The Ruling on Severing Family Ties and Its Limits

Question:
What is the limit of severing family ties? I mean, what is the duration that, if it passes without visiting them, constitutes severing their ties?

Answer:
There is no fixed limit. Maintaining family ties is done through kind words, consoling their poor, returning their greetings, initiating greetings to them, and encouraging them to do good. All of this is part of maintaining family ties. Severing family ties has no fixed limit. Being harsh with them in a way that is contrary to the norm is a type of severance. Being harsh with them without a legitimate religious reason, failing to provide for their poor and do them good, and refusing to intercede for their oppressed until they are vindicated in their oppression, and the like of that, may be considered severance. So, severance is a matter of custom, and maintaining ties is a matter of custom. What is known among Muslims is maintaining ties, doing good, staying in contact, greeting, and kindness. And what is considered harshness and severance among Muslims is so likewise. The one who maintains ties is not the one who reciprocates. That is, the issue of some people: if they are not visited, they do not visit. They say, "He is not a visitor, it is not permissible, and he is not a visitor." This is a mistake. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "The one who maintains ties is not the one who reciprocates, but rather the one who maintains ties when his ties are severed. I am the one who maintains ties." Likewise, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when a man said to the Messenger of Allah, "I have relatives who maintain ties with me and sever them, I am patient with them and they are harsh with me, I send to them and they are bad to me," he said, "If you are as you say, then your food is from the Fire, and a sacrifice will remain with you for them as long as you remain in that state." So, Allah the Exalted and Majestic will help you against them as long as you remain in a good state, and by this, you are the one who maintains ties, and they are the ones who sever. But if they maintain ties, you maintain ties with them. If they sever, you sever with them. No, this is not maintaining ties. Even if a stranger maintains ties with you, you maintain ties with him. Rather, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is not a relative. If he maintains ties with you and does you good, you must reciprocate and reward him. But the relative, the close relative, has a right beyond this. You maintain ties with them even if they sever, you reach out to them, you return their greetings, you initiate greetings to them, you invite them to a feast, you respond to their invitations. They say, "They severed ties with us." Because there is hostility between you and them, or enmity or disputes. You do not sever them, but you may boycott them for three days. In case of coldness, dispute, and quarrels, for the sake of worldly gain, you may boycott them for three days only, not more than that. For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "There is no boycott for more than three days." So, it is obligatory that he maintains ties after the three days, and returns to his original state after the three days, and does not boycott for more than three. And the best of the two is the one who initiates the greeting. The best of the traders is the one who initiates the greeting. How?