Rights of the Relatives
Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-'Uthaymeen[1]
Relatives are those who are related to you
through blood and close ties; such as the brother, the uncle, the aunty, or
their children. Everyone who has a tie of relation with you has certain rights
upon you in accordance with how closely they are related to you. About this,
Allaah - the Most High - said:
"And give to the relative his
right."
[Soorah al-lsraa 17:26].
Allaah - the Most High - also said:
"And worship Allaah alone, and do
not set-up any partner to Him in worship, and be kind and good to the parents,
and to the relatives." [Soorah an-Nisaa 4:36].
So it is obligatory upon everyone to treat their
relatives in the best possible manner, and to support them in accordance with
their needs, and what they seek of help and support. And this is what is
necessitated by the Sharee'ah (Prescribed Islaamic Law), the 'aql
(sound reasoning) and the fitrah (natural state).
And there are many textual evidences encouraging
and urging silatur-rahm (joining the ties of relations); such as what
Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu
'anhu
relates from the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, that he said:
"Indeed Allaah created the creation,
until when He finished doing so, the Rahm (womb/ties of relation) stood-up and
said: Is this the place of one who seeks refuge in You from those who severe
and cut ties with me. So Allaah said: Yes, Indeed. Would it please you that I
keep ties with those who keep ties with You, and cut-off ties with those who
cut-off ties with you? So the Rahm said: Yes, indeed! So Allaah said: Then this
is for you." Then Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam
said:
"Recite if you wish: 'Would you
then, if you were given the authority, cause corruption in the land, and
cut-off ties of relations. They are those upon whom is the curse of Allaah, so
that He makes them deaf and blinds them." [Soorah
Muhammad 47:22-23]."[2]
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam
also said:
"Whosoever believes in Allaah and
the Last Day let him keep the ties of relations."[3]
Unfortunately, many people do not fulfill this haqq
(right) and transgress the bounds concerning this. Some of them do not seek to
join ties with relatives or show kindness to them; neither through wealth, nor
through good behaviour, nor through the giving of occasional gifts and presents
nor through rendering help to them in their rimes of need. Indeed, many days or
months may pass without even seeing or visiting them. And sometimes, rather
than seeking to join ties of relations, some people even intend to severe such
ties, by seeking to harm their relatives - either through words, or action, or both. Such people may even keep close
ties with those who are not relation, yet cut-off ties with relatives!
Some people only keep ties of relations with
those who maintain ties with them, but cut-off from those who cut-off from
them. So such people are not truly the waasils (those who keeps ties of
relations), but rather they are those who do so based upon tit for rat. So they
will only keep ties with those who keep ties with them whether relatives, or
other than them. However, the true waasil (one who keeps ties of
relations) is the one who keeps ties of relation for the sake of Allaah -
regardless of whether his relations keep ties with him or not. 'Abdullaah ibn
'Amr radiallaahu 'anhu relates that the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi
wa sallam said:
"The waasil (one who keeps the ties
of relations) is not the one who merely does so out of reciprocation. Rather,
the waasil is the one who even when the relatives cut-off from him, yet he
still maintains ties with them." So a man asked: O Messenger of Allaah. I
have relatives with whom I maintain ties of relations, yet they cut-off from
me. I treat them kindly, yet they treat me in an evil manner. And I am forbearing
and patient with them, yet they behave rudely and ignorantly towards me. The
Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "If the situation is
as you say, then it is as if you are filling their mouths with sand. And Allaah
will continue to aid and support you as long as you continue doing what you are
doing."[4]
If there were no other rewards for keeping ties
of relations, except that Allaah keeps ties with the waasil in this
world and the Hereafter, and that He extends His Mercy due to it, and makes
affairs easier through it, and removes distress and anxieties by it, then that
would be more than sufficient. However, along with this, silatur-rahim
(joining the ties of relations) brings with it closeness to one's family and
relatives, as well as love and compassion developing between one another, and
their being mutual help, in times of ease and hardship. between one another,
and other such joys and delights - as is experienced and well-known. And when
ties of relations are not maintained, then each one of the aforementioned
benefits turn to their opposites, and great harm comes to the society.