With last few days of Ramadan upon us, one of the things that’s definitely on the mind of many is: Gifts! Exchanging gifts is a wonderful way of extending our love to family and friends. And what better occasion to do it than the festive occasion of Eid! Giving gifts is also an act of Sunnah and has highly been encouraged by Prophet (ﷺ)
Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
“Give gifts and you will love one another.” Hassan (Al-Albani)
However, when selecting and giving gifts its also important to check our intentions and uphold Ihsaan like we have been advised to do in other areas of life.
Indeed, Allah prescribed ihsaan in all things. Thus, if you kill, kill well; and if you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and let him spare suffering to the animal he slaughters. [Sahih Muslim]
“Ihsaan” is often translated as “excellence.” “Ihsaan” means to do things properly, at the highest level. So, when giving gifts with “Ihsaan” it would imply giving the gift in a very good manner, in a nice and tasteful way.
With that in mind, here are a few points to remember while selecting the perfect gift for loved ones this Eid:
- Check your intentions before giving a gift. Is it purely out of love and respect for the other person or is it a way to show off or look down upon the other person.
- Every action you do is a reflection of your character and dignity. Giving gifts should be no exception. Choose a gift and present the gift in such a way that truly reflects your intentions.
- Also, when giving a gift bear in mind is it something you would like for yourself as well as Prophet said:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself.” [Bukhari]
- Select something that the person can really use. Ask the person if there’s something they really need and make a note where you can find it. Just don’t give away something for the sake of it.
- Adopt a balanced attitude when selecting a gift. Don’t be stingy that the receiver is offended by the gift and also don’t be extravagant that the receiver feels burdened by it.
- Give gift without expecting it back. If someone did not acknowledge your gift, do not take it upon yourself to remind them and ruin your reward with Allah by doing so.
InshaaAllah lets strive to give gifts with love, sincerity and “Ihsaan” this Eid with best of intentions so the simple act of giving gifts becomes a source of Allah’s pleasures and and great rewards <3.
Author Bio:
Aleeza S. aka “The Odd Muslimah” is a dentist, a striving Muslimah and a home educating mummy to two little minis. She’s the author and publisher of children’s board book “I Love Muhammad ﷺ. She loves wringing out her brains and can be found scribbling away at www.theoddmuslimah.com.
