The Book of Gifts

كتاب الهبات

Chapter 4: The 'Umra (Lifelong Gift)

This hadith is narrated on the authority of Qatada with the same chain of transmitters.

Chapter 2: The Prohibition Of Taking Back One's Charity After It Has Been Accepted, Except In The Case Of What A Father Gives To A Son Or Grandson

Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) having said this

He who gets back his charity is like a dog which vomits, and then returns to that and eats it.

Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying

One who gets back the gift is like one who eats vomit.

Chapter 3: It Is Disliked To Favor Some Of One's Children Over Others In Gift-Giving

Nu'man b. Bashir reported that his father brought him to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said

I have donated this slave of mine to my son. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Have you donated to every one of your sons (a slave) like this? He said: No. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) said: Then take him back.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with different chains of transmitters and a slight variation of words.

Nu'man b. Bashir reported

My father donated to me some of his property. My mother Amra bint Rawaha said: I shall not be pleased (with this act) until you make Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) a witness to it. My father went to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) in order to make him the witness of the donation given to me. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to him: Have you done the same with every son of yours? He said: No. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Fear Allah, and observe equity in case of your children. My father returned and got back the gift.

Nu'man b. Bashir reported that his mother bint Rawaha asked his (Nu'man's) father about donating some gifts from his property to his son. He deferred the matter by one year, and then set forth to do that. She (Nu'man's mother) said

I shall not be pleased unless you call Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as witness to what you confer as a gift on your son. (Nu'man said): So father took hold of my hand and I was at that time a boy, and came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). and said: Allah's Messenger, the mother of this son (of mine), daughter of Rawaha wishes that I should call you witness to what I confer as gift to her son. Allah's Messenger (may pease be upon him) said: Bashir, have you any other son besides this (son of yours)? He said: Yes. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Have you given gifts to all of them like this? He said: No. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Then call me not as witness, for I cannot be witness to an injustice.

Nu'man b. Bashir, reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had said

Have you, besides him, other sons? He said: Yes. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Have you given gifts to all of them like this (as you have given to Nu'man)? He said: No. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: I cannot bear witness to an injustice.

Chapter 4: The 'Umra (Lifelong Gift)

Jabir b. 'Abdullah al-Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) said

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Whoever a person conferred Umra (life grant) upon a person and he says: I confer upon you this and upon your descendants and anyone who survives you, and that becomes his possession and that of his posterity. It would become (a permanent possession) of those who were conferred upon this gift, and it would not return to its owner (donor), for he gave that as a gift in which accrued the right of inheritance.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) commanded that whoever is conferred upon a life grant along with his descendants is entitled to make use of the property conferred so long as he lives and his successors (also enjoy this privilege). That (property) becomes the their defect belonging. The donor cannot (after declaring Umra) lay down any condition or make any exception. Abu Salama said

For he conferred a grant and as such it becomes heritage. and the right of inheritance abrogated his condition.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying

Life grant is permissible.

Chapter 1: It Is Disliked For A Man To Buy What He Gave In Charity From The One To Whom He Gave It

Salim reported from Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) that 'Umar donated a horse in the path of Allah and then found it being sold, and he decided to buy that. He asked Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) about it, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

Umar, do not get back what you gave as charity.

Chapter 2: The Prohibition Of Taking Back One's Charity After It Has Been Accepted, Except In The Case Of What A Father Gives To A Son Or Grandson

This hadith is also reported through another chain.

A hadith like this is reported on the authority of Muhammad son of Fatima (Allah be pleased with her) daughter of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).

Abdullah b. Tawus reported on the authority of his father who reported from Ibn Abas (Allah be pleased with them) who reported from Allah's Messenger 'may peace be upon him) that he said

One who gets back his gift is like a dog which vomits and then swallows that vomit.

Chapter 3: It Is Disliked To Favor Some Of One's Children Over Others In Gift-Giving

Nu'man b. Bashir reported

My father brought me to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said: I have donated this slave to my son. whereupon he said: Have you made (such) donation to every one or your sons? He said: No. Thereupon he (the-Holy Prophet) said: Then take him back.

Nu'man b. Bashir reported that his father had donated a slave to him. Allah's Apostle (may peace he upon him) said

Who is this slave (how have you come to possess it)? Thereupon he (Nu'man b. Bashir) said: My father has donated it to me, whereupon he said: Have all brothers (of yours) been given this gift as given to you? He said: No. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Then return him.

Chapter 4: The 'Umra (Lifelong Gift)

Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) said

The Umra for which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) gave sanction that a person way say: This (property) is for you and for your descendants. And when he said: That is for you as long as you live, then it will return to its owner (after the death of the donee). Ma'mar said: Zuhri used to give religious verdict according to this.

Jabir (b. 'Abdullah) (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Life grant is for one upon whom it is bestowed.

Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) reported that a woman gave her garden as a life grant to her son. He died and later on she also died and left a son behind and brothers also, The sons of the woman making life grant said (to those who had been conferred upon this 'Umra)

This garden has returned to us. The sons of the one who had been given life grant said: This belonged to our father, during his lifetime and in case of his death. They took their dispute to Tariq, the freed slave of 'Uthman. He called Jabir and he gave testimony of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said: Life grant belongs to one who is conferred upon this (privilege). Tariq gave this decision and then wrote to Abd al-Malik and informed him, Jabir bearing witness to it. Abd al-Malik said: Jabir has told the truth. Then Tariq gave a decree and, as a result thereof, it is to this day that the garden belongs to descendants of one who was conferred upon the life grant.