GIVING GIFTS WITH AN EXPECTATION
OF RETURN
One ritual that has become
ubiquitous in our society is that of the ritual of returning gifts at the time
of social occasions. For example, people keep a record of who gave what or how
much at the time of a wedding in their family. Then when there is a wedding in
that person’s family then, we must either gift them the same amount or more, as
they had given to us. It does not matter whether we want to give them a gift,
or that same amount, or even if we can afford it, if we didn’t give that much
then it will be a matter of great shame in the whole society. Therefore, even
if we have to borrow, or steal, or rob someone, we have to give them a gift of
that same or higher amount.
The gift which is given with an
intention that tomorrow this person will have to return it, is Hara’am
(unlawful in Shariah). The Holy Quran has termed this Riba (usury) too.
“Whatever
Riba (increased amount) you give, so that it may increase in the wealth of the
people, it does not increase with Allah; and whatever Zakah you give, seeking
Allah‘s pleasure with it, (it is multiplied by Allah, and) it is such people
who multiply (their wealth in real terms.)” [30:39]
It
means that if a person gives a gift to someone with an intention that the other
person will return a bigger amount, that is Riba.
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