Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Fear Allah and maintain the ties of kinship."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, that indeed the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said during his days of illness: "Take care of kinship, take care of family ties."

It is narrated from Ishaq bin Saeed, he says: My father told me that he was with Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them). A man came to him, and he (Ibn Abbas) asked him, "Who are you?" He mentioned a distant family relationship. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) spoke to him gently and said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Learn about your lineage so that you may maintain the ties of kinship. For there is no benefit in close relationships if ties of kinship are severed, even if the relationships are very close. And there is no harm in distant relationships if the ties of kinship are maintained, even if they are very distant."

Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) says: My beloved friend (ﷺ) commanded me with seven things: (1) He commanded me to love the poor and to remain close to them; (2) He commanded me to look at those who are lower than me and not to pay attention to those who are above me; (3) He commanded me to maintain ties of kinship even if they turn away from me; (4) He commanded me not to ask anything from anyone; (5) He commanded me to speak the truth even if it is bitter; (6) He commanded me not to fear the blame of any blamer in the matter of Allah; and (7) He commanded me to recite «لاحول ولا قوة الا بالله» abundantly, for these words are among the treasures beneath the Throne.” And in another narration: “These words are a treasure from among the treasures of Paradise.”

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When Allah created the creation, the bond of kinship stood up, holding onto the Throne of Allah. Allah said: 'Stop!' The bond of kinship said: 'This is the place for one who seeks refuge from being cut off.' Allah said: 'Yes.' Will you not be pleased that I will keep ties with the one who keeps ties with you, and I will cut off the one who cuts you off?' It said: 'Why not, O my Lord!' Allah said: 'So this is your station.' Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If you wish, recite this verse of the Qur'an: «فَهَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ أَن تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَتُقَطِّعُوا أَرْحَامَكُمْ (۲۲) أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ فَأَصَمَّهُمْ وَأَعْمَىٰ أَبْصَارَهُمْ (۲۳) أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا (۲۴)» 'And it is not far-fetched that if you are given authority, you will cause corruption in the land and sever your ties of kinship. These are the ones whom Allah has cursed, so He has made them deaf and blinded their sight. Do they not reflect upon the Qur'an, or are there locks upon their hearts?'"

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, maintaining the ties of kinship is a branch that clings to the back of the Most Merciful. He (Allah) joins the one who joins it, and cuts off the one who cuts it off."

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) twisted his finger for us and said: "Maintaining ties of kinship is a branch connected to the Most Merciful. It has an eloquent and expressive tongue; it speaks as it wishes. Whoever maintains it, Allah will maintain him, and whoever severs it, Allah the Exalted will sever him."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man said: O Messenger of Allah! I have some relatives; (the situation is that) I maintain ties with them, but they sever ties with me. I treat them well, but they treat me badly, and I act with wisdom regarding them, while they act ignorantly towards me. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "If it is as you say, then you are putting hot ashes into their mouths. As long as you remain in this state, there will always be a helper from Allah with you."

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Whoever is granted gentleness, has been given a share of goodness and well-being in this world and the Hereafter. And maintaining ties of kinship, good character, and treating neighbors well (such acts of goodness) populate homes (and tribes) and increase lifespans."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Suwaid bin ‘Amir Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Keep the ties of kinship fresh, even if it is only by greeting (saying salam).”

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah will have mercy on those who are merciful, so be merciful to those on the earth so that the One in the heavens will have mercy on you. (In reality) mercy (i.e., maintaining ties of kinship) is a branch of the Most Merciful. Whoever joins it, Allah will join him, and whoever cuts it off, Allah will cut him off.”

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: When I took possession of the weapons of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), I found a piece of paper in the sword of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), in which it was written: "Maintain ties with the one who severs relations with you, treat well the one who treats you badly, and speak the truth even if it is against yourself."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: Sayyiduna Abu Darda Laysi (may Allah be pleased with him) fell ill, and Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) came to visit him. Abu Darda said: (This Abdur Rahman) is the best and most devoted in maintaining ties. O Abu Muhammad! Do you know? Abdur Rahman said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: Allah the Exalted said: I am Allah and I am the Most Merciful (Rahman). I created the womb (i.e., kinship) and derived its name from My own name. Whoever maintains it, I will maintain him, and whoever cuts it off, I will cut him off.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), he states that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Among the commands of Allah that are followed, there is nothing for which reward is given more quickly than maintaining ties of kinship, and there is no (sin) for which punishment is given more quickly than oppression and severing ties of kinship. And a false oath lays waste to lands."

Narrated from Sayyiduna Jarir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When a relative goes to another relative and asks for something extra that Allah Almighty has given him, but he is stingy (and does not give), then on the Day of Resurrection a snake will be brought out from Hell for such a person, which will have its tongue out and will be called «شجاع», and it will be made into a collar for that person."