Muslim

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: From this hadith, it is understood that maintaining ties of kinship (silat ar-rahm), that is, fulfilling the rights of relatives and treating them well, is such a blessed deed that, in addition to reward in the Hereafter, it also brings expansion and abundance in sustenance (rizq) and increase and blessing in lifespan in this world.

There are two forms of maintaining ties of kinship:
➊ One is that a person financially assists his relatives from the wealth he has earned through his own effort and work.
➋ The second is that he spends some of his time and life in helping and serving them.

As a result of this, expansion and abundance in sustenance and wealth, and increase and blessing in the duration of life, are entirely reasonable and in complete accordance with the wisdom and mercy of Allah, and this is something that is commonly observed in experience: family disputes and domestic problems and complications, which mostly arise as a result of negligence in fulfilling the rights of kinship, become a cause of distress and inner anguish and suffocation for a person, which affect both his business and his health and well-being.

And those who treat their relatives and kin with kindness and good conduct, their lives pass with openness of heart, tranquility, and happiness. Therefore, their circumstances remain better in every respect, and the grace and mercy of Allah remain with them.

It should be remembered that such ahadith do not conflict with the issue of divine decree (qadar), because Allah, from eternity, knows that such-and-such a person will maintain ties of kinship and will treat his relatives and kin well. In this regard, his lifespan has been increased and abundance and blessing have been placed in his sustenance.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Two benefits of maintaining family ties (silat ar-rahm) are mentioned in this hadith:
One is abundance in provision (rizq), and the other is blessing in lifespan.
In another hadith, two further benefits are also mentioned: that relatives develop love for one another, wealth increases, and there is blessing in life.
(Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, al-Birr wa’s-Silah, Hadith: 1979) (2)
There are several meanings to the blessing in lifespan and increase in provision, the details of which are as follows:
٭ The lifespan of the one who maintains family ties is actually increased, and his provision is also expanded.
٭ There is blessing in his lifespan in that his time is not wasted; rather, he is able to perform more good deeds in less time.
٭ He is granted the ability to perform such deeds that even after his death, his good mention remains among others.
In any case, the real reward for maintaining family ties will be given on the Day of Judgment, but the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has also mentioned these worldly benefits.
(3)
From this it is understood that if, while performing a good deed, a person intends to attain both the reward of the Hereafter and the benefit of that deed in this world, there is no harm in it.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
The result will be that his relatives, witnessing his good conduct, will sincerely pray for the lengthening of his life and the increase of his wealth.
And Allah, the Most Pure, as a consequence of their supplications, will place blessings in his provision and in his lifespan.
This is because Allah, the Most Pure, is capable of decreasing and increasing everything.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
By "expansion in provision (rizq)" is meant the creation of blessing (barakah) in it, and by "increase in lifespan" is meant the coming of strength and vigor into the body, because provision and lifespan are already written at the time when a person is still in the mother's womb.

(2)
The meaning of blessing is taken here because maintaining ties of kinship (silat ar-rahm) is a form of charity (sadaqah), and charity brings about blessing in wealth.
Another reason is that relatives, upon witnessing his good conduct, will pray from the depths of their hearts for the lengthening of his life and the expansion of his provision, so Allah, as a result of these supplications, will place blessing in his provision.
Another meaning of lengthening of life is that, due to his good behavior, people will praise him well, and his good reputation will be widespread on people's tongues, as if he has not died.

(3)
Some commentators have also written that it is written in the mother's womb in such a way that if he maintains ties of kinship, his provision will be expanded and his lifespan will be lengthened.
(Fath al-Bari: 4/382)
This view appears to be the strongest, because it is better that the hadith be understood according to its apparent meaning.
The purpose of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah is that through buying, selling, and trade, blessing and increase occur in wealth, and for this expansion of provision there are also some inward (spiritual) causes, such as maintaining ties of kinship and adopting taqwa (God-consciousness).

1693. Commentary: The knowledge of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, is absolute. And He has written the lifespan and destiny (taqdeer) of every single human being. However, as the scholars have written, there are two aspects to destiny (taqdeer): ➊ One is the knowledge that is definitive; this is called "taqdeer mubram" (decisive destiny), and there is no change in it. ➋ The second is that in which Allah has made certain things conditional (mu‘allaq) upon other things; in this, there is room for change. For example, the angels are informed that a person's lifespan is sixty years, but if he performs righteous deeds such as maintaining ties of kinship (silat ar-rahm), then his lifespan will be increased by a certain amount—for instance, his lifespan will be made ninety years. This is called "taqdeer mu‘allaq" (conditional destiny). And this too is already within the knowledge of Allah. If the servant does not perform these deeds, then no increase is made, and this also is within the knowledge of Allah, the Exalted.