Assalamu alaykum. I read that a dua' with the request to break ties of kinship is not accepted. Does this include divorce (and other annulment of marriage for a valid reason)? Or does it mean only the paternal and maternal ties? Can you please give an example of such a forbidden dua' which might contain words that request breaking ties of kinship? Jazakallahu khair.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

We have already issued Fatwa 92363 clarifying the Hadeeth which proves that supplicating while severing ties of kinship or sinning are among the things that prevent the supplication from being answered.

The meaning of severing ties of kinship is mentioned by Mubaarak Poori as he said: "It means desertion and alienation, i.e. abandoning being kind and dutiful to the family and relatives." [Tuhfat Al-Ahwathi]

Therefore, any supplication against relatives which prevents good from them or which brings evil to them is included in this; what is meant here is the kinship.

As for supplicating against non-relatives without right, it falls under the general meaning of supplicating for sin.

In general, supplicating for what is permissible is not included in supplicating for sin or against kinship, an example of which is what you have mentioned, such as supplicating for divorce or the annulment of the marriage contract for a valid reason. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 131953.