Accepting a Gift No Matter How Little It Is Fatwa No: 421564
- Fatwa Date:9-6-2020
assalamu aleykom wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu dear Ulama, What is the opinion on my two following questions:
1. If somebody who does not like you, gives anykind of present, is it permissible to accept it anyway (as recommended in Islam), but then to offer it as a sadaqa on their name to somebody else?
2. Applies that also in the case you have a feeling or doubt, that may be wrong on somebody's regard, that they may dislike you and may have a sense of jealousy, envy or hate or other bad desires and wishes for you, and even they do not give you anykind of present, but very nice words and wishes, that to work against the doubt, we may make our dua'as in order to chase the doubts to cut the work of shaytan and of our fraudulent nafs, and even give sadaqa on their name, and never tell them. Just to have an excuse on Joum Al Qyama to not let weight these doubds on our misan. Jazakum ALLAHU khayran, that ALLAH grants us all to be amongst the Sabiquun and to get Rafiq Al Aala.
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
The Islamic Sharee‘ah encourages the acceptance of gifts. It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet said: “If I were invited to a meal of a sheep's arm or trotter, I shall accept the invitation; and if I were given a gift of a sheep’s arm or trotter, I shall accept the gift.” [Al-Bukhari]
Ibn Battaal said in his commentary on Saheeh Al-Bukhari: “In this Hadeeth, the Prophet encourages his nation to exchange gifts, uphold good ties, and foster affability and love among them…” [End of quote] Therefore, it is recommended to accept gifts as long as they do not involve any Sharee‘ah violations, like the gifts offered to public servants, which are forbidden by the Sharee‘ah, and the like.
The fact that the gift giver does not like you does not entail that you should not avail yourself of the gift or that you have to offer it in charity, because this gift has become your property. This is as far as the first question is concerned.
As for the second question, it is impermissible to have bad assumptions of others. Allah, The Exalted, Says (what means): {O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin.} [Quran 49:12] Rather, it is incumbent to think well of a Muslim and have the best assumption of him until it is proven otherwise. Therefore, it is obligatory to repel these doubts, and you should supplicate Allah abundantly and seek His help to get rid of such doubts and shield yourself against them. It was narrated on the authority of Anas that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Let one of you ask his Lord for his every need, even until he asks Him for the strap of his sandal when it breaks.” [At-Tirmithi] The Hanbali scholar Al-Buhooti said in Ar-Rawdh Al-Murbi‘: “It is prohibited to have bad assumptions of a Muslim who has a good outward character.” [End of quote]
Hence, you must dismiss such bad assumptions and strive to eliminate them. Supplicating Allah in favor of these people and spending in charity on their behalf is a commendable thing to do.
Allah Knows best.