Al-KāfiThe Sufficient

Cover of Al-Kāfi

Al-Kāfi(Vol. 7)

The Sufficient

Shaykh Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb al-Kulaynī

Translated by
Muhammad Sarwar
Compiled 309–329 AH
al-Kāfī, compiled by Shaykh al-Kulaynī, is a monumental work belonging to a number of books belonging to the Shīʿī Ḥadīth literature. It comprises of eight volumes and took twenty years to compile, making it an extensive collection of wisdom and guidance for adherents of the faith. The eight volumes are divided into three main parts: al-Uṣūl (Roots), al-Furūʿ (Branches), and al-Rawḍa (the Garden). Part 1 (Volumes 1 & 2): al-Uṣūl (Roots) This portion delves into the principles of beliefs, containing eight books that discuss topics such as the intellect and ignorance, the virtues of knowledge, Divine Unity, Divine Authority, Belief and Disbelief, Suppications, the Virtues of the Holy Qurʾān, in addition to Ethics and Morals. Part 2 (Volumes 3 to 7): al-Furūʿ (Branches) This portion comprises of Ḥadīths related to Islamic jurisprudence, including acts of worship, business transactions, and judicial laws. It covers a vast array of topics in 26 books, ranging from the laws of cleanliness and menstruation to those of wills, inheritance, and legal penalties. Part 3 (Volume 8): al-Rawḍa (the Garden) al-Rawḍa encompasses a collection of miscellaneous Ḥadīths, which cover topics that had already been glazed over in prior two portions of the book. Many a time, long Ḥadīths will be included from written letters, wills of the Imams and historical narrations that didn’t necessarily fit in chapter headings that were made in the first seven volumes. The Ḥadīths are not organised in a specific way, but its diversity adds depth to the understanding of the faith.

Chapter 1

5 hadiths
The Will and What it Must Consist of

Chapter 2

7 hadiths
The Witness for the Will

Chapter 3

6 hadiths
A Man Makes a Will and Appoints an Executor but he Refuses to Accept it

Chapter 4

10 hadiths
The Owner is more Rightful to his Property as Long as he is Living

Chapter 5

6 hadiths
Making a Will for the Heir

Chapter 6

7 hadiths
The Matters for which one can Make a Will and what is Preferable in the Issue

Chapter 7

1 hadith
Another Chapter

Chapter 8

4 hadiths
A Man Makes a Will, then Cancels it

Chapter 9

3 hadiths
If the Beneficiary of a Will dies before the Death of the Testator or before Taking Possession

Chapter 10

5 hadiths
Executing the Will as it Requires

Chapter 11

2 hadiths
Another Chapter

Chapter 12

2 hadiths
Another Chapter

Chapter 13

18 hadiths
A Will for Setting free Slaves, Charity or al-Hajj

Chapter 14

2 hadiths
The Executor of the Will must Correct the Possible Violation of the Law in the Will

Chapter 15

3 hadiths
An Executor of the Will is held Responsible for Changing a Lawful Will

Chapter 16

4 hadiths
Al-Mudabbar (the Slave for whose Freedom Death of the Master is a Condition) is from One Third of the Legacy

Chapter 17

3 hadiths
First the Shroud, then Debts, then Will is paid for from the Legacy

Chapter 18

7 hadiths
The Will and Debts

Chapter 19

3 hadiths
One Who Sets Free a Slave and He is Indebted

Chapter 20

1 hadith
The Will about a Contracted Slave

Chapter 21

4 hadiths
The Will of Immature Boys and Girls, the Lawful and Unlawful Matters in it

Chapter 22

4 hadiths
Will in Favor of Mothers of Children

Chapter 23

41 hadiths
The Matters Permissible in Endowment, Charity, Gift, Present, Providing Conditional Housing and Matters Permissible or otherwise for a Child and others

Chapter 24

3 hadiths
The Will for a Part of One’s Assets

Chapter 25

2 hadiths
The Will about Something of One’s Legacy

Chapter 26

2 hadiths
The Will about a Share of One’s Legacy

Chapter 27

5 hadiths
One in His Illness Confesses His Indebtedness to One of his Heirs

Chapter 28

3 hadiths
When certain ones of the Heirs Confirm Freeing of a Slave or Debts

Chapter 29

3 hadiths
The Case of One Who Leaves very Little Legacy with a Larger Amount of Debt and Dependents

