May an unsolicited gift be accepted or declined?
2026-10-14
T227 · Ibn Taymiyyah
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah
شيخ الإسلام أحمد بن تيمية
Original Q&A · Complete source question and answer
Complete original question and answer, 25/94–95. The answer establishes room both to accept and to decline and distinguishes a due entitlement, asking, and eager expectation.
النص العربي
السؤال الأصلي
وسئل رحمه الله عن رجل أعطاه أخ له شيئا من الدنيا، أيقبله أم يرده ؟ وقد ورد: "من جاءه شيء بغير سؤال فرده، فكأنما رده على الله" هل هو صحيح أم لا ؟
الجواب
قد ثبت عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال لعمر: "ما أتاك من هذا المال، وأنت غير سائل، ولا مشرف، فخذه، ومالا فلا تتبعه نفسك"، وثبت أيضا في الصحيح: أن حكيم بن حزام سأله فأعطاه، ثم سأله فأعطاه، ثم سأله فأعطاه، ثم قال:"ياحكيم، ما أكثر مسألتك؟! إن هذا المال خضرة حلوة، فمن أخذه بسخاوة نفس بورك له فيه، ومن أخذه بإشراف نفس لم يبارك له فيه، فكان كالذي يأكل ولا يشبع"، فقال له حكيم: والذي بعثك بالحق لا أرزأ بعدك من أحد شيئا. فكان أبو بكر وعمر يعطيانه فلا يأخذ.
فتبين بهذين الحديثين أن الإنسان إذا كان سائلا بلسانه، أو مشرفا إلى ما يعطاه، فلا ينبغي أن يقبله، إلا حيث تباح له المسألة والاستشراف. وأما إذا أتاه من غير مسألة ولا إشراف، فله أخذه إن كان الذي أعطاه أعطاه حقه، كما أعطي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عمر من بيت المال، فإنه قد كان عمل له فأعطاه عمالته، وله ألا يقبله كما فعل حكيم بن حزام مالا يستحقه عليه، فإن قبله وكان من غير إشراف له عليه فقد أحسن.
وأما الغني، فينبغي له أن يكافئ بالمال من أسداه إليه؛ لخبر: "من أسدي إليكم معروفا فكافئوه، فإن لم تجدوا له ما تكافئوه فادعوا له حتي تعلموا أن قد كافأتموه".
English translation
English translation prepared for SalafAlSalih.com from the cited Arabic source. It is not an official translation.
Original question
He, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about a man whose brother gave him something of worldly wealth: should he accept it or decline it? A report states, “Whoever receives something without asking and rejects it is as though he rejected it from Allah.” Is this authentic?
Answer
It is established that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to ʿUmar: “Whatever of this wealth comes to you when you have neither asked for it nor eagerly looked for it, take it; what does not, do not let yourself pursue it.” It is also established in the Ṣaḥīḥ that Ḥakīm ibn Ḥizām asked him and he gave him, then asked again and he gave him, then asked again and he gave him. He then said: “Ḥakīm, how often you ask! This wealth is fresh and sweet. Whoever takes it without greed is blessed in it, while whoever takes it with eager longing is not blessed in it and is like one who eats but is never satisfied.” Ḥakīm said: “By the One who sent you with the truth, I will not take anything from anyone after you.” Abū Bakr and ʿUmar would therefore offer him money, but he would not take it.
These two hadiths show that if a person asks verbally or eagerly looks towards what he will be given, he should not accept it except where asking and such expectation are permissible for him. If it comes without asking or eager expectation, he may take it if the giver is giving him his entitlement, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, gave ʿUmar from the public treasury: ʿUmar had worked for him, so he paid him for his work. He may also decline, as Ḥakīm ibn Ḥizām declined what he had no enforceable claim to. If he accepts it without having eagerly sought it, he has done well.
As for a wealthy recipient, he should repay financially the person who did him this kindness, according to the report: “Whoever does you a kindness, repay him. If you find nothing with which to repay him, pray for him until you know that you have repaid him.”
Source and editorial notes
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā 25/94–95
مجموع الفتاوى
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā
Arabic checked against the cited source and adjacent question boundaries. Diacritics and display marks omitted; honorific glyphs expanded. Titles and scope notes are editorial.