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Blood
relations, like a brother, parental or maternal uncle, cousins and all
your kindred have the right to kinship each in accordance with his or
her nearness. Allah Almighty says: "And give to the kindred his
due." (Al-Isra’: 26) And, "Worship Allah and join none
with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kins-folk..."
(An-Nisa’: 36)
Relatives have to maintain good ties and extend physical and financial
support in accordance with the relative exigencies and nearness of
kinship. It is an injunction dictated by canonical laws, reason and
human nature.
Qura’nic and Prophetic texts emphasize the necessity of cementing
kindred ties and maintaining them.
Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah, who quoted the
Prophet, peace be blessings be upon him, as saying: "Allah
created His creation, and when He had finished it, ties of kinship got
up and said, 'I seek refuge with you from those who sever the ties of
kith and kin.' On that Allah said, 'Will you be satisfied if I bestow
My favors on him who keeps your ties, and withhold My favors from him
who severs your ties?' On that ties of kinship said, 'Yes' Then Allah
said, 'That is for you.' " the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) added: If you wish, you can recite: "Would you
then if you were given the authority. do mischief in the land and
sever your ties of kinship.” (Muhammad: 22-23)
The Prophet, peace be blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever believes
in Allah and the Last Day should maintain good relation with his
kindred.” (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Unfortunately, a lot of people have neglected this right and no longer
discharge their obligations, material, social or moral towards their
kin. Days and long months could elapse without even paying one's
relations a visit or gaining their favor with a present. It has become
a habit that one finds it difficult to even try to satisfy a certain
need or ward off a misfortune that happens to befall them.
Some people behave differently. They maintain good ties as long as
their kindred do the same, but otherwise they sever them. Real
cherishing of blood relation is not observed in anticipation of equal
reaction on the part of one’s kin; but the ties should be maintained
for Allah’s sake only, maybe this is done from one side only while
neglecting the behavior of the other side in its return. `Abdullah ibn
`Amr ibn Al-`Aas quotes the Prophet, peace be blessings be upon him,
as saying: "Al-Wasil (one who maintain good relation with his
kinship) 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 have severed the bond of kinship with him."
(Reported by al-Bukhari)
Maintaining good ties with one's kindred is bound to earn one Allah's
mercy, affluence and deliverance from distress, in addition to amity,
attachment and spirit of cooperation that will envelop the whole
atmosphere of the family in both adversity and prosperity. It goes
without saying that severance of kinship ties melt away all these
benefits and sow the fruit of discord among relatives.
Source:
Excerpted, with slight modifications, from http://www.iad.org/Islam/rkin.html
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