returned from a journey we would go out to greet him; I and al-Hasan—or al-Husayn—would be received, and he would carry one of us in front of him and the other behind him until we entered Madinah.” (1)
35 – It is recommended to give gifts, for they gladden hearts and dispel rancor. Likewise, accepting a gift and rewarding it in turn are commendable, while declining it without a valid Shar‘i reason is discouraged. Hence the Prophet ﷺ said, “Give gifts to one another and you will grow in mutual love.” (2)
Gifts are therefore a means of cultivating affection among Muslims, and someone has said:
Gifts exchanged by people, one to another,
Kindle in their hearts enduring bonds of love.
It is related that a certain pilgrim returned to his family without bringing them anything, whereupon one of them became displeased and, reciting some poetry, said: