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الفتح الربانی
Fath al-Rabbani
مسائل الهبة والهديةIssues of Gifts and Presents
بَابُ النَّهْي أَنْ يَرْجِعَ الرَّجُلُ فِي هِيَتِهِ إِلَّا الْوَالِدُChapter: Prohibition of taking back a gift except for a parent
Hadith 6297
اُردوEn
عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَسْتَرِدُّ مَا وَهَبَ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ يَقِيءُ فَيَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ وَإِذَا اسْتَرَدَّ الْوَاهِبُ فَلْيُوقِفْ بِمَا اسْتَرَدَّ ثُمَّ لِيَرُدَّ عَلَيْهِ مَا وَهَبَ
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The example of the person who takes back a gift he has given is like that of a dog who vomits and then licks it up. When the giver of a gift demands its return, he should be made to stand and asked the reason for taking it back, and then the thing he had given as a gift should be returned to him.
Brief Explanation
Benefits: … In the first part of the hadith, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) presented the example of a dog to admonish the giver of a gift (hibah) to refrain from such baseness. Two meanings have been explained for the second part of the blessed hadith:
(1) When a person demands the return of something he has given as a gift (hibah), the reason for doing so should be inquired about. It is possible that his intention is that the recipient of the gift will give him something in exchange. In that case, it may be possible for the recipient to give him a substitute, and thus he would not take back his gift. But if there is no substitute, then the thing he gave as a gift should be returned to him.
(2) If a person gives a gift (hibah) and then demands its return, he should be made to stand and the ruling regarding hibah should be explained to him, so that he too becomes aware. For example, it should be said to him that the giver of a gift, unless he is given a substitute, is indeed entitled to the thing he gave as a gift, but he will be like that dog which, after vomiting, starts licking it up again. Now, if you wish, then become like that dog who licks up its own vomit; but if you wish to avoid the resemblance to the dog, then do not make this demand. If, after such clarification, he still insists on the return, then his thing should be given back to him. (See: Awn al-Ma‘bud: 3540)
(1) When a person demands the return of something he has given as a gift (hibah), the reason for doing so should be inquired about. It is possible that his intention is that the recipient of the gift will give him something in exchange. In that case, it may be possible for the recipient to give him a substitute, and thus he would not take back his gift. But if there is no substitute, then the thing he gave as a gift should be returned to him.
(2) If a person gives a gift (hibah) and then demands its return, he should be made to stand and the ruling regarding hibah should be explained to him, so that he too becomes aware. For example, it should be said to him that the giver of a gift, unless he is given a substitute, is indeed entitled to the thing he gave as a gift, but he will be like that dog which, after vomiting, starts licking it up again. Now, if you wish, then become like that dog who licks up its own vomit; but if you wish to avoid the resemblance to the dog, then do not make this demand. If, after such clarification, he still insists on the return, then his thing should be given back to him. (See: Awn al-Ma‘bud: 3540)
