Maintaining the Bond of Kinship

 “Would you then, if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land, and sever your ties of kinship?”_ [Quran 47: 22]

 

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him maintain the bonds of kinship.”_(Bukhari)

 

Out of the Mercy of Allah (SWT), Muslims have been given some measure of freedom in certain aspects of life and worship. And at the same time, Allah (SWT) has made certain things obligatory. He who knows this distinction and acts according to it is a person of knowledge and faith.

But for a lot of people, a challenge occurs when something is obligatory but is quite easy to dismiss its importance because it has less to do with rituals of worship like daily prayers, Zakat and fasting in Ramadan.

What I am referring to here is an aspect of religion that relates to the bond of kinship. This is an important aspect of worship that many people don’t realize.

In fact, it is so important that Allah (SWT) has made it very clear both in the Quran and Sunnah as we can see in the opening quotes of this article.

In addition, the following ahadith from Imam Bukhari are more than enough for a wise man to understand the gravity of this subject:

Abu Hurayrah (RA) narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said:

“Allah created the creations, and when He finished from His creations, Ar-Rahim; i.e., womb, said, “(O Allah) at this place I seek refuge with You from all those who sever me (i.e., sever the ties of kith and kin).

Allah said, 'Yes, won't you be pleased that I will keep good relations with the one who will keep good relations with you, and I will sever the relation with the one who will sever the relations with you.'

It said, 'Yes, O my Lord.' Allah said, 'Then that is for you." [which means that your supplication is answered].

In another traditional from Imam Bukhari, the Prophet (SAW) explains what it means and what it takes to be a person who is truly committed to upholding the bond of kinship.

On the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr (RA): “The person who perfectly maintains the ties of kinship is not the one who does it because he gets recompensed by his relatives but the one who truly maintains the bonds of kinship is the one who persists in doing so even though others have severed the ties of kinship with him.”

Finally, on the final consequence for anyone who thinks his blood relations are disposable items, for whatever reason, another tradition from Imam Bukhari goes thus:

Jaabir Ibn Mut'am (RA) reported that he heard Allah's Messenger (SAW) saying:

“One who severs ties of Ar-Rahim will not enter Paradise.”

May AllahSWT help us see the truth as truth and then act according to its tenets.

Allahuma aameen