were the albumin of the egg, so he said to him^asws, ‘This attire is not from your^asws attires’. So he^asws said: ‘Listen from me^asws attentively what I^asws am going to say to you, for it would be better for you now and in the future, that you should die upon the Sunnah, and not die upon an innovation. I^asws hereby inform you that Rasool-Allah^saww was in an era which was desolate (barren) and waterless. So when the world turns, so the most deserving of its inhabitants with it are its righteous ones (but) not its immoral ones, and its Believers not its hypocrites, and its Muslims not its Infidels. So what are you criticizing, O Sowry, for by Allah^azwj, I^asws am with what you see. By Allah^azwj! There has never come upon me a morning nor an evening such that there is a right for Allah^azwj in my^asws wealth which He^azwj had Commanded me^asws to place it in a (particular) place, except that I^asws did place it’. He (the narrator) said (in the meantime), ‘So a group came over to him^asws, from the ones who were manifesting the asceticism and calling the people that they should come to be with them upon the likes which they were upon, from the austerities (restrain). So they said to him^asws, ‘Our companion was tongue-tied from your^asws speech and could not present his arguments’. So he^asws said: ‘So you give your arguments’. So they said to him^asws, ‘Our argument is from the Book of Allah^azwj’. So he^asws said to them: ‘So indicate it, for it is most rightful of what is to be followed and acted by’. So they said, ‘Allah^azwj Blessed and High is Saying, Informing about a group of companions of the Prophet^saww <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:59#h9"><a href="/books/quran:59#h9">[59:9]</a></a> and they prefer (others) before themselves though poverty may afflict them, and whoever is preserved from the niggardliness of his soul, these are the ones who are the successful ones</span>. Thus, He^azwj Complimented their deeds and Said in another place <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:76#h8"><a href="/books/quran:76#h8">[76:8]</a></a> And they give food out of love for Him to the poor and the orphan and the captive</span>. Therefore, we are content with this’. So a man from the gathering said, ‘I am seeing you all manifesting ascetism in you all being fed the good food, and along with that you are instructing the people with the taking out from their wealth to the extent that you all are enjoying from it’. So Abu Abdullah^asws said: ‘Leave from yourselves what you are no benefitting with. Inform me^asws, O you group! Is there anyone of you knowledgeable with the Abrogating (Verses) of the Quran from its Abrogated ones, and its Decisive from its Allegorical, those regarding the likes of which strayed the one who strayed, and destroyed was the one who was destroyed, from this community?’ So they said to him^asws, ‘Of some of it. As for all of it (the Holy Verses), so no’. So he^asws said to them; ‘So from over here you are coming (to the reality). And similar to that are the Ahadeeth of Rasool-Allah^saww. So as for what you have mentioned from the News of Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic, it is regarding us^asws in His^azwj Book, about the people who can inform about these with goodness of their^asws deeds. So it was neutral, allowed, and it was not Forbidden from, and their Rewards from it is upon Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic. And that is that Allah^azwj Sanctified a matter with opposite to what they (people) had been doing with, so His^azwj Commanded came to be Abrogating of their deeds. And the Prohibition of Allah^azwj Blessed and High is a Mercy from it for the Believers, and a Consideration that perhaps they may harm themselves and their families among whom would be the weak, and the young, and the parents, and the dying old man, and the aged woman, those who cannot be patient upon the hunger. So if I^asws were to give my^asws bread in charity, and there was no bread other than it with me^asws, they (family) would waste away and die of hunger. Thus, Rasool-Allah^saww said: ‘Five dates, or five discs (of bread), or five Dinars or Dirhams which the human being owns, and he wants to spend these, so the most superior of what the human being can spend upon are his parents. Then secondly upon himself and his family. Then thirdly upon his poor relatives. Then fourthly upon his poor neighbours. Then fifthly in the Way of Allah^azwj, and it is of the lowest Recompense. Rasool-Allah^saww said to the (one of the) ‘Ansar’ (the Helpers in Madina) when he freed, at the time of his death, five or six of his slaves, and he did not own other than them, and for him were young children: ‘Had you let me^saww know, I^saww would have ordered you all not to bury him with the Muslims. He left young children to spread their hands to the people?’ Then he^asws said: ‘My^asws father^asws narrated to me^asws that Rasool-Allah^saww said: ‘Begin with the ones reliant (upon you), so the closest one, then the next closest one’. Then this what the Book Speaks with is a rebuttal to your words, and Forbidden from it being an Obligation from Allah^azwj, the Mighty, the Wise. He^azwj Said <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:25#h67"><a href="/books/quran:25#h67">[25:67]</a></a> And they who when they spend, are neither extravagant nor stingy, and between that by stature (status)</span>. Are you not seeing that Allah^azwj Blessed and High Says other than what you all are showing, calling the people towards it from the preferring of (others) over their own selves, and Named the one who does what you are calling the people towards as being extravagant? And in another Verse from the Book of