- “Exchange gifts, for verily, gifts remove the rancor (ill-feelings) from the breasts.” (Musnad Ahmad)
Interpretation: This Hadith encourages giving gifts to foster love and understanding within relationships.
- “The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best of you to my family.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Interpretation: This Hadith indirectly promotes gift-giving as a way to show kindness, respect and care for family members.
- “Give gifts and spread kindness (amongst you), for verily, gifts remove envy from the hearts.” (Ibn Majah)
Interpretation: This Hadith suggests that exchanging gifts can help reduce negative emotions like envy.
- “When one of you presents a gift to his brother, then he should accept it with a gracious heart.” (Sunan an-Nasa’i)
Interpretation: This Hadith emphasizes gracious acceptance of gifts, fostering a positive exchange.
- “Do not belittle any gift, even if it is a sheep’s trotter.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Interpretation: This Hadith discourages criticizing gifts, even if they seem small, to avoid hurting the giver’s feelings.
- “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to accept gifts and reciprocate them.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Interpretation: This Hadith demonstrates the Prophet’s (PBUH) practice of reciprocating gifts, showing appreciation.
- “It is not permissible for a rich man to disdain the gift of a poor man, even if it is just a date.” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi)
Interpretation: This Hadith discourages judging a gift based on its value but appreciating the gesture itself.
- “There is no harm in a man giving a gift to his wife and then taking it back.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Interpretation: This Hadith allows for taking back a gift given to a spouse under certain circumstances (consult a scholar for details).
- “The best of gifts is a righteous spouse.” (Sahih al-Tirmidhi)
Interpretation: This Hadith elevates a pious and compatible spouse as the most valuable gift.
- Narrated Abu Hurayrah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘The one who gives a gift and keeps it a secret is better than the one who gives it openly.'” (Sahih al-Bukhari) (Encourages discreet gift-giving)
- “Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘Respond to an invitation even if it is to a sheep’s trotter.'” (Sahih al-Bukhari) (Can be interpreted as accepting invitations being a form of “gift”)
- “Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Whoever does a favor to a believer and makes him happy in this worldly life, Allah will make him happy in the Hereafter.'” (Sahih al-Bukhari) (Gift-giving as a way to do good deeds)
- “Narrated Abu Salamah: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Give gifts (to one another), for verily, gifts remove bad feelings from the chest.'” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi) (Similar to Hadith 1)
- “Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘Exchange gifts, for verily, gifts increase love between you.'” (Al-Adab al-Mufrad) (Gift-giving to strengthen bonds)
- “Narrated Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The best of greetings among you are the greetings of Salaam (peace), and the best of gifts are those which are beneficial.'” (Sunan Ibn Majah) (Gifts with lasting benefits are valued)
Hadiths on Refusing Gifts:
- “Narrated
Abdullah binUmar: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to refuse gifts from rich people, but he would not refuse gifts from poor people.” (Sahih al-Bukhari) (Considerations for refusing gifts based on potential motives) - “Narrated
Abdullah binUmar: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to refuse a gift if he thought that the giver had given it out of fear of him or because of his position.” (Sahih al-Bukhari) -
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I shall accept the invitation even if I were invited to a meal of a sheep’s trotter, and I shall accept the gift even if it were an arm or a trotter of a sheep.”