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Foreword to the Fourth Edition
Translator’s Preface to the Third Edition
Translator’s Preface to the Fourth Edition
Transliteration
CHAPTER ONE » Following a Jurist (Taqlīd)
CHAPTER TWO » Purification (Ṭahārah)
1. Kurr water
2. Qalīl water
3. Flowing water
4. Rainwater
5. Well water
LAWS RELATING TO THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WATER
LAWS RELATING TO EMPTYING THE BOWELS AND THE BLADDER
CLEARING THE MALE URETHRA OF URINE (ISTIBRĀʾ)
RECOMMENDED (MUSTAḤABB) AND DISAPPROVED (MAKRŪH) ACTS WHEN EMPTYING THE BOWELS AND THE BLADDER
IMPURITIES (NAJĀSĀT)
1. & 2. Urine and faeces
3. Semen
4. Corpse
5. Blood
6. & 7. Dog and pig
8. Disbeliever (kāfir)
9. Wine
10. Sweat of an excrement-eating animal
WAYS OF ESTABLISHING IMPURITY (NAJĀSAH)
HOW A PURE (ṬĀHIR) OBJECT BECOMES IMPURE (NAJIS)
LAWS OF IMPURITIES (NAJĀSĀT)
THINGS THAT PURIFY AN IMPURE OBJECT (MUṬAHHIRĀT)
1. Water
2. Earth
3. The sun
4. Transformation (istiḥālah)
5. Change (inqilāb)
6. Transfer (intiqāl)
7. Islam
8. Subsequence (tabaʿiyyah)
9. Removal of intrinsic impurity (ʿayn al‑najāsah)
10. Istibrāʾ[1] of an excrement-eating animal
11. Absence of a Muslim
12. Flowing out of blood [of a slaughtered animal] in a normal quantity
LAWS OF UTENSILS
ABLUTION (WUḌŪʾ)
IMMERSIVE ABLUTION (AL‑WUḌŪʾ AL‑IRTIMĀSĪ)
RECOMMENDED SUPPLICATION (DUʿĀʾ) WHILE PERFORMING WUḌŪʾ[1]
CONDITIONS FOR THE VALIDITY OF WUḌŪʾ
LAWS OF WUḌŪʾ
THINGS FOR WHICH ONE MUST PERFORM WUḌŪʾ
THINGS THAT INVALIDATE WUḌŪʾ
LAWS OF JABĪRAH WUḌŪʾ
OBLIGATORY (WĀJIB) RITUAL BATHING (GHUSL)
LAWS OF RITUAL IMPURITY (JANĀBAH)
THINGS THAT ARE UNLAWFUL (ḤARĀM) FOR A JUNUB
THINGS THAT ARE DISAPPROVED (MAKRŪH) FOR A JUNUB
THE GHUSL FOR JANĀBAH
SEQUENTIAL RITUAL BATHING (AL‑GHUSL AL‑TARTĪBĪ)
IMMERSIVE RITUAL BATHING (AL‑GHUSL AL‑IRTIMĀSĪ)
LAWS OF PERFORMING GHUSL
IRREGULAR BLOOD DISCHARGE (ISTIḤĀḌAH)
LAWS OF ISTIḤĀḌAH
MENSTRUATION (ḤAYḌ)
LAWS OF A WOMAN IN MENSTRUATION (ḤĀʾIḌ)
CATEGORIES OF WOMEN IN MENSTRUATION
1. A woman with a habit of time and duration
2. A woman with a habit of time
3. A woman with a habit of duration
4. A woman with a disordered habit (muḍṭaribah)
5. A menarcheal woman (mubtadiʾah)
6. A forgetful woman (nāsiyah)
MISCELLANEOUS RULINGS ON ḤAYḌ
LOCHIA (NIFĀS)
THE GHUSL FOR TOUCHING A CORPSE (MASS AL‑MAYYIT)
LAWS RELATING TO A DYING PERSON (MUḤTAḌAR)
LAWS RELATING TO AFTER DEATH
THE OBLIGATION TO GIVE GHUSL, SHROUD (TAKFĪN), PRAY OVER, CAMPHORATE (TAḤNĪṬ), AND BURY (DAFN)
METHOD OF PERFORMING THE GHUSL GIVEN TO A CORPSE (MAYYIT)
LAWS OF SHROUDING (TAKFĪN) A CORPSE
LAWS OF CAMPHORATING (TAḤNĪṬ) A CORPSE
