Adab al-Mufrad

Benefits and Issues:
➊ In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has prescribed the formula for the survival of humanity. If a person wishes that his good name endures for a long time and that his worldly life passes in comfort, then he must maintain the ties of kinship (silat ar-rahm).

➋ There are generally two reasons for the deterioration of mutual relations among relatives: wealth and children. People usually fall out with their relatives over wealth, to the extent that it sometimes leads to murder and bloodshed. Everyone wants to have more wealth and to live a comfortable life. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) explained, firstly, that abundance does not bring comfort unless there is blessing (barakah) in it, and secondly, that if you wish to live in comfort, the solution is to maintain the ties of kinship. A Muslim should sacrifice his own emotions and maintain good relations with his relatives.

➌ This hadith encourages seeking the means of sustenance (rizq).

➍ An objection is raised regarding this hadith: that lifespan (age) is fixed with Allah, and a person’s sustenance is also written, so what is meant in this hadith by increasing or decreasing one’s lifespan? The reconciliation is that a person’s lifespan has been made dependent on means: if he maintains the ties of kinship, he will be granted such-and-such lifespan, and if he severs them, then such-and-such. Now, Allah, based on His eternal knowledge, has already written whether this person will maintain the ties of kinship or not. Therefore, a person should make use of these means and not turn away from them under the pretext of destiny (qadar). For example, if someone falls ill, he seeks the means to cure the illness by going to a doctor. If he says, “Whatever lifespan is destined for me, I will get it, so what is the use of taking medicine?”—this is contrary to the teachings of the Shari‘ah. Once, when the issue of destiny was discussed, the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) asked: “O Messenger of Allah! Are we among the fortunate or the wretched? Has this already been written? Then what is the need for action?” The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
((اِعْمَلُوْا فَکُلٌّ مُیَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهٗ فَمَنْ کَانَ من أهْلِ السَّعَادَۃِ فَسَیُـیَسَّرُ لِعَمَلِ أهْلِ السَّعَادَۃِ وَمَنْ کَانَ مِنْ أهْلِ الشَّقَاوَةِ فَسَیُـیَسَّرُ لِعَمَلِ أهْلِ الشَّقَاوَةِ)) (Sahih Muslim, al-Qadr, Hadith: 2647)
“Continue to act, for everyone will be facilitated towards that for which he was created. Whoever is among the people of happiness will be facilitated towards the deeds of the people of happiness, and whoever is among the people of wretchedness will be facilitated towards the deeds of the people of wretchedness.”
The ahadith in which supplication for a long life is mentioned also support this hadith.

➎ It is possible for sustenance (rizq) and lifespan (age) to truly increase, so there is no need to interpret this only as goodness and blessing (barakah). However, along with the literal meaning, the meaning of goodness and blessing can also be included.