If he does return the animal, he sends the animal back but not the milk he has already taken. Instead, he must accompany it with one sāʿ of dates, or—as we have explained—one sāʿ of wheat, because Mālik and his colleagues regard returning the milk itself as tantamount to selling food before taking possession of it. However, should the owner of the sheep choose to reclaim it without any dates, wheat, or milk, he is free to do so.