LAWS OF THE FUNERAL PRAYER (ṢALĀT AL‑MAYYIT)
METHOD OF PERFORMING ṢALĀT AL‑MAYYIT
RECOMMENDED (MUSTAḤABB) ACTS OF ṢALĀT AL‑MAYYIT
LAWS OF BURIAL (DAFN)
THE PRAYER OF LONELINESS (ṢALĀT AL‑WAḤSHAH)
EXHUMATION OF A GRAVE
RECOMMENDED (MUSTAḤABB) ACTS OF BURIAL (DAFN)
RECOMMENDED (MUSTAḤABB) GHUSLS
DRY ABLUTION (TAYAMMUM)
1. Not having water
2. Not having access to water
3. Using water is harmful
4. Hardship (ḥaraj) and excessive difficulty (mashaqqah)
5. Needing water to quench thirst
6. Performing wuḍūʾ or ghusl conflicts with another legal responsibility that is more important or just as important
7. Shortage of time
THINGS WITH WHICH PERFORMING TAYAMMUM IS VALID (ṢAḤĪḤ)
METHOD OF PERFORMING TAYAMMUM IN PLACE OF WUḌŪʾ OR GHUSL
LAWS OF TAYAMMUM
CHAPTER THREE » Prayer (Ṣalāh)
THE OBLIGATORY (WĀJIB) PRAYERS
THE OBLIGATORY DAILY PRAYERS
THE TIME FOR THE MIDDAY (ẒUHR) AND AFTERNOON (ʿAṢR) PRAYERS
THE FRIDAY PRAYER (ṢALĀT AL‑JUMUʿAH) AND ITS LAWS
SOME LAWS CONCERNING THE FRIDAY PRAYER
THE TIME FOR THE PRAYER AFTER SUNSET (MAGHRIB) AND THE EVENING (ʿISHĀʾ) PRAYER
THE TIME FOR THE MORNING (ṢUBḤ) PRAYER
LAWS RELATING TO THE TIME OF PRAYERS
PRAYERS THAT MUST BE PERFORMED IN ORDER
RECOMMENDED (MUSTAḤABB) PRAYERS
TIMINGS FOR THE DAILY SUPEREROGATORY (NĀFILAH) PRAYERS
THE GHUFAYLAH PRAYER
RULES OF QIBLA
COVERING THE BODY IN PRAYERS
CONDITIONS OF CLOTHING WORN BY SOMEONE PERFORMING PRAYERS
CASES WHEN IT IS NOT NECESSARY FOR THE BODY AND CLOTHING OF SOMEONE PERFORMING PRAYERS TO BE PURE
THINGS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED (MUSTAḤABB) FOR THE CLOTHING OF SOMEONE PERFORMING PRAYERS
THINGS THAT ARE DISAPPROVED (MAKRŪH) FOR THE CLOTHING OF SOMEONE PERFORMING PRAYERS
THE PLACE WHERE PRAYERS ARE PERFORMED
PLACES WHERE PERFORMING PRAYERS IS RECOMMENDED (MUSTAḤABB)
PLACES WHERE PERFORMING PRAYERS IS DISAPPROVED (MAKRŪH)
LAWS OF A MOSQUE
THE CALL TO PRAYER (ADHĀN) AND THE CALL TO STAND FOR PRAYER (IQĀMAH)
OBLIGATORY COMPONENTS OF THE PRAYER
INTENTION (NIYYAH)
TAKBĪRAT AL‑IḤRĀM
STANDING (QIYĀM)
RECITATION (QIRĀʾAH)
BOWING (RUKŪʿ)
PROSTRATING (SUJŪD)
THINGS ON WHICH SAJDAH IS PERMITTED (JĀʾIZ)
RECOMMENDED (MUSTAḤABB) AND DISAPPROVED (MAKRŪH) ACTS OF SAJDAH
OBLIGATORY (WĀJIB) PROSTRATIONS OF THE QUR’AN
TESTIFYING (TASHAHHUD)
SALUTATION (SALĀM)
SEQUENCE (TARTĪB)
CLOSE SUCCESSION (MUWĀLĀH)
QUNŪT
TRANSLATION OF PRAYERS
SUPPLICATIONS AFTER PRAYERS (TAʿQĪBĀT)
ṢALAWĀT
THINGS THAT INVALIDATE (MUBṬILĀT) PRAYERS
THINGS THAT ARE DISAPPROVED (MAKRŪH) IN PRAYERS
INSTANCES OF WHEN IT IS PERMITTED (JĀʾIZ) TO BREAK AN OBLIGATORY (WĀJIB) PRAYER
DOUBTS THAT ARISE IN PRAYERS (SHAKKIYĀT)
