24/2. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1622a — The Warning Against Taking Back Charity
The Prohibition Of Taking Back One's Charity After It Has Been Accepted, Except In The Case Of What A Father Gives To A Son Or Grandson
Hadith About Taking Back Charity and Its Strong Warning
Sahih Muslim : 1622a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1622a
حَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى الرَّازِيُّ، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى، بْنُ يُونُسَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ، مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنِ ابْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَرْجِعُ فِي صَدَقَتِهِ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ يَقِيءُ ثُمَّ يَعُودُ فِي قَيْئِهِ فَيَأْكُلُهُ " .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) having said this: He who gets back his charity is like a dog which vomits, and then returns to that and eats it.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1622aIn-book reference : Book 24, Hadith 8USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 12, Hadith 3955
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1622a
This hadith about taking back charity uses a strong image. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that a person who gets back his charity is like a dog that vomits and then returns to it and eats it. The wording is meant to make the act feel ugly to the listener. It teaches that charity is not something to give and then pull back later. When someone gives sadaqah, the gift should be treated as gone from the giver’s claim. The hadith does not list side issues or long conditions in this wording. It simply gives a clear warning about returning to charity after giving it. For anyone searching “hadith about taking back charity,” this report shows the seriousness of that act in very plain language.
What we learn from this hadith
- Taking back charity is shown as an ugly act.
- The comparison makes the warning easy to remember.
- Charity should not be treated as something to reclaim.
- The text gives a direct moral warning without extra details.
