809 – On the authority of Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) declared, “O Muslim women! Let no neighbor belittle the gift she gives her neighbor, even if it is only the hoof of a sheep.” Agreed upon. (1)

Glossary of terms
• la taḥqaranna: do not deem a thing small or insignificant.
• firsan: with a kasrah on the fa, a sukun on the ra, followed by a sin and ending with a nun. The firsan of a camel is like a horse’s hoof or a human foot, and the word is sometimes borrowed for a sheep.

Lessons derived from the ḥadīth
1 – The report encourages doing good and urges it; such conduct is part of the character that should distinguish Muslim men and women.
2 – It points to the merit of exchanging gifts, for gifts remove spite and enmity from people’s hearts and bring about affection and love.
3 – The giver must not disdain offering a present, however small or seemingly trivial. What matters is the meaning behind it and its moral effect, not merely its physical substance or material benefit. However modest the gift, it still conveys friendship and brotherhood.
4 – The ḥadīth proves that any act of kindness or righteous deed performed sincerely for the sake of Allah the Exalted and for its noble meanings carries immense weight with Him.

Allah the Most High says: “So whoever does an atom’s weight of good shall see it” (Q 99:7).