DOUBTS THAT INVALIDATE PRAYERS
DOUBTS THAT MUST BE DISMISSED
1. A doubt about an act for which the time of performance has passed
2. Doubt after salām
3. Doubt after the time of prayers
4. An excessive doubter (kathīr al‑shakk)
5. Doubt of an imam and a follower in congregational prayers
6. Doubts in recommended prayers
DOUBTS THAT ARE VALID (ṢAḤĪḤ)
METHOD OF PERFORMING THE PRECAUTIONARY PRAYER (ṢALĀT AL‑IḤTIYĀṬ)
THE TWO PROSTRATIONS FOR INADVERTENCE (SAJDATĀ AL‑SAHW)
METHOD OF PERFORMING SAJDATĀ AL‑SAHW
MAKING UP (QAḌĀʾ) A FORGOTTEN SAJDAH
OMITTING OR ADDING COMPONENTS OR CONDITIONS OF THE PRAYER
PRAYERS OF A TRAVELLER
MISCELLANEOUS RULINGS ON THE PRAYER OF A TRAVELLER
LAPSED (QAḌĀʾ) PRAYERS
LAPSED (QAḌĀʾ) PRAYERS OF A FATHER THAT ARE OBLIGATORY (WĀJIB) ON THE ELDEST SON
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS (ṢALĀT AL‑JAMĀʿAH)
CONDITIONS OF THE IMAM OF CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS
RULES OF CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS
DUTIES OF THE IMAM AND THE FOLLOWER IN CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS
THINGS THAT ARE DISAPPROVED (MAKRŪH) IN CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS
THE PRAYER OF SIGNS (ṢALĀT AL‑ĀYĀT)
METHOD OF PERFORMING ṢALĀT AL‑ĀYĀT
THE EID AL‑FIṬR[1] & EID AL‑AḌḤĀ PRAYERS[2]
HIRING SOMEONE TO PERFORM PRAYERS[1]
CHAPTER FOUR » Fasting (Ṣawm)
INTENTION (NIYYAH)
THINGS THAT INVALIDATE (MUBṬILĀT) A FAST
1. Eating and drinking
2. Sexual intercourse
3. Masturbation
4. Ascribing something false to Allah the Exalted, the Most Noble Prophet (Ṣ), or the Infallible Imams (ʿA)
5. Causing thick dust to reach the throat
6. Remaining in a state of janābah, ḥayḍ, or nifās until the time of ṣubḥ prayers
7. Applying enema[1]
8. Vomiting
LAWS OF THINGS THAT INVALIDATE A FAST
THINGS THAT ARE DISAPPROVED (MAKRŪH) FOR A FASTING PERSON TO DO
TIMES WHEN IT IS OBLIGATORY (WĀJIB) TO BOTH MAKE UP (QAḌĀʾ) AND GIVE RECOMPENSE (KAFFĀRAH)
RECOMPENSE (KAFFĀRAH) OF A FAST
TIMES WHEN IT IS OBLIGATORY (WĀJIB) TO ONLY MAKE UP (QAḌĀʾ) A FAST
LAWS OF A LAPSED (QAḌĀʾ) FAST
LAWS OF FASTING FOR A TRAVELLER
THOSE ON WHOM FASTING IS NOT OBLIGATORY (WĀJIB)
WAYS OF ESTABLISHING THE FIRST OF THE MONTH
UNLAWFUL (ḤARĀM) AND DISAPPROVED (MAKRŪH) FASTS
RECOMMENDED (MUSTAḤABB) FASTS
TIMES WHEN IT IS RECOMMENDED (MUSTAḤABB) FOR ONE TO ABSTAIN FROM THINGS THAT INVALIDATE A FAST
CHAPTER FIVE » Spiritual Retreat (Iʿtikāf)
CONDITIONS FOR THE VALIDITY OF IʿTIKĀF
LEAVING THE PLACE OF IʿTIKĀF
MISCELLANEOUS RULINGS ON IʿTIKĀF
CHAPTER SIX » The One-Fifth Tax (Khums)
1. SURPLUS INCOME FROM EARNINGS AND GAINS
2. MINED PRODUCTS
3. TREASURE TROVES
