Presents and Gifts: Revoking Personal Gifts and Donations for Religious Gatherings

Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei

Presents and Gifts: Revoking Personal Gifts and Donations for Religious Gatherings

English:

Question #1742:

On the occasion of marriage, birthday, etc., a person gave his friend some presents. Several years later, he changed his mind and asked the recipient to return it. Has he the right to do so? And can someone, who donated some money to be used in holding commemoration/celebration assemblies for the Imams’ anniversaries, demand it back?

Answer #1742:

So long as the very present is available in its state, it is permissible for the donor to ask for it to be returned to them. That is unless the recipient is a blood relative of the giver or the gift is compensated for as in a deed of reciprocal present. However, after the gift has been either disposed of or changed in any way from its condition at the time of deed, the donor has no right to demand it back. Nor has he the right to get compensation for it. Also, the money one pays for the sake of Allah and to get nearer to Him, he has no right to get it back.

-Imam Khamenei, Practical Laws of Islam, Importance and Conditions of Presents and Gifts