It is stated in the authentic hadith that maintaining family ties increases lifespan, so what is meant by the increase here?

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : Regarding the extension of lifespan in this hadith, does it mean that if one maintains family ties...

The Shaykh : Excuse me, if I tell you that your question is understood but it is incorrect, why is that? Because as long as the Messenger says it extends lifespan, what is the point of the question: does it extend lifespan or not? But, but I told you beforehand, so do not rush me. I said your intention is understood, but the question is incorrect. If you had said, for example, "We heard from some people, or some scholars, or some shaykhs, that they interpret the length of lifespan here as something other than what the apparent meaning of the hadith indicates," that would have been more appropriate and more polite regarding the explicit words of the Messenger, especially since there is another hadith, which is more famous and more authentic than this one, namely his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): . Among the wonders of interpretations, I hardly cease to be amazed at the fact that this comes from some of the people of knowledge: their interpretation of this hadith and the one before it. They say that the intended meaning is not the actual extension of lifespan, but rather that the intended meaning is blessing in the lifespan of this person. And why do they interpret it this way? They interpret it this way on the basis of an argument that rests on their interpretation. That is because they say that lifespan is limited and provision is apportioned, and this is explicitly stated in the hadiths in which the fetus, before the spirit is breathed into it and the angel comes and breathes the spirit into it, is asked about its happiness and misery, its lifespan, and its provision. So they say, "If lifespan is limited and provision is apportioned, how can it be said that lifespan is extended and provision is widened for him?" Therefore, they interpreted it with that interpretation. And the point of my amazement is that a Muslim cannot say about what they interpreted it as anything other than what they say about what they interpreted it as. That is, the blessing itself is limited and apportioned in the Preserved Tablet; it does not change and does not alter. So what is the benefit of saying that the intended meaning is blessing in lifespan and blessing in provision? The blessing in provision is the blessing in lifespan. This is a reality, because as you know, many people are given wide provision, but between one evening and the next morning, they become empty-handed. Yes, this is a restriction. But we say, why is the interpretation of the length of lifespan and the width of provision as blessing also limited? If we do not benefit from this interpretation to escape the difficulty they raised against themselves in this interpretation, it is said to them: "Stay in your place, do not advance at all." So what is the correct answer? The correct answer is what came explicitly in the hadith: that provision is widened for its owner through good character and maintaining ties with his relatives, and his lifespan is extended. And how is that, when lifespan is limited? The answer is very simple, if you knew: the answer regarding happiness and misery. Are happiness and misery not limited? Yes, of course. It was said to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): . They said to him, "So what is the point of working?" He said, "Work, for everyone is facilitated for what he was created for. So whoever is from the people of Paradise will do the deeds of the people of Paradise, and whoever is from the people of the Fire will do the deeds of the people of the Fire." And he recited the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He: What is the meaning of the hadith and the verse? The meaning of the hadith and the verse is that happiness and misery, each of them, is connected in the knowledge of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, which is recorded in the Preserved Tablet: good deeds with happiness, and evil deeds with misery. ... Please, here, please. Oh Allah, in the name of Allah. If we know that happiness is connected to good deeds and misery is also connected to evil deeds, and that both good deeds and evil deeds are causes that realize happiness or misery, this is a reality in which there is no disagreement among Muslims at all. So, if good deeds are the cause of happiness and evil deeds are the cause of misery, then maintaining family ties and good character are causes for the length of lifespan and happiness. That is, the two previous hadiths mentioned, which are good character and good neighborliness, make dwellings last and extend lifespans. And the other hadith: "Whoever loves to be extended in his lifespan and widened in his provision, let him maintain his family ties." They speak within the circle of causes. What is the cause of happiness? It was mentioned: good deeds. What is the cause of misery? Evil deeds. Here, the two hadiths speak about the cause of wide provision and long lifespan: good neighborliness and maintaining family ties. So we do not know what is written for a person: happiness or misery? But deeds are what... And therefore, it came in the authentic hadith that a man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): . Or as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said. If deeds are connected to the hidden decree that is unknown to us, and therefore Allah, the Exalted, said in the previous verse: , meaning: "Paradise," . And just as a man, I do not say a Muslim, and just as a rational man, cannot say, "I will leave the causes of health and the causes of worldly strength and happiness on the grounds that if health and worldly happiness are decreed for me, this happiness will come to me even if I do not take any of the causes." No one says this. On the contrary, you find the wretched, corrupt people in behavior and morals taking hold of the causes of worldly happiness and physical health, because they know for certain that this health requires taking the causes.
The same is said exactly regarding the hereafter happiness. If a Muslim wants to be truly happy, he must set before his eyes the previous verse: . So the first and second hadiths are exactly on their apparent meaning: . That is, maintaining family ties is a Shari'ah cause for wide provision and long lifespan. But the result is hidden from us, not known to us, just like happiness and misery. But just as happiness and misery have causes, so long lifespan and wide provision have causes. There is no difference between these causes and those causes. And it is sufficient to prove the effect of causality in hereafter happiness to remember the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He: , . This "ba" here is causal, meaning by reason of your good deeds. And the greatest of good deeds is faith, as came in the authentic hadith: . The deed of faith is a heart deed, not as some people think that it has no connection to deeds. No, faith first requires that the heart moves with faith in Allah and His Messenger, and then it is necessary that this faith which is settled in the heart be accompanied by its manifestation on the body and limbs. Therefore, His saying, Blessed and Exalted is He: , is a clear, explicit text that entering Paradise is not by mere wishes, as He, the Exalted, said: . Whoever does good will be rewarded for it, and whoever does evil will be rewarded for it, as He, the Exalted, said: . Perhaps you have taken the answer to your question.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : Good, prepare another question. Yes.