Is it permissible for one who has given a gift to take it back?
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The questioner : Is it permissible for one who has given a gift to take it back?
The Shaykh : If a person gives a gift and the recipient takes possession of it, it is not permissible for the giver to take it back. Even if he does take it back, he will not be allowed to do so, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) compared the one who takes back his gift to the ugliest of comparisons.
However, one issue is an exception to this: a father who gives something to his sons or daughters has the right to take it back, provided that it is not a ruse. For example, if he gives each of his two sons one hundred, and then takes back the gift to one of them in order to prefer the other over him, then a ruse to achieve what is forbidden is forbidden and does not serve its purpose.
In summary: if a person gives a gift and hands it over to the recipient, it is not permissible for him to take it back, except for a father regarding what he gives to his children. The condition for a father taking back what he gives to his children is that it must not be done by way of a ruse; if it is done by way of a ruse, it is forbidden.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : If a person gives a gift and the recipient takes possession of it, it is not permissible for the giver to take it back. Even if he does take it back, he will not be allowed to do so, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) compared the one who takes back his gift to the ugliest of comparisons.
However, one issue is an exception to this: a father who gives something to his sons or daughters has the right to take it back, provided that it is not a ruse. For example, if he gives each of his two sons one hundred, and then takes back the gift to one of them in order to prefer the other over him, then a ruse to achieve what is forbidden is forbidden and does not serve its purpose.
In summary: if a person gives a gift and hands it over to the recipient, it is not permissible for him to take it back, except for a father regarding what he gives to his children. The condition for a father taking back what he gives to his children is that it must not be done by way of a ruse; if it is done by way of a ruse, it is forbidden.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.