II. Ties of Kinship
25. The Duty of maintaining ties of kinship
47. Kulayb ibn Manfa’a reported that his grandfather asked, “Messenger of Allah, towards whom
should I be dutiful?” He replied, “Your mother, your father, your sister and your brother. Then your
mawla (client) has the next right against you and then your relatives who are connected.”
48. Abu Hurayra said, “When the following ayat was revealed (‘Warn your near relatives’ (26:214)),
the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stood up and called out, saying, ‘Banu Ka’b ibn
Lu’ayy! Save yourselves from the Fire! Banu ‘Abdu Manaf! Save yourselves from the Fire! Banu
Hashim! Save yourselves from the Fire! Banu ‘Abdu’l-Muttalib! Save yourselves from the Fire!
Fatima, daughter of Muhammad! Save yourselves from the Fire! I do not have anything for you in
respect to Allah except for the fact that you have ties of kinship.'”
26. Maintaining ties of kinship
49. Abu Ayyub al-Ansari told him that a bedouin came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant
him peace, while he was travelling. He asked, “Tell me what will bring me near to the Garden and
keep me far from the Fire.” He replied, “Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him,
perform the prayer, pay zakat, and maintain ties of kinship.”
50. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
“Allah Almighty created creation. When He had finished it, ties of kinship rose up. Allah said, ‘Stop!’
They said, ‘This is the place for anyone seeking refuge with You from being cut off’ Allah said, ‘Are
you not content that I should maintain connections with the one who maintains connection with you
and I should cut off the one who cuts you off?’ It replied, ‘Yes indeed, my Lord.’ He said, ‘You have
that.'”
Then Abu Hurayra said, “If you wish, you can recite, ‘Is it not likely that, if you did turn away, you
would cause corruption in the earth and sever your ties of kinship?‘ (47:22)”
51. Ibn ‘Abbas spoke about the ayat, “Give your relatives their due, and the very poor and
travellersÉ” (17:26), and said, “He begins by commanding the most pressing of the obligatory dues
and He directs us to the best action if we have any money. He says: ‘Give your relatives their due, and
the very poor and travellers.’ He also teaches us what we can say if we have nothing. He says, ‘But if
you do turn away from them, seeking the mercy you hope for from your Lord, then speak to them with
words that bring them ease’ (17:28) in the form of an excellent promise. Things are as they are, but
they might change if Allah wills. ‘Do not keep your hand chained to your neck’ and not give anything,
‘but do not extend it either to its full extent’ and give all you have, ‘so that you sit there blamed’ as
those who come to you later and find you have nothing will blame you, ‘and destitute.’ (17:29)” He
said, “The person to whom you have given everything has made you destitute.”
27. The excellence of maintaining ties of kinship
52. Abu Hurayra said, “A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and
said, ‘Messenger of Allah! I have relatives with whom I maintain ties while they cut me off. I am good
to them while they are bad to me. They behave foolishly towards me while I am forbearing towards
them.’ The Prophet said, ‘If things are as you said, it is as if you were putting hot ashes on them and
you will not lack a supporter against them from Allah as long as you continue to do that.'”
53. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn ‘Awf heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace, say, “Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, said, ‘I am the Merciful (ar-Rahman). I have created ties
of kinship and derives a name for it from My Name. If anyone maintains ties of kinship, I maintain
connection with him, and I shall cut off anyone who cuts them off.'”
54. Abu’l-‘Anbas said, “I visited ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr at al-Waht (some land of his in Ta’if). He said,
‘The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, pointed his finger towards us and said,
“Kinship (rahim) us derived from the All-Merciful (Rahman). When someone maintains the
connections of ties of kinship, they maintain connection with him. If someone cuts them off, they cut
him off. They will have an unfettered, eloquent tongue on the Day of Rising.”‘”
55. ‘A’isha reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Kinship (rahim)
is derived from Allah. If anyone maintains ties of kinship Allah maintains ties with him. If anyone
cuts them off, Allah cuts him off.”
28. Maintaining ties of kinship will prolong life
56. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
said, “Anyone who wants to have his provision expanded and his term of life prolonged should
maintain ties of kinship.”
57. Abu Hurayra heard that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say,
“Anyone who wants to have his provision expanded and his term of life lengthened should maintain
ties of kinship.”
29. Allah loves the one who maintains ties of kinship
58. Ibn ‘Umar said, “If someone fears his Lord and maintains ties of kinship, his term of life will be
prolonged, he will have abundant wealth and his people will love him.”
59. Ibn ‘Umar said, “If someone his Lord and maintains ties of kinship, his term of life will be
prolonged, his wealth will be abundant and his family will love him.
To be continued In shaa Allah