Chapter 30

4 hadiths
Another Chapter

Chapter 31

1 hadith
The Adults whose Will is not Acceptable

Chapter 32

3 hadiths
Distribution of What is Bequeathed To Relatives

Chapter 33

2 hadiths
The Case of one who Makes a Bequest for an Adult with whom a Child must Share

Chapter 34

2 hadiths
The Case of One’s Appointing Two Executors for the Will, Each of whom Deals with a Certain Portion of the Legacy

Chapter 35

14 hadiths
Charities of the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, Fatimah and ‘A’immah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam

Chapter 36

5 hadiths
Things that Reach a Deceased after his Death

Chapter 37

31 hadiths
The Rare Ahadith

Chapter 38

3 hadiths
The Case of One who Dies without a Will, Leaves behind Small Heirs and it is Sold upon Him

Chapter 39

9 hadiths
The Executor of the Will Hands over the Assets of Children who were Small, now Adults, but they Refuse to Take Charge, the Children who Become Adults but are not Found to be of Proper Understanding, the Limit of Adulthood

Chapter 1

3 hadiths
The Ordained Shares

Chapter 2

3 hadiths
The Legacy Comes from the Share of the One Nearest in Relationship to Him and that the Owner of Ordained Share is more Deserving than those who do not have any Ordained Share

Chapter 3

3 hadiths
Obligations are not Fulfilled without the Sword

Chapter 4

2 hadiths
The Rare Ahadith

Chapter 5

3 hadiths
Invalidity of Deficiency (in the Ordained Shares)

Chapter 6

7 hadiths
Another Chapter on Invalidity of al-‘Awl (deficiency or excess) and the Ordained Shares are not more than Six

Chapter 7

4 hadiths
Knowing to Avoid Deficiency

Chapter 8

2 hadiths
With the Existence of a Child and Parents no one Else Inherits Except a Husband and Wife

Chapter 9

1 hadith
The Reason Why Ordained Shares are not more than Six

Chapter 10

3 hadiths
The Reason Why a Male’s Share is Twice the Share of a Female

Chapter 11

4 hadiths
The Legacy is Just for the Eldest Son

Chapter 12

9 hadiths
The Share of Children from the Legacy

Chapter 13

4 hadiths
The Share of Grandchildren in the legacy

Chapter 14

3 hadiths
Inheritance of Parents

Chapter 15

7 hadiths
Inheritance of Parents with Brothers and Sisters from the Father and Brothers and Sisters from the Mother

Chapter 16

3 hadiths
The Inheritance of a Son with both Parents

Chapter 17

3 hadiths
Inheritance of the Son, with Husband and Woman and Both Parents

Chapter 18

5 hadiths
Inheritance of Parents with Husband and Wife

Chapter 19

3 hadiths
AI-Kalalah (Burdensome one’s in Inheritance)

Chapter 20

10 hadiths
Inheritance of Brothers and Sisters with Children

Chapter 21

11 hadiths
Inheritance of the Grandfather

Chapter 22

7 hadiths
Brothers from a Mother with the Grandfather

Chapter 23

16 hadiths
Son of a Brother with a Grandfather

Chapter 24

9 hadiths
Inheritance of Relatives

Chapter 25

7 hadiths
A Woman Leaves Behind Just her Husband

Chapter 26

5 hadiths
A Deceased Leaves behind Just his Wife

Chapter 27

11 hadiths
Women do not Inherit Anything from Real Property

Chapter 28

1 hadith
Dispute of Man and Woman over Household Items

Chapter 29

1 hadith
The Rare Ahadith

Chapter 30

3 hadiths
Inheritance of a Boy and a Girl who are not yet Mature

Chapter 31

4 hadiths
The Inheritance of a Married and Mature Female before going to Bed

Chapter 32

7 hadiths
Inheritance of Women Divorced during Illness or without Illness

Chapter 33

9 hadiths
Inheritance of Relatives with Mawali

Chapter 34

7 hadiths
Inheritance of People Drowned and because of the Collapse of a Structure on them

