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Fatwa CenterBirthday presents impermissible
Question
Is it permissible to give my wife a gift on her birthday?
Answer
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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
You should not give your wife a gift on the occasion of her birthday, marriage anniversary or other similar occasions that people have become accustomed to celebrate and call them feasts in imitation of our enemies: the Jews and Christians. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, warned us from imitating and following them, and ordered us to do the opposite of what they do. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, spoke the truth when he informed us that some Muslims will blindly follow the ways and manners of Jews and Christians, and even if they were to enter the hole of a lizard, they would follow them. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Whoever follows them in their feasts which they have invented or imitates them is one of them. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, stated that whoever imitates a people, in good or evil, becomes one of them. [Abu Daawood]
There is no doubt that the Sharee‘ah urges Muslims to exchange gifts, especially among spouses and relatives. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, recommended the exchange of gifts because it generates affection between people. [Maalik and Al-Bayhaqi; Al-Albaani: (Hasan (Sound))].
Accordingly, you should give your wife gifts, but not in imitation of disbelievers or on their occasions. Instead, you should do so during the Muslim ‘Eeds or without any particular occasion.
Allaah Knows best.
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