Short answer
Yes. Giving gifts is a recommended sunnah, and so is accepting them and giving something in return. The Prophet ﷺ accepted even small gifts and told Muslims not to look down on any gift. Taking a gift back is strongly disliked, and gifts to officials because of their position are a form of bribery.
Giving gifts is mustahabb, and accepting a gift and returning the kindness is sunnah. Taking back a gift is makruh tahrimi, and it is barred altogether in certain cases, such as a gift to a close relative or a spouse.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Once a gift has been received, the giver may not take it back, except a father or grandfather from his child.
- Maliki
- Taking back a gift is not allowed, except a father from his child under certain conditions.
- Hanbali
- Taking back a gift after it is received is haram, except a father from his child.
Explanation
Aisha said the Prophet ﷺ used to accept gifts and give something in return. He said that if he were invited to eat a sheep's trotter he would accept, and if he were given one as a gift he would accept it. He told the women of the community: let no neighbour look down on a gift to her neighbour, even a sheep's hoof. Gifts build love and soften hearts, and no gift is too small.
The etiquette of gifts:
- Accept graciously. Refusing a halal gift without reason can hurt. If you cannot accept, explain kindly.
- Return the kindness with a gift, a dua or a word of thanks such as 'jazakallah khayr'.
- Give what you can afford. A dessert, a book or flowers are all sunnah if given for love.
- Be fair between children when giving them gifts.
Taking a gift back. The Prophet ﷺ compared the one who takes back his gift to a dog that vomits and then eats its vomit. In the Hanafi school this is makruh tahrimi, and it is not possible at all if the gift was to a close relative or a spouse, if something was given in return, if the gift has changed or been used up, or if either person has died. The other schools forbid it outright except for a father taking back from his child.
Gifts that are not allowed: a gift to a judge, official or employee because of their job is a bribe in disguise. When a tax collector said 'this is for you and this was given to me', the Prophet ﷺ rebuked him. Gifts of haram items, and gifts given to celebrate another faith's festival, follow their own rulings. See Jazakallah khair.
The evidence
Sahih al-Bukhari 2585
Sahih... يقبل الهدية ويثيب عليها ...
"He used to accept gifts and give something in return."
Accepting and returning gifts is sunnah.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2566
Sahih... لا تحقرن جارة لجارتها ولو فرسن شاة ...
"Let no neighbour look down on a gift to her neighbour, even a sheep's hoof."
No gift is too small.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2589
Sahih... العائد في هبته كالكلب يقيء ثم يعود في قيئه ...
"The one who takes back his gift is like a dog that vomits and then returns to its vomit."
Taking back a gift is strongly disliked.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2597
Sahih... هذا لكم وهذا أهدي لي ...
"This is for you, and this was given to me as a gift."
Gifts given to officials because of their position are not theirs to keep.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Hiba, chapter on taking back a gift. Taking back a gift is possible but disliked, and barred in cases such as kinship, marriage, compensation, change, or death.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.