Maintaining ties of kinship despite relatives cutting off from him

Reference: Fataawa Noor ‘alad-Darb – Question No.6510, Page 332, Volume 12

Question: I stopped speaking to my older brother for a period of years, and that was [only] to avoid problems – so what is the ruling regarding that? And is what I did correct?

Response: It is not permissible for a person to cut off from his relative, because of what the Prophet ﷺ said:

«The one who severs will not enter Paradise», meaning severs the ties of kinship – transmitted by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim.

And it is obligatory upon the believer to maintain his ties of kinship, even if his relatives sever them, because the Prophet ﷺ said:

«The one who maintains a relationship with his relatives only because they maintain a relationship with him is not truly upholding the ties of kinship. The one who truly upholds those ties is the one who does so even if they (the relatives) break off the relationship» – transmitted by al-Bukhaaree

And it is not permissible for him to respond in like with the relative who has severed ties with him; beware of severing ties with him, and instead continue to maintain ties with him. [Remember that] the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and so if he continues to maintain ties [of kinship] with him – despite this situation, then Allaah will grant him success over him.

He is a graduate of the Islaamic University of Madeenah, having graduated from the Institute of Arabic Language, and later the Faculty of Sharee'ah in 2004. He currently resides in Birmingham, UK.

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