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مسند الشهاب
Musnad Shihab
Hadiths 201 to 400
الْعَائِدُ فِي هِبَتِهِ كَالْكَلْبِ يَعُودُ فِي قَيْئِهِThe one who takes back his gift is like a dog that returns to its vomit
Hadith 288
اُردوEn
288 - أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عُمَرَ الشَّاهِدُ، أبنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ جَامِعٍ، ثنا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، ثنا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ دُكَيْنٍ، ثنا سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ السَّخْتِيَانِيِّ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْعَائِدُ فِي هِبَتِهِ كَالْكَلْبِ يَعُودُ فِي قَيْئِهِ، لَيْسَ لَنَا مَثَلُ السُّوءِ»
Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The one who takes back what he has given as a gift is like a dog that licks up its own vomit. A bad example is not for us."
Brief Explanation
Explanation:
From this blessed hadith, it is understood that after giving someone a gift or present, taking it back is forbidden (haram), and this act is so vile and despicable that it is likened to a dog that vomits and then starts licking its own vomit. The purpose of this analogy with a dog is to present the forbidden act in a very repugnant manner, to make it detestable, and to depict its extremely ugly nature.
In one hadith, it is stated that we should not become the embodiment of a bad example; the person who takes back what he has given as a gift is like the dog that starts licking its own vomit. [بخاري : 2622]
In another narration, it is mentioned that whoever gives a gift to someone, it is not permissible for him to take it back, except for a father who gives a gift to his child—he may take it back. And the person who gives a present and then takes it back is like the dog that keeps eating until, when it is overfilled, it vomits and then starts licking its own vomit. [ترمذي 1299 ، صحيح]
From this latter hadith, it is understood that it is permissible for a father to retract (ruju‘), i.e., he may take back what he has given as a gift to his children. Apart from this, it is not permissible for anyone else to take back what he has given as a gift.
Once, Sayyiduna ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu gave a horse to a man for striving in the path of Allah (jihad). That man neglected it (did not take proper care of it). Sayyiduna ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu intended to buy it back from him, thinking that he would sell it at a low price. But when he asked the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about the matter, he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Do not buy it, and do not take back your charity, even if he gives it to you for one dirham, because the one who takes back his charity is like the dog that starts licking its own vomit.” [بخاري : 2623] From this hadith, it is understood that it is not permissible to buy back what one has given as charity, even for a price.
From this blessed hadith, it is understood that after giving someone a gift or present, taking it back is forbidden (haram), and this act is so vile and despicable that it is likened to a dog that vomits and then starts licking its own vomit. The purpose of this analogy with a dog is to present the forbidden act in a very repugnant manner, to make it detestable, and to depict its extremely ugly nature.
In one hadith, it is stated that we should not become the embodiment of a bad example; the person who takes back what he has given as a gift is like the dog that starts licking its own vomit. [بخاري : 2622]
In another narration, it is mentioned that whoever gives a gift to someone, it is not permissible for him to take it back, except for a father who gives a gift to his child—he may take it back. And the person who gives a present and then takes it back is like the dog that keeps eating until, when it is overfilled, it vomits and then starts licking its own vomit. [ترمذي 1299 ، صحيح]
From this latter hadith, it is understood that it is permissible for a father to retract (ruju‘), i.e., he may take back what he has given as a gift to his children. Apart from this, it is not permissible for anyone else to take back what he has given as a gift.
Once, Sayyiduna ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu gave a horse to a man for striving in the path of Allah (jihad). That man neglected it (did not take proper care of it). Sayyiduna ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu intended to buy it back from him, thinking that he would sell it at a low price. But when he asked the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about the matter, he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Do not buy it, and do not take back your charity, even if he gives it to you for one dirham, because the one who takes back his charity is like the dog that starts licking its own vomit.” [بخاري : 2623] From this hadith, it is understood that it is not permissible to buy back what one has given as charity, even for a price.