Allah^azwj He^azwj is Saying <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:7#h31"><a href="/books/quran:7#h31">[7:31]</a></a> surely He does not Love the extravagant</span>. So He^azwj has Forbidden them from the extravagance, and Forbidden them from the miserliness, but has Commanded between the two matters, that one should not give away the entirety of what is in his presence, then he supplicates to Allah^azwj that He^azwj Grace him. So it would not be Answered to him due to the Hadeeth which has come from the Prophet^saww that: ‘A category (of people) from my^saww community, their supplication would not be Answered to them – a man who supplicates against his parents; and a man who supplicates against a creditor who went away with his wealth and he had no written agreement against him and did not have a witness upon him; and a man who supplicates against his wife and Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic has Made an freeing of the way (divorce) to be in his hands; and a man who sits in his house and is saying, ‘Lord^azwj! Grant me sustenance’, and he neither goes out nor seeks the livelihood. So Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic is Saying: “My^azwj servant! Did I^azwj not Make the way for you to the seeking and the going around in the land with healthy limbs? So you have become paralysed in what is between Me^azwj and you with regards to the seeking in following My^azwj Command, and perhaps you would become a burden upon your family. So if I^azwj so Desire to I^azwj would Grace you, and if I^azwj so Desire to be Straiten upon you, and you would be without an excuse in my Presence”. And a man whom Allah^azwj had Graced with abundant wealth, so he spends it (all), then turns supplicating, ‘O Lord^azwj! Grace me”. So Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic is Saying: “Did I^azwj not Grace you extensive sustenance? So you were not moderate in it as I^azwj had Commanded you, and why were you extravagant and I^azwj had Forbidden you from the extravagance?” And a man who supplicates regarding a cutting-off of a relationship. Then Allah^azwj Taught His^azwj Prophet^saww how he^saww should spend, and that is once he^saww had an Owqiya (unit of measurement) of gold, so he^saww disliked that it should be with him^saww overnight. So he^saww gave in charity with it. So in the morning there was nothing with him^saww, and there came a beggar asking him^saww, but there did not happen to be anything with him^saww what he^saww could give him. So the beggar accused him^saww, and he^saww was saddened that there did not happen to be anything with him^saww what he^saww could give him, as he^saww was merciful, gentle. So Allah^azwj the Exalted Educated His^azwj Prophet^saww with His^azwj Command, so He^azwj Said <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:17#h29"><a href="/books/quran:17#h29">[17:29]</a></a> And do not make your hand to be shackled to your neck nor extend it to its limit, lest you should become blameworthy, destitute</span>. He^azwj is Saying that the people have asked you^saww and will not excuse you^saww. So if you^saww were to give away the entirety of what is with you^saww from the wealth, you^saww would be regretful from the wealth (unable to help anymore). Thus, these are the Ahadeeth of Rasool-Allah^saww ratifying the Book (Quran) and the Book Ratifies its people from the Believers. And Abu Bakr said at the time of his death when it was said to him, ‘Bequeath’. So he said, ‘I bequeath with the fifth, and the fifth is a lot, for Allah^azwj the Exalted is Pleased with the fifth’. So he bequeathed with the fifth, and Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic had Made the third to be for him at the time of his death, and had he known that the third is better for him, he would have bequeathed with it. Then the ones you know of after him in their merits and their ascetism, Salman^ra and Abu Zarr^ra, may Allah^azwj be Pleased with both of them^ra. So as for Salman^ra, whenever he^ra took his^ra contribution, extracted from it a provision for his year until his contribution comes up the following year. So it was said to him^as, ‘O servant of Allah^azwj! You^ra in your^ra ascetism are doing this, and you^as do not know perhaps you^as would be dying today or tomorrow?’. So his^ra answer was that he^ra said: ‘What is the matter with you that you are not hoping that I^as would remain, just as you are fearing the death upon me^ra? Do you not know, O ignoramus, that the self becomes lethargic (restless) upon its owner when there does not happen to be the subsistence for it what he can depend upon. So when the subsistence is present, it is tranquil (peace of mind)?’ And as for Abu Zarr^ra, so there used to be for him^ra camels and sheep for milking them, and he^ra used to slaughter from them whenever his^ra family desired the meat, or if a guest were to lodge with him^ra, or if he^ra saw the people of the water who were with him^ra as destitute, he^ra would sacrifice the camel for them or from the sheep upon a measurement of what would remove the craving of the menat from them. So he^ra would distribute between them, and he^ra himself would take one share from them, not preferring himself upon them. And who is more ascetic that them (Salman^ra and Abu Zarr^ra), and Rasool-Allah^saww has said regarding them what he^saww said? And it (news) has not reached from the affairs of them both^ra that they^ra came to be in a state of not owning anything. In no way it is as you are instructing the people with, the throwing away of their belongings and their things and preferring others by it upon their own selves, and their families. And know, O you group! I^asws heard my^asws father^asws reporting from