By Dr. Ali Al-Halawani
A true Muslim should keep good relations with his family no matter what as this is the path for salvation in this present life and the hereafter
In the past article (Honoring One’s Family Ties), we discussed the significance as well as manifestations of how one should honor his kins and family ties and maintain good relations with them for the sake of Allah the Almighty and Creator of all men and things. Here, we will show some of the many fruits and good outcomes of maintaining good relations with one’s family in a brief manner.
Protection from bad deaths:
This is based on the hadith narrated by Abu Ya`la from Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) who said, the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said what may mean, “Giving charity [to the poor] and maintaining good relations with one’s family may cause the prolongation of one’s life by Allah the Almighty as well as protecting one from having a bad death.”
Another hadith reads, Anas ibn Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard Allah’s Messenger (Peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: “He who is desirous that his means of sustenance should be expanded for him or his age may be lengthened, should join the tie of relationship.” (Muslim), and
It was narrated from Salman ibn `Amir (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Giving charity to a poor person is charity, and (giving) to a relative is two things, charity and upholding the ties of kinship.” (Sunan an-Nasa’i)
Making one’s house prosperous:
Verily, maintaining good relations with one’s family and relatives makes one’s house a prosperous one and increases one in wealth and property. Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: “Verily, Allah may make the houses of such and such people prosperous and increase their wealth for them whereas He has never looked at them since He created them out of hate. It was said: Oh Messenger of Allah! How is that? He said: Because they maintain good relations with their families.” (at-Tabarani and al-Hakim)
Expiation of sins:
Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “A man came to the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) and said: ‘I have committed a grave sin; would my repentance be accepted?’ The Prophet said: ‘Do you have a mother [Is your mother alive]?’ The man said: ‘No.’ The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Do you have a maternal aunt?’ The man said: ‘Yes.’ The Prophet said: ‘Treat her with kindness.’” (Ibn Hibban and al-Hakim)
Making reckoning easy:
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said: Three are the qualities which, when found in a person, Allah will make reckoning easy for him and will let him enter Jannah [Heaven] with His mercy. They said: What are these, may Allah sacrifice our fathers and mothers for you, oh Messenger of Allah? He replied: You give to those who deprived you; you maintain relations with those who cut theirs with you; and you forgive those who wronged you. If you do these, Allah will let you enter Jannah.” (al-Bazzar, at-Tabarani and al-Hakim)
Elevation of one’s status on the Final Day:
`Ubadah ibn Al-Samit (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Should I tell you about that with which Allah raises the degrees?’ They said: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Be lenient with those who wronged you, forgive those who were unjust to you, give to those who deprived you, and maintain relations with those who cut theirs with you.’” (al-Bazzar and al-Tabarani)
There are many other Prophetic hadiths that enjoin Muslims to maintain good relations with their relatives such as the following:
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, “May he be disgraced! May he be disgraced! May he be disgraced, whose parents, one or both, attain old age during his life time, and he does not enter Jannah (by rendering being dutiful to them).” (Muslim)
Salman ibn `Amir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, “When you break fast, you should do it with a date-fruit for there is blessing in it, and if you do not find a date-fruit, break it with water for it is pure.” Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings be upon him) added: “Charity towards a poor person is charity, and towards a relation is both charity and maintaining the ties (of kinship).” (at-Tirmidhi)
Abu Bakra reported that the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, “There is no wrong action more likely to bring punishment in this world in addition to what is stored up in the Next World than oppression and severing ties of kinship.” (Sahih al-Albani)
Narrated `Abdullah ibn `Amr: The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Al-Wasil is not the one who recompenses the good done to him by his relatives, but al-Wasil is the one who keeps good relations with those relatives who had severed the bond of kinship with him.” (Bukhari)
Narrated `A’ishah (the wife of the Prophet): The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The word ‘Ar-Rahm‘ (womb) derives its name from ‘Ar- Rahman‘ (i.e. Allah). So whosoever keeps good relations with it (womb i.e. kith and kin), Allah will keep good relations with him, and whosoever will sever it (i.e. severs his bonds of kith and kin) Allah too will sever His relations with him.” (Bukhari)
Punishment for severance of family ties
On the other hand, the Ever-Glorious Qur’an warns against severing one’s family ties and considers this as mischief and corruption in the land which deserves to be severely punished for in the Hereafter. Allah the Almighty says in the Qur’an what may mean,
“But those who break the covenant of Allah after contracting it and sever that which Allah has ordered to be joined and spread corruption on earth – for them is the curse, and they will have the worst home.” (Al-Ra`d 13: 25), and
“So would you perhaps, if you turned away, cause corruption on earth and sever your [ties of] relationship? Those [who do so] are the ones that Allah has cursed, so He deafened them and blinded their vision.” (Muhammad 47: 22-23)
Therefore, if the above is the punishment for those who stand against maintaining good relations with the family and relatives, a true Muslim should keep good relations with his family no matter what as this is the path for salvation in this present life and the hereafter.
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Dr. Ali Al-Halawani is Assistant Professor of Linguistics and Translation, Kulliyyah of Languages and Management (KLM), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He was Assistant Professor and worked for a number of international universities in Malaysia and Egypt such as Al-Madinah International University, Shah Alam, Malaysia (Mediu) and Misr University for Science & Technology (MUST), Egypt; Former Editor-in-Chief of the Electronic Da`wah Committee (EDC), Kuwait; Former Deputy Chief Editor and Managing Editor of the Living Shari`ah Department, www.islamOnline.net; Member of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS); and member of the World Association of Arab Translators & Linguists (Wata). He is a published writer, translator and researcher. You can reach him at [email protected].
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