Reconciling the hadith on rewarding one who does good with the hadith on not accepting a gift in return for intercession
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Your Eminence, these are two authentic hadiths whose apparent meanings suggest a contradiction: The first is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “If someone does you a favor, reward him. If you find nothing with which to reward him, pray for him until you see that you have rewarded him.” This hadith was narrated by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and al-Nasa'i with an authentic chain.And the second hadith: “Whoever intercedes for his brother and a gift is offered to him for it, and he accepts it, he has entered a great gate of usury or interest.” Abu Dawud narrated it, and it is a good hadith. This person who interceded for his brother undoubtedly did him a favor. So if he wants to reward him, how is it considered usury or interest? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good. Is this to be understood as conditioning a fee or taking a fee in this matter?
First: There is no contradiction in the Qur'an between its verses, and likewise there is no contradiction between the authentic Sunnah. This is a well-known principle among the scholars. If you read two verses and think they contradict each other, review them again and again. If you do not reach a conclusion, ask the scholars. The same applies to two authentic hadiths; it is not possible for them to contradict each other. If something is unclear to you, review it again and again. If the reconciliation does not become apparent to you, look at which of the two hadiths is stronger, because the hadiths reported from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) are not like the Qur'an; they are transmitted through reports of individuals and through mass-transmitted reports. It is known that some of the individual reporters are stronger than others. So look at which one is stronger. If they are equal in strength, interpret one in a way that does not contradict the other.
So this hadith, which is: A gift offered to the one who interceded, intended for the intercession that a person seeks for the sake of the Face of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), is not to be accepted. This is because what is sought for the Hereafter does not become a means to obtain worldly things. Also, because the intercessor who intercedes seeks the Face of Allah, if he is given a gift, his self may overcome him in the future, and he may look at what is in people's hands when considering his intercession. Therefore, he was warned against accepting the gift.
As for: “If someone does you a favor, reward him” The intended meaning here is everything other than the intercession that was granted. Thus, this hadith is general, and that one is specific.
First: There is no contradiction in the Qur'an between its verses, and likewise there is no contradiction between the authentic Sunnah. This is a well-known principle among the scholars. If you read two verses and think they contradict each other, review them again and again. If you do not reach a conclusion, ask the scholars. The same applies to two authentic hadiths; it is not possible for them to contradict each other. If something is unclear to you, review it again and again. If the reconciliation does not become apparent to you, look at which of the two hadiths is stronger, because the hadiths reported from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) are not like the Qur'an; they are transmitted through reports of individuals and through mass-transmitted reports. It is known that some of the individual reporters are stronger than others. So look at which one is stronger. If they are equal in strength, interpret one in a way that does not contradict the other.
So this hadith, which is: A gift offered to the one who interceded, intended for the intercession that a person seeks for the sake of the Face of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), is not to be accepted. This is because what is sought for the Hereafter does not become a means to obtain worldly things. Also, because the intercessor who intercedes seeks the Face of Allah, if he is given a gift, his self may overcome him in the future, and he may look at what is in people's hands when considering his intercession. Therefore, he was warned against accepting the gift.
As for: “If someone does you a favor, reward him” The intended meaning here is everything other than the intercession that was granted. Thus, this hadith is general, and that one is specific.