his^asws forefathers^asws that Rasool-Allah^saww said one day: ‘I^saww am not astounded (amazed) from anything like I^saww am astounded from the Believer. If his body is cut into pieces in the house of the world with the scissors it would be good for him, and if he owns whatever is between the east of the earth and its west, it would be good for him, and everything what Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic Does with him, so it is good for him’. So I^asws am not aware, whether it has had any effect among you what I^asws have commented to you today, or whether I^asws should increase for you all. Do you not know that Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic has Obligated upon the Believers at first that the man among them should fight against ten from the Polytheists? It was not for him that he should be turning his face away from them, and the one who turned back on his heels in those days, so he has reserved his seat in the Fire. Then He^azwj Changed for them about their situation out of Mercy from Him^azwj, so that man from them came to be Obligated that he fights two men from the Polytheists, being a Lightening from Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic for the Believers. So the (Command) of two men Abrogated the (Command of) the ten. And inform me^asws as well about the judges. Would they be unjust when they are judging upon the man among you for payment of the expenses to his wife, if you were to say, ‘I am an ascetic. I am such that there is nothing for me’. If you were to say they are inequitable, the people of Al-Islam would call you as unjust. And if you were to say they have been just with you, you would be disputing against yourselves. And where would you be able to refute a charity given by the one who gives it to the poor at the time of his death, with more than a third? Inform me^asws, if the people, all of them were to be like what you want them to be, as ascetics, there would not be any need for them regarding the belongings for others, so upon whom would they give charity with an expiation of the oaths, and the vows, and the charities from the Obligatory Zakat from the gold, and the silver, and the dates, and the raisins, and the rest of what is Obligated regarding it, the Zakat from the camels, and the cows, and the sheep, and other such when the matter was as you are saying it to be. If the matter was as you are saying it to be, that it is not befitting for anyone that he should withhold anything from the goods of the world except that he should send it forward (for the Hereafter), even though he may become a destitute by it, so evil it is what you are taking (the people) towards and carrying the people upon, due to your ignorance of the Book of Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic, and a Sunnah of His^azwj Prophet^saww, and the Ahadeth which are ratified by the Revealed Book, and you are rejecting these by your ignorance, and forsaking the consideratioin in the strangeness of the Quran from the interpretation of the Abrogating (Verses) from the Abrogated, and the Decisive and the Allegorical, and the Commands and the Prohibitions. And inform me^asws, where are you (saying) about Suleyman^as Bin Dawood^as, where he^as asked Allah^azwj for a kingdom which would not be befitting for anyone (else) from after him^as? So Allah^azwj, Majestic is His^azwj Name, Granted him^as that, and he^as was speaking the rightfulness and was acting by it. Then we do not find Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic Faulting him^as over that, nor anyone from the Believers. And the Prophet Dawood^as before him^as regarding his^as kingdom and the force of his^as authority. Then the Prophet Yusuf^as when he^as said to the king of Egypt <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:12#h55"><a href="/books/quran:12#h55">[12:55]</a></a> Place me (in authority) over the treasures of the land, I am a good keeper, knowing well</span>. So, from his^as matter was that he^as chose a kingdom of the king and what was around it up to Al-Yemen. And they (people) used to get their provisions from him^as due to them being hit by the famine, and he^as was speaking the truth and acting by it. So we do not find anyone faulting that upon him^as. Then Zulqarnayn, a righteous one who loved Allah^azwj, so Allah^azwj Loved him and Rolled up his causes for him and Made him a king of the east of the earth and its west, and he was speaking the truth and was acting by it. Then we do not find anyone faulting that upon him. So educate yourselves, O group, by the Education of Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic for the Believers, and moderate yourselves upon the Commands of Allah^azwj, and His^azwj Prohibitions, and leave from yourselves what is doubtful upon you, from what there is no knowledge for you of it, and refer the knowledge to its rightful ones, so you would be Recompensed, and Excused in the Presence of Allah^azwj Blessed and High. And become the seekers of the knowledge of the Abrogating (Verses) of the Quran from its Abrogated, and its Decisive from its Allegorical, and what Allah^azwj has Permitted regarding it from what is Prohibited. Thus, it would take you all closer to Allah^azwj and remote from the ignorance. And leave the ignorance to its people, for the people of the ignorance are many, and the people of the knowledge are a few. And Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic has Said <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:12#h74"><a href="/books/quran:12#h74">[12:74]</a></a> and above every one possessed of knowledge, is the All-knowing one</span>’.

Provided for research and educational purposes. Original source: Thaqalayn Project. Open License.