Adab al-Mufrad

Benefits and Issues:
➊ Every person desires abundance in sustenance, and likewise, every person wishes for a long life; in fact, he becomes anxious at the mention of death. However, no one is prepared to pay attention to the true causes of the expansion of sustenance and longevity. In this hadith, encouragement is given to adopt that true cause, which is maintaining the ties of kinship (silat ar-rahim).

➋ It is obligatory for a Muslim to make his life beneficial. One way to do this is by showing good conduct towards the creation of Allah, the Exalted. Among the creation, due to his honor and nobility, the human being is most deserving of this, and among the general people, adopting a kind and benevolent attitude towards relatives and close ones is even more rewarding. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has declared that a good deed and kindness done to an ordinary person, which pleases him, is the best of deeds—so how much greater will be the reward for showing good conduct towards relatives and kin!

➌ The knowledge of lineage (nasab) holds a special status in the Shari‘ah. Its purpose is precisely that kinship ties may be maintained. It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (radi Allahu anhu) that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
((تَعَلَّمُوْا مِنْ أنْسَابِکُمْ ما تَصِلُوْنَ بِهِ أرْحَامَکُمْ، فَاِنَّ صِلَةَ الرَّحِمِ مَحَبَّةٌ في الْأهْلِ مَثْرَاةٌ في الْمَالِ مَنْسَأةٌ في الْأثَرِ)) (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, al-Birr wa’s-Silah, Hadith: 1979)
“Learn about your lineages so that you may maintain your ties of kinship through them. Indeed, maintaining the ties of kinship brings love within the family, increases wealth, and prolongs life.”