The Salam to the Father’s Ex-Wife and Her Daughters, and Maintaining Family Ties

The questioner:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, my father divorced my brother’s wife before he married my mother.

The Shaykh:
My brother’s wife?

The questioner:
My brother’s wife was divorced by my father before he married my mother. The question is: Is it permissible for me to greet her with the salam? Is my greeting her considered maintaining family ties? And is it permissible for me to greet her daughters, who are my brother’s sisters?

The Shaykh:
As for her sisters, if they are not related to you, they are non-mahram to you; her sisters from a father other than yours are non-mahram to you. As for her, you are a mahram to her because she is your father’s wife. Your father’s wife, even your grandfather’s wife, whether from the father’s side or the mother’s side, you are a mahram to her. If you visit her, that is good conduct, and it may also be part of dutifulness to your father, to visit his wife. It is also maintaining ties with your brothers through her, if you have brothers from her. This is good. Yes.