4. LAWFUL PROPERTY THAT HAS BECOME MIXED WITH UNLAWFUL PROPERTY
5. GEMS ACQUIRED BY UNDERWATER DIVING
7. LAND THAT A DHIMMĪ PURCHASES FROM A MUSLIM
6. SPOILS OF WAR
DISTRIBUTION OF KHUMS
CHAPTER SEVEN » Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
CHAPTER EIGHT » Alms Tax (Zakat)
CONDITIONS FOR ZAKAT TO BECOME OBLIGATORY (WĀJIB)
ZAKAT OF WHEAT, BARLEY, AND RAISINS
THE TAXABLE LIMIT (NIṢĀB) FOR GOLD
THE NIṢĀB FOR SILVER
ZAKAT OF CAMELS, COWS, AND SHEEP
The niṣāb for camels
The niṣāb for cows
The niṣāb for sheep
ZAKAT ON BUSINESS GOODS
DISTRIBUTION OF ZAKAT
CRITERIA FOR BEING ENTITLED (MUSTAḤIQQ) TO RECEIVE ZAKAT
INTENTION (NIYYAH) FOR GIVING ZAKAT
MISCELLANEOUS RULINGS ON ZAKAT
THE FIṬRAH ALMS TAX (ZAKĀT AL‑FIṬRAH)
DISTRIBUTION OF ZAKĀT AL‑FIṬRAH
MISCELLANEOUS RULINGS ON ZAKĀT AL‑FIṬRAH
CHAPTER NINE » Hajj[1]
CHAPTER TEN » Buying and Selling
RECOMMENDED (MUSTAḤABB) ACTS OF BUYING AND SELLING
DISAPPROVED (MAKRŪH) TRANSACTIONS
UNLAWFUL (ḤARĀM) TRANSACTIONS
CONDITIONS RELATING TO THE SELLER AND THE BUYER
CONDITIONS RELATING TO THE COMMODITY AND THE PAYMENT IN EXCHANGE
THE TRANSACTION FORMULA (ṢĪGHAH)
BUYING AND SELLING FRUIT
IMMEDIATE EXCHANGE (NAQD) AND CREDIT (NASĪʾAH) TRANSACTIONS
PREPAYMENT (SALAF) TRANSACTION AND ITS CONDITIONS
LAWS RELATING TO PREPAYMENT (SALAF) TRANSACTIONS
SELLING GOLD AND SILVER FOR GOLD AND SILVER
CASES WHEN A PERSON CAN ANNUL A TRANSACTION
MISCELLANEOUS RULINGS
CHAPTER ELEVEN » Partnership (Shirkah)
CHAPTER TWELVE » Settlement (Ṣulḥ)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN » Hiring/Renting (Ijārah)[1]
CONDITIONS FOR PROPERTY GIVEN ON RENT
CONDITIONS RELATING TO THE USE OF THE PROPERTY WHICH IS GIVEN ON RENT
MISCELLANEOUS RULINGS ON HIRING/RENTING
CHAPTER FOURTEEN » Sleeping Partnership (Muḍārabah)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN » Reward (Juʿālah)
CHAPTER SIXTEEN » Sharecropping (Muzāraʿah)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN » Tree Tending Contract (Musāqāh) and Tree Planting Contract (Mughārasah)
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN » Those Prohibited from having Disposal over their Property
CHAPTER NINETEEN » Agency (Wikālah)
CHAPTER TWENTY » Loan (Qarḍ)
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE » Transfer of Debt (Ḥawālah)
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO » Security (Rahn)[1]
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE » Suretyship (Ḍamān)
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR » Surety for the Appearance of a Debtor (Kafālah)
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE » Deposit (Wadīʿah) and Trust (Amānah)
