24/1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1621c — Do Not Return to Sadaqah
It Is Disliked For A Man To Buy What He Gave In Charity From The One To Whom He Gave It
Do Not Get Back What You Gave as Charity
Sahih Muslim : 1621c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1621c
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِعَبْدٍ - قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ عُمَرَ، حَمَلَ عَلَى فَرَسٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ رَآهَا تُبَاعُ فَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَشْتَرِيَهَا فَسَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تَعُدْ فِي صَدَقَتِكَ يَا عُمَرُ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
'Umar donated a horse in the path of Allah and then found it being sold, and he decided to buy that. He asked Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) about it, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Umar, do not get back what you gave as charity.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1621cIn-book reference : Book 24, Hadith 7USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 12, Hadith 3954
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1621c
This hadith repeats the message in a personal and direct way: Umar gave a horse in the path of Allah, then saw it being sold and wanted to buy it. He asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, and the answer came clearly: “Umar, do not get back what you gave as charity.” That makes it a useful hadith about taking back charity and about protecting the meaning of sadaqah after it leaves your hand. The text does not discuss every type of gift or every legal detail. It focuses on this one case: a donated horse, a wish to buy it back, and a prophetic warning not to return to the charity. The simple lesson is that charity should not remain tied to personal ownership in the giver’s heart.
What we learn from this hadith
- Giving charity means stepping away from ownership of what was given.
- The Prophet guided Umar not to buy back the donated horse.
- Seeking advice before acting is shown in Umar’s question.
- The hadith keeps the focus on not returning to one’s charity.
