Accepting Gifts
Total Hadiths 5
What the Prophet Taught Us About Accepting Gifts
Exchanging gifts is a beautiful practice in Islam that strengthens bonds and spreads goodwill. According to these authentic prophetic traditions, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) regularly accepted gifts from his companions and encouraged others to do the same. For instance, he never rejected gifts of perfume, a habit that his close companion Anas bin Malik also followed faithfully. Furthermore, the Prophet made it a standard practice to give something back in return when he received a present, showing deep appreciation and mutual respect. However, there are specific religious circumstances where a gift cannot be accepted. As recorded, when the Prophet was in the sacred state of Ihram for pilgrimage, he had to decline a gift of wild game meat. Sensing the giver's sadness, he kindly explained that the refusal was strictly due to the rules of Ihram, showing remarkable care for the feelings of others.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لَوْ دُعِيتُ إِلَى ذِرَاعٍ أَوْ كُرَاعٍ لأَجَبْتُ، وَلَوْ أُهْدِيَ إِلَىَّ ذِرَاعٌ أَوْ كُرَاعٌ لَقَبِلْتُ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
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."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2568In-book reference : Book 51, Hadith 3USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 47, Hadith 742
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْبَلُ الْهَدِيَّةَ وَيُثِيبُ عَلَيْهَا. لَمْ يَذْكُرْ وَكِيعٌ وَمُحَاضِرٌ عَنْ هِشَامٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ.
A'isha Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to accept gifts and used to give something in return.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2585In-book reference : Book 51, Hadith 19USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 47, Hadith 758
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ الصَّعْبَ بْنَ جَثَّامَةَ اللَّيْثِيَّ،، وَكَانَ، مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُخْبِرُ أَنَّهُ أَهْدَى لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِمَارَ وَحْشٍ وَهْوَ بِالأَبْوَاءِ ـ أَوْ بِوَدَّانَ ـ وَهْوَ مُحْرِمٌ فَرَدَّهُ، قَالَ صَعْبٌ فَلَمَّا عَرَفَ فِي وَجْهِي رَدَّهُ هَدِيَّتِي قَالَ " لَيْسَ بِنَا رَدٌّ عَلَيْكَ، وَلَكِنَّا حُرُمٌ ".
`Abdullah bin `Abbas Narrated from:
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Abbas: That he heard As-Sa'b bin Jath-thama Al-Laithi, who was one of the companions of the Prophet, saying that he gave the meat of an onager to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) while he was at a place called Al-Abwa' or Waddan, and was in a state of Ihram. The Prophet (ﷺ) did not accept it. When the Prophet (ﷺ) saw the signs of sorrow on As-Sa'b's face because of not accepting his present, he said (to him), "We are not returning your present, but we are in the state of Ihram." (See Hadith No. 747)
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2596In-book reference : Book 51, Hadith 30USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 47, Hadith 768
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنِ الصَّعْبِ بْنِ جَثَّامَةَ ـ رضى الله عنهم ـ أَنَّهُ أَهْدَى لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِمَارًا وَحْشِيًّا وَهْوَ بِالأَبْوَاءِ أَوْ بِوَدَّانَ فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى مَا فِي وَجْهِهِ قَالَ " أَمَا إِنَّا لَمْ نَرُدَّهُ عَلَيْكَ إِلاَّ أَنَّا حُرُمٌ ".
As-Sa'b bin Jath-thama Narrated from:
An onager was presented to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) at the place called Al-Abwa' or Waddan, but Allah's Apostle rejected it. When the Prophet (ﷺ) noticed the signs of sorrow on the giver's face he said, "We have not rejected your gift, but we are in the state of Ihram." (i.e. if we were not in a state of Ihram we would have accepted your gift, Fath-ul-Bari page 130, Vol. 6)
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2573In-book reference : Book 51, Hadith 8USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 47, Hadith 747
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَزْرَةُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ثُمَامَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَنَاوَلَنِي طِيبًا، قَالَ كَانَ أَنَسٌ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ لاَ يَرُدُّ الطِّيبَ. قَالَ وَزَعَمَ أَنَسٌ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ لاَ يَرُدُّ الطِّيبَ.
'Azra bin Thabit Al-Ansari Narrated from:
When I went to Thumama bin `Abdullah, he gave me some perfume and said that Anas would not reject the gifts of perfume. Anas said: The Prophet (ﷺ) used not to reject the gifts of perfume.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2582In-book reference : Book 51, Hadith 17USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 47, Hadith 756