Chapter 35

8 hadiths
Inheritance of People Killed, those who Inherit and those who do not Inherit from the Wergild

Chapter 36

10 hadiths
The Inheritance of a Killer

Chapter 37

6 hadiths
Inheritance of People of other Religions

Chapter 38

4 hadiths
Another Chapter on Inheritance of People of other Religions

Chapter 39

2 hadiths
The Inheritance of the People of Religion among them according to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Holy Prophet

Chapter 40

2 hadiths
If a Deceased Leaves Behind Muslim and non-Muslim Heirs

Chapter 41

8 hadiths
Inheritance of Slaves

Chapter 42

4 hadiths
The Free and Slaves do not Inherit each other

Chapter 43

1 hadith
Deceased leaves Behind One Free and One Owned Heir

Chapter 44

2 hadiths
Another Chapter

Chapter 45

1 hadith
The Inheritance Due to Special Contract

Chapter 46

4 hadiths
Inheritance of an Apostate

Chapter 47

9 hadiths
Inheritance of One who is Lost

Chapter 48

6 hadiths
Inheritance of the Crying Newborn Child

Chapter 49

5 hadiths
Inheritance of Hermaphrodite

Chapter 50

3 hadiths
Another Chapter

Chapter 51

1 hadith
Another Chapter

Chapter 52

2 hadiths
Another Chapter

Chapter 53

10 hadiths
Inheritance of the Child of Parents who Condemn Each other (al -Mula‘anah (condemnation))

Chapter 54

1 hadith
Another Chapter about the Child of Mula‘anah (condemnation)

Chapter 55

1 hadith
Another Chapter

Chapter 56

4 hadiths
Inheritance of a Child from Fornication

Chapter 57

2 hadiths
Another Chapter

Chapter 58

2 hadiths
Another Chapter

Chapter 59

3 hadiths
The Case of a Child Carried away from his Birthplace ( al-Hamil )

Chapter 60

2 hadiths
Confirming of Certain Heir a Debt

Chapter 61

1 hadith
Another Chapter

Chapter 62

4 hadiths
One who Dies without Leaving Behind any Heirs

Chapter 63

2 hadiths
Another Chapter

Chapter 64

6 hadiths
The Guardianship of One who Sets One Free

Chapter 65

9 hadiths
Guardianship of Sa’ibah (Unconditionally Freed Slave)

Chapter 66

2 hadiths
Another Chapter

Chapter 1

2 hadiths
The First Certificate that was Written on Earth

Chapter 2

6 hadiths
The Case of Man who is Summoned to Testify

Chapter 3

3 hadiths
Hiding the Testimony

Chapter 4

6 hadiths
The Case of a Man who hears a Testimony but does not Witness it

Chapter 5

4 hadiths
The Case of a Man who Forgets his Bearing Testimony but Recognizes his Handwriting

Chapter 6

3 hadiths
False Testimony

Chapter 7

8 hadiths
The Case of One who Testifies, then Retracts it

Chapter 8

8 hadiths
The Case of the Testimony of One Person and the Oath of the Plaintiff

Chapter 9

4 hadiths
Another Chapter

Chapter 10

2 hadiths
Presenting Testimony for the Creditors

Chapter 11

6 hadiths
Testimony of Children

Chapter 12

3 hadiths
Testimony of Slaves

Chapter 13

13 hadiths
That which is Acceptable of the Testimony of Women and that, which is not Acceptable

Chapter 14

2 hadiths
Testimony of Woman for her Husband and the Testimony of Man for his Wife

Chapter 15

4 hadiths
Testimony of a Father for his Son or a Son’s Testimony for his Father and Testimony of a brother for his Brother

Chapter 16

4 hadiths
Testimony of a Business Partner, one Wageworker and the Executor of the Will

Chapter 17

14 hadiths
The Witnesses who are Rejected

Chapter 18

6 hadiths
The Testimony of an Accuser and an Ex-convict

Chapter 19

8 hadiths
Testimony of the Members of all other Nations

Chapter 20

2 hadiths
Another Chapter

Chapter 21

3 hadiths
Testimony of a Blind and Speechless

Chapter 22

1 hadith
A Man Bears Testimony against a Woman without Looking at Her Face

Chapter 23

11 hadiths
The Rare Ahadith