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Allah grants people who maintain and
foster their ties of kinship some of His rewards in this
world, in addition to the reward these people receive in the
Hereafter. The reward in this life takes the form of an
increase in income and wealth and longer life, as well as
being loved by their relatives and friends. In view of this,
we may wonder whether the reverse is also true. Does people
who sever their ties with their kinsfolk merit punishment in
this world? If so, what form does it take?
Let us remind ourselves of what we
have learned earlier: Allah views very seriously the question
of maintaining and fostering ties of kinship. We have quoted
the hadith that the Arabic name given to kinship is derived
from the divine attribute of compassion and mercy. This has
not come by coincidence. Its significance is that people who
are good to their kinsfolk earn Allah's pleasure.
Allah promises to cut off His mercy
people who sever their ties of kinship; Allah also promises to
be kind to people who are kind to their kinsfolk. In addition,
we have a more specific hadith that explain the punishment in
the Hereafter for people who in this world sever their ties
with their relatives. Jubair ibn Mut`im mentions that he heard
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) saying,
"No one who severs his ties of kinship will enter
Paradise" (Muslim).
When we remember that we — Muslims
— strive throughout our lives for the attainment of a simple
goal, namely Paradise, then all our efforts seem to be futile
if we are negligent of our duty toward our relatives, treat
them badly, or sever our ties with them.
This is certainly the punishment of
people who adopt an extremely hostile attitude toward their
relatives. But it is a fitting punishment. They have deprived
theselves of Allah's kindness. The person who adopts such an
attitude also merits punishment in this world.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) is quoted by his Companion Abu Bakr as saying,
"No sinful action merits a swift punishment by Allah
in this world, in addition to what Allah has in store for the
wrongdoer in the Hereafter, than the severing of ties of
kinship and rebellion (against an Islamic ruler)"
(Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and Ahmad).
The two sinful actions mentioned here
share in common the fact that they weaken the structure of
Islamic society and undermine its very existence. The hadith
confirms definitely that punishment in this world will be
forthcoming for severing ties of kinship, although it does not
specify the form of that punishment. Other hadiths, however,
give us an indication.
`Abdullah ibn Abi `Awfah quotes the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying, "Mercy
does not descend on people when there is among them one who
severs ties of kinship" (Al-Bukhari, Al-Adab
Al-Mufrad).
This hadith makes such worldly
punishment more of a community punishment. It is not directed
only at the individual who commits this sin, although that
individual will have his or her fair share in such a
punishment.
We have to remember that divine
justice is absolute. Allah does not punish any one if that
person does not merit punishment. How, then, can we explain
this hadith that tends to suggest, when taken at its face
value, that a sin committed by an individual makes the
community liable to punishment?
Hadith scholars give two explanations.
First, they say that the word "people" used in the
text of the hadith refers specifically to those who assist the
individual concerned in severing his ties of kinship, or at
least those who do not reproach him for doing so. This makes
them partners in the sin committed by him. As such, they
deserve punishment.
The other explanation advanced by
scholars of hadith is that the word "mercy" used
here refers to rain. This is a common usage in Arabic. It
refers to the fact that rain causes plants and vegetation to
grow, which in turn provides food for people.
Without rain, famine spreads and
people die. Hence, rain is the most tangible aspect of Allah's
mercy to people. This is the reason why the word mercy is used
as a synonym for rain. When severance of ties of kinship
becomes common practice in a certain society, Allah punishes
that society by withholding rain from it.
It is to be noted here that this does
not apply to people who sever their ties with a relative whom
Allah has bidden us to boycott because of his or her hostile
attitude to Islam. But even if we treat such a person with the
sort of kindness that we are allowed to, like giving him or
her a present or showing him or her thoughtfulness, our
actions are commendable.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) gave permission to his sister-in-law, Asmaa', and
`Umar to be kind to their relatives who were unbelievers. The
Prophet himself showed compassion to the people of Makkah.
When they hurt him very badly, he prayed for famine to
overtake them. They knew that his prayers were always
answered. They came to him and begged him to overlook their
unkindness. They appealed to him by his ties of kinship with
them. That touched a soft spot in the Prophet and he prayed
Allah not to punish them with famine.
One of the Prophet's Companions,
Abu Hurairah, joined a group of people in their circle on a
Thursday evening. As he sat down, he said, "I must
seriously ask any one who severs his ties of kinship to leave
us." No one left until he had repeated that three times.
Then a young man went to one of his parental aunts with whom
he had severed ties for two years. When he entered her house,
she asked him, "Nephew, what has brought you?"
He mentioned to her what he had heard
Abu Hurairah saying. She told him to go back to Abu Hurairah
and ask him why he said that. Abu Hurairah answered, "I
heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say, 'The
actions of human beings are presented to Allah on Thursday
evening, the night before Friday. He does not accept the
actions of any one who severs his or her ties of kinship"
(Ahmad).
This hadith tells us that severing
ties of kinship outweighs any other good action we may do. If
we want our good actions to be accepted and rewarded by Allah,
it is necessary for us, therefore, to foster our ties with our
relatives. When we do that, we ensure that our reward will be
ample.
Hadiths on this subject are numerous.
They tend to give us an idea that a society that allows ties
of kinship to falter and weaken is one where corruption
spreads and people's vision is blurred.
Abu Hurairah used to pray Allah,
seeking refuge with Him from power falling into the hands of
youths and fools. A man once asked Abu Hurairah what was the
token of that. He answered, "Ties of kinship will be
severed, people who go astray are followed and those who
provide right guidance are disobeyed" (Al-Bukhari, Al-Adab
Al-Mufrad).
It is only through such a society that
allows the reigns of power to fall into the hands of fools and
people of immature judgment that such social illnesses
spreads. Perhaps there is no punishment greater than power
being handed to fools and youth who lack mature judgment.
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