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX » Gratuitous Loan (ʿĀriyah)
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN » Marriage
METHOD OF SAYING THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT FORMULA (ṢĪGHAH)
CONDITIONS OF A MARRIAGE CONTRACT
SITUATIONS IN WHICH A MAN AND A WOMAN CAN ANNUL THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT
WOMEN WITH WHOM MARRIAGE IS UNLAWFUL (ḤARĀM)
LAWS OF PERMANENT MARRIAGE
LAWS OF TEMPORARY MARRIAGE (MUTʿAH)
LOOKING AT NON‑MAḤRAM
MISCELLANEOUS RULINGS ON MARRIAGE
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT » Breastfeeding
CONDITIONS FOR BREASTFEEDING TO CAUSE SOMEONE TO BECOME MAḤRAM
THE ETIQUETTES OF BREASTFEEDING
MISCELLANEOUS RULINGS ON BREASTFEEDING
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE » Divorce
THE PRESCRIBED WAITING PERIOD (ʿIDDAH) OF A DIVORCE
THE ʿIDDAH OF A WOMAN WHOSE HUSBAND HAS DIED
IRREVOCABLE (BĀʾIN) AND REVOCABLE (RIJʿĪ) DIVORCE
LAWS OF RETURNING TO ONE’S WIFE
KHULʿ DIVORCE
MUBĀRĀH DIVORCE
MISCELLANEOUS RULINGS ON DIVORCE
CHAPTER THIRTY » Usurpation (Ghaṣb)
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE » Found Property
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO » Slaughtering and Hunting Animals
METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING AN ANIMAL
CONDITIONS OF SLAUGHTERING AN ANIMAL
METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING A CAMEL
RECOMMENDED (MUSTAḤABB) ACTS WHEN SLAUGHTERING AN ANIMAL
DISAPPROVED (MAKRŪH) ACTS WHEN SLAUGHTERING AN ANIMAL
LAWS RELATING TO HUNTING WITH WEAPONS
HUNTING WITH A HUNTING DOG
FISHING AND HUNTING LOCUSTS
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE » Eating and Drinking
ETIQUETTES OF EATING
THINGS THAT ARE DISCOURAGED (MADHMŪM) WHEN EATING
ETIQUETTES OF DRINKING
THINGS THAT ARE DISCOURAGED (MADHMŪM) WHEN DRINKING
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR » Vow (Nadhr) and Covenant (ʿAhd)
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE » Oath (Qasam)
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX » Charitable Endowment (Waqf)
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN » Will (Waṣiyyah)
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT » Inheritance (Irth)
INHERITANCE OF THE FIRST GROUP
INHERITANCE OF THE SECOND GROUP
INHERITANCE OF THE THIRD GROUP
INHERITANCE OF HUSBAND AND WIFE
MISCELLANEOUS RULES OF INHERITANCE
Glossary
Appendix 1: Table of Weights, Measures, Values, and Quantities
Appendix 2: Biography of His Eminence al-Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani
Appendix 3: List of Updated Rulings
Works Consulted