بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
Many of us Muslims especially the later generations forget how important it is to keep family bonds.
Let us begin with a warning from Allah in the Qu’ran:
“And those who break the covenant of Allah, after its ratification, and sever that which Allah has commanded to be joined (i.e. they sever the bond of kinship and are not good to their relatives) and work mischief in the land, on them is the curse, and for them is the unhappy home (i.e. Hell)” 13:25
Severing ties with family members whether this occurs within the household or out is taken very seriously in Islam. The prophet (ﷺ) mentions: “There is no sin more deserving of having punishment meted out by Allah to its perpetrator in advance in this world along with what He stores up for him in the next world than oppression and severing ties of family.” [Tirmidhi]
Someone asked the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) “What is the way of saving oneself in the Hereafter?” He replied: “You maintain the ties (of relationship) with the one who severed it with you, you give to the one who deprived you, and you forgive the one who wronged you.” [Tirmidhi]
Islam is here to set all relationships right. Today we see not only the severing of ties but backbiting, cheating and hurting our relatives. These are all major sins and they are even more major when done with relatives.
“O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.” 49:12
We talk about each other in the most horrible of fashions. We mistreat one another whether in small or big things.
We also find now the youth mistreating their parents – breaking ties over a small issue. Brothers and sisters that have not spoken in years.
We all know if we are severing ties and we all know that they need to be fixed. There is no excuse at all no matter what the other may have done in our lives. We need to ask ourselves, is it worth jeopardising our afterlife?
Let us all take heed and bring together the family members that we have pushed away and those who have pushed us away, let them be our path into jannah.
Allah knows best.