The Book of Gifts
32/4. Chapter:
Mentioning The Different Reports From Tawus About The One Who Takes Back His Gift
Sunan an-Nasai
أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَخْلَدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ يَحِلُّ لأَحَدٍ يَهَبُ هِبَةً ثُمَّ يَعُودُ فِيهَا إِلاَّ الْوَالِدَ " . قَالَ طَاوُسٌ كُنْتُ أَسْمَعُ الصِّبْيَانَ يَقُولُونَ يَا عَائِدًا فِي قَيْئِهِ وَلَمْ أَشْعُرْ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ضَرَبَ ذَلِكَ مَثَلاً حَتَّى بَلَغَنَا أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ " مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَهَبُ الْهِبَةَ ثُمَّ يَعُودُ فِيهَا " . وَذَكَرَ كَلِمَةً مَعْنَاهَا " كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ يَأْكُلُ قَيْئَهُ " .
It was narrated from Ibn Juraij, from Al-Hasan bin Muslim, from Tawus that the Messenger of Allah said: "It is not permissible for anyone to give a gift then take it back, except a father." Tawus said: "I used to hear the boys say: 'O you who goes back to his vomit!' But I did not realize that the Messenger of Allah had said this as a parable, until we heard that he used to say: 'The likeness of the one who gives a gift then takes it back, is that of the dog which eats its vomit.'"
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3704In-book reference : Book 32, Hadith 17English translation : Vol. 4, Book 32, Hadith 3734