Fiqh, - Giving gifts in Islam

Gift-giving is one of the good manners that maintains and strengthens
relations between the giver and the recipient. It is one of the acts
that Prophet Muhammadrecommended us-Muslims- to do.
Al-Bukhaarinarrated that 'Aa'ishahsaid: "The Messenger of Allaahused
to accept gifts and reward people for giving them."
The phrase: "Reward people for giving them," means giving the giver
)at a later time( something of equal value at least in return.
This Hadeeth )narration( indicates that accepting gifts and giving
something of equal value )or more( to the giver is the way of the
Prophet.
The Prophetenjoined responding in kind to favours, as he said in an
authentic narration:"Whoever does you a favour, respond in kind, and
if you cannot find the means of doing so, then keep praying for him
until you think that you have responded in kind."]Abu Daawood[
"Whoever does you a favour," means, whoever treats you kindly in word
or deed or by gifting you.
"Respond in kind," means to treat him kindly just as he has treated you kindly.
"If you cannot find the means of doing so" means if you do not have the money.
"Until you think that you have responded in kind" means, repeatedly
supplicate for him until you think that you have rewarded him his due.
One of the Du'aa' forms that one can say is 'Jazaaka Allaahu khayran'
)may Allaah reward you with good(. At-Tirmithinarrated that Usaamah
Ibn Zaydsaid: The Messenger of Allaahsaid: "Whoever has a favour done
for him and says 'Jazaak Allaahu khayran' has done his utmost to thank
him." ]At-Tirmithi[
"Done his utmost to thank him," means that he has done his utmost to
express his gratitude, because he has acknowledged his shortcomings
and that he is unable to reward and thank him enough, so he refers the
matter to Allaah, to reward him in the best manner. It is said that:
"If you are unable to give him back in kind, then speak at length
thanking him and supplicating for him." ]Tuhfat Al-Ahwathi[
The Permanent Committee )a supreme Islamic judicial authority inSaudi
Arabia, was asked a similar question( and replied as follows:
"There is nothing wrong with accepting it )an amount of money as a
gift(, without you )the recipient( longing for that, and you can
respond in kind if you are able to with an appropriate gift, or you
can supplicate for him, because the Prophetsaid: "Whoever does you a
favour, respond in kind … )the above-mentioned Hadeeth(." ]Fataawa
Al-Lajnah Al-Daa'imah[
Difference between charity and gift-giving
Charity is given to the poor and the needy to meet their needs, and is
done with the intention of seeking the Pleasure of Allaah. Its
intention is not limited to a specific person; rather it is given to
any poor or needy one.
On the other hand, a gift is not necessarily given to a poor person,
rather it may be given to rich or poor; the intention is to show
friendship and to honour the recipient.
Both of them – charity and gift-giving – are righteous deeds for which
a person will be rewarded )and please his Lord(, but which is better?
Ibn Taymiyahstated that Sadaqah )charity( is that which is given for
the sake of Allaah as an act of worship, without intending to give it
to a specific person and without seeking anything in return, rather it
is given for charitable causes, such as to the needy. A gift is given
with the intention of honouring a specific person, either because the
recipient is your friend whom you love, or because you want something
in return.
Hence, the Prophetused to accept gifts and reward people for them, so
that no one could remind him of their favours, but he did not accept
the "refuse" of people that they gave to purify themselves of sins,
namely charity. He did not accept charity for this and other reasons.
Once this is understood, then charity is better, but there is a sense
in which a gift is better than charity, such as giving a gift to the
Messenger of Allaahduring his lifetime out of love for him. Also,
gifts which a person gives to a relative in order to uphold the ties
of kinship or to a brother in Islam may be better than charity.
Based on this, giving to one of your relatives may be better than
giving charity, because it is more befitting to uphold the ties of
kinship. The same may apply if you give a gift to a friend of yours,
because that will strengthen the bonds of love between you. The
Prophetsaid:"Exchange gifts, as that will lead to increasing your love
to one another."]Al-Bukhaari[
What the Hadeeth means is that giving gifts may generate and increase love.
To sum up, gifting vs. giving charity is dependent on the situation
but, in principle, spending in charity takes precedence.