I am a new converted Muslimah, Al-Hamdulillaah and since I am one of the very only ones in my town, a sister in Islam, who Subhanallah has been converted for 17 years adviced me following: Because she seemed to have trouble with her 3rd Muslim husband, she suddenly wrote me a letter saying: please, return all the Islamic papers and Quran and to Hijaab, she gave me as a present before to me, immediately. I got so shocked about this Islamic? Behavioral. Is it correct to ask a gift, in this case the Quran, which should help me more and more as a newly converted Muslimah, back? (Only because she had personal trouble with her husband?) Please kindly advice. (Additionally, we had discussion, because I told her not to use soap, which contains pig- substances, thus one word gave the other...).

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

First of all, all perfect praise be to Allaah Who guided you to the correct path and we ask Him to enable you to do that which is good and righteous, and enable you to be steadfast on this religion.

As regards your question, if your Muslim friend had gifted you the said items, then it is not permissible for her to ask you to give them back to her. The Prophet said: "It is not permissible to anyone to give a gift and take it back except a parent from his children." [Abu Daawood] Therefore, it is not permissible for your friend to ask you to give her back what she gifted you, and you are not obliged to give them back to her as they became your property and you may make use of them as you wish.

With regard to the use of soap which contains pork ingredients, if these ingredients have been completely transformed to another product after treatment and then they were used as an ingredient in soap, there is no harm in using the soap. According to the most preponderant opinion of the scholars if an impure item is completely transformed it becomes pure. However, if the ingredients are added to the soap before they are transformed, then the soap is impure and it is not permissible to sell it, or buy it, or use it.

Allaah Knows best.