I provided a man with a horse to ride in God’s path, but as the one who had it did not look after it well, I wanted to buy it and thought he would sell it at a cheap price. I therefore asked the Prophet, but he said, “Do not buy it, and do not take back what you gave as sadaqa even if he gives it to you for a dirham, for the one who takes back what he gave as sadaqa is like a dog which returns to its vomit.” A version has, “Do not take back what you gave as sadaqa, for the one who does so is like one who takes back what he has vomited.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)
Zakat: Mishkat al-Masabih 1954
This narration from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) establishes a profound legal and spiritual principle regarding charitable giving (sadaqa). The prohibition against taking back one's charity is absolute, regardless of the circumstances or the price offered. The Messenger of Allah used the powerful analogy of a dog returning to its vomit to illustrate the spiritual degradation of such an action.
Scholarly Commentary
The scholars explain that once a charitable gift is given with the intention of seeking Allah's pleasure, it leaves one's ownership permanently. The transaction is complete in the sight of Allah. To seek its return, even for a legitimate reason like the recipient's poor maintenance of the gift, nullifies the spiritual reward and reflects greed and regret over an act meant for the Hereafter.
The two versions of the hadith emphasize the same ruling through slightly different metaphors. Both the "dog returning to its vomit" and "one who takes back what he has vomited" convey extreme repulsiveness. This indicates the gravity of the sin in the Islamic ethical framework. The act is considered a reversal of a pious deed, transforming it into a source of spiritual contamination.
This ruling applies broadly to all forms of sadaqa and extends to the modern context. For example, if one donates to a mosque or charity, they cannot later demand a refund, even if they disagree with how the funds were used. The lesson is to give sincerely and then detach completely, trusting that the reward is with Allah alone.