How can the hadith, "Whoever does you a favor, reciprocate it," be reconciled with the hadith, "Whoever intercedes for his brother, and he [the interceded for] gifts him something for it, and he [the intercessor] accepts it, then he has approached a great door from the doors of usury (riba)"?
The apparent contradiction between the two hadiths, "Whoever does you a favor, recompense him" and "Whoever intercedes for his brother with an intercession...", is resolved by understanding that the prohibition of gifts in the about intercession is specific to taking something in exchange for an obligatory or forbidden intercession. For an obligatory intercession (like saving an oppressed person), it is forbidden to accept a gift in return. The same applies to forbidden intercessions. As for intercession in a permissible matter, accepting a gift for it may be permissible as a recompense, or it may be forbidden because intercession is a minor act for which no recompense should be taken. Sheikh Al-Albani holds that the hadith "Whoever does you a favor" applies to situations that do not involve intercession or to needs that are not obligatory.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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