Sunnah of Exchanging Gifts
Our beloved Nabi ﷺ has said:
“Exchange gifts with one another. Gifts remove ill-feelings from the hearts.” (Tirmidhi)
Giving gifts and receiving gifts is something we all love doing. Almost all happy occasions will include the giving and receiving of gifts. And why shouldn’t it, after all, gifts add to the happiness, bring smiles to faces, makes people happy, increases love and friendship and even removes hate from the hearts. But most of all, if given with the correct intention, it pleases Allah Ta’ala because it is a Sunnah of our beloved Nabi ﷺ and therefore is an act of worship!
Amazing right? Even something as fun as giving and receiving gifts can be rewarding!
Let’s first look at the intention of giving a gift.
Our intention should be:
1) Following a Sunnah of our beloved Nabi ﷺ.
2) To please our Creator.
3) To make our Muslim brother/sister happy.
4) To increase love between us.
5) To mend broken hearts and broken relationships.
We should not give:
1) To show others.
2) Because others are giving so we have to.
3) To follow a custom or trend.
4) Items which are used for haram acts.
5) More than what we feel happy to give.
Note: Remember the effects of gifts comes through our intention. The simplest gift given with love will automatically touch the heart, while a very expensive item given without any love or feeling will not touch the heart.
What are the benefits of giving or receiving a gift?
2) It increases our sustenance and wealth and adds blessing to it.
3) It Increases love, affection and unity between the giver and receiver of the gift
4) It destroys jealousy, hatred and malice
5) It is an act of Sunnah and an act of worship (if done to please Allah Ta’ala)
Did you know? Our beloved Nabi ﷺ accepted gifts and if he had something to give in return, he would gift it too?
By following these few points, this action we never thought of being rewarding will increase in reward Insha’Allah and become a means of pleasing Allah Ta’ala and loving one another.