Is exchanging of gifts on the Day of Aashura permissible?

Answer

Now why would someone ask about the permissibility of gifts when every person regardless of how ignorant he may be knows that making gifts or exchanging gifts is permissible? The Mufti Sahib did not apply his mind when answering this question.

Gifts are permissible all year round, so why is this question related to specifically the Day of Aashura? The reason is that ignorant people have developed it into a custom associated with 10th Muharram, the Day of Aashura.

It is not Sunnah to exchange gifts on the Day of Aashura. This practice has no relevance to the 10th Muharram. By saying that it is permissible, the Mufti perpetuates an erroneous idea and custom which will become an entrenched bid'ah if people are not given the proper view and ruling.

If a man wishes to give his wife or children gifts, why does he choose to relate it to Aashura? Since the concept of gifts on the Day of Aashura is baseless, it is a bid'ah which is not permissible. The correct answer is that exchanging gifts on the Day of Aashura is not permissible.

A developing bid'ah should be nipped in the bud, not allowed to germinate with ambiguous answers. When Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallahu anhu), during his Khilaafate, observed people gathering under the mubaarak tree under which Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had taken the Pledge of Maut from the Sahaabah, he promptly ordered the tree which is mentioned in the Qur'aan Majeed to be cut down. He foresaw future bid'ah and shirk developing at the tree site, hence he nipped it in the bud. He did not say that it is permissible to sit under the tree under which Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and the Sahaabah had sat for the sacred Pledge.