How Benevolent Are You to Your Own Relatives?

“He who is pleased to have a good living, and to be well remembered after his death, let him have good relations with his blood relatives.”—Al-Bukhari and Muslim

Imam Ali {R} regularly inquired about the well being of all his relatives and kinsmen and used to try his utmost in fulfilling all their needs.

 

Abdullah Ibn Abbas {R} says that he has not seen anyone more excellent than Ali {R} in kindness to relatives. He says:

“One day I fell sick and my illness became prolonged.

EVERY MORNING and EVENING, Ali {R} visited me. Sitting near my head, he used to recite supplications and blow them on me. 

He brought to me whatever I desired.”

Most of the time, he distributed to others whatever he received as his share of war-booty; so much so that sometimes Ali {R} also spent his bare sustenance on his relatives.

Aqil {the Imam’s brother} had many children. One day he complained to the Imam that the stipend he received from the public treasury was insufficient for his family, and that Imam give him some more from it.

The Imam said:

“O Aqil, the public treasury is the share of the Muslims and I have no right to spend anything from it. 

It is however possible that I give you something for your children from my share.”

From that day, it was his practice to first dispatch food to Aqil’s house. If something remained, he ate just enough to survive or he stayed hungry.

May we be able to emulate this rare virtue of doing our utmost to fulfilling the needs of close relatives even at the cost of our own personal comfort, for the sake of AllahSWT. Aameen.

Reference: Morals and Manners of the Household of the Prophet {S}.