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He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, encouraged giving gifts to the neighbor even if it is only something small
Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “O Muslim women! Do not let women disdain [a gift] for her neighbor, even if it is only a hoof of a sheep.”
This indicates that a neighbor should not refrain from giving a gift to her neighbor because she thinks it is too small. Rather she gives whatever she can as a gift, even if it something as small as a sheep’s hoof, for it is better than nothing. He mentioned the hoof as a form of exaggeration, indicating anything very cheap and small.
Or the meaning could be referring to the one who receives the gift, i.e. that one should not think lightly of any gift that is given to him even if it is small.
The narration encourages giving gifts even it is small, because it is not always possible to give big gifts, and if many small gifts are given they become considerable. It also shows the virtue of loving one another and not burdening oneself with what he cannot afford.
