The physical and spiritual rewards that will be gained if people are good to their relatives and keep contact with them.
Ulama Institute #1
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- Maintaining the ties of kinship is extremely important to the extent that many scholars have held that in many ways it can fall within the same category as that of Salah, paying Zakah and believing in the Oneness of Allah ﷻ . The aspect of maintaing ertations has been commanded in the Qur’aan. It is not a recommended and preferred act, by rather an aspect that has been made compulsory by Allah ﷻ in the Qur’aan.
- The greatest reward that will be given to a person who is good to his/her relatives, is the guarantee of Paradise. Surely, if the reward for treating one’s relatives well is so magnificent, a Muslim must strive to become worthy of such an immense blessing.
- Anas reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَبْسُطُ لَهُ فِي رِزْقِهِ وَيُنْسَا لَهُ فِي أَثَرِهِ فَلْيَصِلُ رَحْمَهُ (البخاري)
“Whoever loves that he be granted more wealth and that his lease of life be prolonged, then he should keep good relations with his kith and kin.”. [al-Bukhaan]
- It is therefore a blessing for the one who upholds the ties of kinship because it affects both his/her rizq and his/her life. His wealth will increase and he will live a longer and more blessed life.
- In contrast, breaking those ties may cause him/her to earn the displeasure of Allah ﷻ and the people, and keeping him far from Paradise in the Hereafter.
- The sensitive Muslim who weshes to eam the pleasure of his Rabb will be deeply shaken by the effects that breaking the ties has on a Muslim. He/she will also be dismayed to lear that his good deeds will be of no value and that Allah ﷻ will deprive him/her of his mercy. It is therefore unimaginable that a true Muslim will ever break the ties of kinship.
- The Muslim who continues to cement the ties between his immediate family and other re- lations knows that he will not face the punishment of Allah ﷻ and that he will in fact receive an abudance of rewards. The true Muslim upholds the ties of kinship and does not let any worldly concems, wealth or children distract him/her from keeping in touch with relatives, honoring them and helping them.
- A Muslim knows that he will earn two rewards when he/she treats his/her relatives with kindness and respect. He will receive one reward for maintaining the relationship and another for giving charity.
- The great Sahabi, Aboo Hurayrah, never liked to pray to Allah ﷻ in a gathering if there was a person present who had broken the ties of kinship. He felt that this person would prevent mercy from descending and the du’aa from being answered.
- On one Thursday night gathering, he urged everyone who had broken the ties of kinship to get up and leave the gathering. No-one got up until he had repeated this three times. A young man got up and went to see his aunt whom he had not visited for two years. She sent him back to ask Aboo Hurayrah why he had asked him to leave the gathering.
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول : إن أعمال بني آدم تعرض على الله تبارك وتعالى عشية كل خميس ليلة الجمعة فلا يقبل عمل قاطع رحم (أحمد)
Aboo Hurayrah said that the Prophet ﷺ mentioned that the deeds of the Muslims are shown to Allah ﷻ every Thursday evening, night of Jumu’ah and that the deeds of one who breaks the ties are not accepted. [Ahmad]
- As we socialze with our relatives a bond is established which creates a feeling of love and respect among Muslims. A Muslim must care about all people in his/her society. The benefits are numerous because the family as a unit is strengthened and this feeling is channeled to all other sectors of society. Furthermore, Muslims will get to know all the members of their families and create a social circle that is based on Islamic principles.
- A Muslim is rewarded for calling others to Islam. Therefor, we are instructed to form a bond with our non-Muslim relatives. In our interaction with them, we have an opportunity to give them Da’wah and to show them the beauty of Islam. We must also try to win them over with kindness. Both the individual and the family groups stand to benefit tremendously when relatives are good to one another.
Learning from the lesson
- A person who is good to his/her relatives will be guaranteed Paradise.
- The person who upholds the ties of kinship will experience an increase in wealth and live a more blessed life.
- A true Muslim upholds the ties of kinship and does not let his worldly concerns, wealth, wife or children distract him from keeping in touch with his relatives.
- Islam teaches us to establish the influence of Islam in society by making contact with our relatives.
- Physical and spiritual benefits are derived from being good to our relatives.
