Maintaining Family Ties Fatwa No: 83031
- Fatwa Date:1-7-2001
What is the importance of maintaining family ties specially with a son, daughter or with parents? Kindly give answer with relevant Hadiths and Verses from Qur'an.
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
Islam has emphasized keeping family ties. Muslims should preserve these ties and avoid anything that could affect them. Allah Says (what means): {So would you perhaps, if you turned away, cause corruption on earth and sever your [ties of] relationship? Those [who do so] are the ones that Allah has cursed, so He deafened them and blinded their vision.} [Quran 47:22-23]
Al-Bukhaari and Muslim also reported that the Prophet said: “Allah created the creation, and when He finished from His creation the Rahim (kinship) got up, and Allah said (to it). 'Stop! What do you want?' It said: 'At this place I seek refuge with You from all those who sever me (i.e. sever the ties of Kinship.)' Allah said: “Would you be pleased that I will keep good relation with the one who will keep good relation with you, and I will sever the relation with the one who will sever the relation with you.” It said: “Yes, O my Lord.” Allah said (to it). “That is for you (i.e. your request is accepted.” And then the Prophet recited the Verse: {Would you then if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land, and sever your ties of kinship.} [Quran 47:22]
This is about kinship in general. As for the relation with parents it is much stronger as Allah has ordered the children to obey their parents and Allah made their rights among the most important rights. Allah even linked their rights to His. Allah Says (what means):
• {Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents.} [Quran 4:36]
• {And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honor. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: “My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small.”} [Quran 17:23-24]
• {And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years give thanks to Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination.} [Quran 31:14].
There are many other verses emphasizing this. Allah has made the love of the children innate in their parents. Allah also ordered the parents to raise their children in the best way possible.
This is yet another evidence of preserving the ties between the parents and their children.
Allah knows best.