Fatwa No : 90957
Taking Back a Gift After Giving It

Taking Back a Gift After Giving It

A person mistakenly gave someone a valuable gift. Later, he came to know that the gift was valuable and that he had given it while considering it to be of little value. Now this person wants to take the gift back. What is the ruling?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

Taking back something after giving it as a gift is Islamically a makruh (disliked) act. Moreover, if the exchange of the gift is between spouses or between relatives who are dhi-rahm mahram (close unmarriageable relatives), then taking it back is not permissible at all according to Shariʿah. Therefore, even if the questioner gave the item as a gift while considering it to be ordinary, once he gifted it and formally handed it over to the other person, it is not Islamically appropriate for him to take it back. Such an act should be avoided.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما فی الدر المختار: (صح الرجوع فيها بعد القبض) أما قبله فلم تتم الهبة (مع انتفاع مانعه) الآتي (وإن كره) الرجوع (تحريما) وقيل: تنزيها نهاية الخ (کتاب الھبۃ، ج: 5، ص: 698، ط: سعید)۔
و فی التاتارخانیۃ: و فی الفتاوی العتابیۃ: الرجوع فی الھبۃ مکروہ فی الأحوال کلھا، و یصح الخ (الفصل الخامس فی الرجوع فی الھبۃ، ج: 14، ص: 448، ط: رشیدیۃ)۔
و فیھا ایضاً: و فی الزاد: و إن وھب ھبۃ لذی رحم محرم فلا رجوع فیھا، الخ (الفصل الخامس فی الرجوع فی الھبۃ، ج: 14، ص: 448، ط: رشیدیۃ)۔