Who are the relatives whose ties must be maintained?
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The questioner : ... the paternal uncle's daughter, the maternal uncle's daughter, and the maternal aunt's daughter, because the matter concerns ... visiting this one and visiting that one, yes.
The Shaykh: In truth, from a linguistic perspective, the term *rahim* (kinship) requires ... a word that needs elaboration, and elaboration is not currently feasible. The word is "the father's relatives"; anyone who has a connection through the father is a *rahim* and his ties must be maintained. However, I say this based on a benefit from the Sunnah. There is a hadith in "Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim" in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:. These ... are not *arham* (kin), yet he says: . Therefore, a fortiori, one should maintain ties with all relatives, whether they are *rahim* or not. -- And upon you be peace, the mercy of Allah, and His blessings --. However, what encompasses the subject is that often the closest relatives, whose status as *arham* and as those whose ties must be maintained is beyond doubt, are often obstructed in the path of the one who wishes to maintain ties. What prevents him from maintaining ties is that they are *mutabarrijat* (women who display their adornment), they are not modestly covered, they are not *muhshimat* (modest), and so on. If this is the case, the one who strives to maintain ties to fulfill the religious command restrains himself from this maintaining of ties because there is what prevents him from hesitating to fulfill the maintaining of ties due to the evils we mentioned. So, in this situation, a person should fear Allah (Mighty and Majestic) as much as he can, and he should aim for the middle and approximate. The point is that defining *arham* by a mathematical method is not possible, and Allah knows best.
The questioner: Our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : There is no god but Allah, yes.
The questioner: ... some of the brothers, one of the brothers.
The Shaykh: And upon you peace.
The questioner : Welcome.
The Shaykh: And upon you peace.
The questioner: He quoted the words of al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) in *al-Fath*.
The Shaykh : Welcome, welcome.
The questioner: Likewise, the chapter on maintaining family ties also concerns ... from the mother's side ... on this basis.
The Shaykh: By Allah, this ... is from the text of al-Hafiz, who says "the father's relatives." I do not know if I am the one who is mistaken or someone else. Perhaps you can remind us when we reach *al-Fath* and it is opened for us, so we can return to it.
The questioner: ... regarding this question, as you mentioned in *al-Fath*, it is "the father's relatives." I said this does not prevent the fact that the maternal aunt is like the mother, and the grandmother who is the mother's mother, that she becomes part of the *rahim*.
The Shaykh: This has entered the previous discussion. Please proceed.
The questioner: ... his father's friend ...
The Shaykh: No, he is not part of maintaining family ties as encouraged by the Lawgiver based on the hadith mentioned earlier. Did we not mention the hadith:? This is *birr* (kindness) in the general sense, not specific to maintaining family ties. May Allah reward you.
The questioner: Yes, yes, and this includes maintaining ties with the father's friends or those who were ... the father's.
The Shaykh: In truth, from a linguistic perspective, the term *rahim* (kinship) requires ... a word that needs elaboration, and elaboration is not currently feasible. The word is "the father's relatives"; anyone who has a connection through the father is a *rahim* and his ties must be maintained. However, I say this based on a benefit from the Sunnah. There is a hadith in "Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim" in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Indeed, among the most righteous acts of kindness is that you maintain ties with the friends of your father.
إنَّ مِن أبَرِّ البِرِّ أن تصل أهل ودِّ أبيكthat you maintain ties with the friends of your father
أن تصل أهلَ ودِّ أبيكThe questioner: Our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : There is no god but Allah, yes.
The questioner: ... some of the brothers, one of the brothers.
The Shaykh: And upon you peace.
The questioner : Welcome.
The Shaykh: And upon you peace.
The questioner: He quoted the words of al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) in *al-Fath*.
The Shaykh : Welcome, welcome.
The questioner: Likewise, the chapter on maintaining family ties also concerns ... from the mother's side ... on this basis.
The Shaykh: By Allah, this ... is from the text of al-Hafiz, who says "the father's relatives." I do not know if I am the one who is mistaken or someone else. Perhaps you can remind us when we reach *al-Fath* and it is opened for us, so we can return to it.
The questioner: ... regarding this question, as you mentioned in *al-Fath*, it is "the father's relatives." I said this does not prevent the fact that the maternal aunt is like the mother, and the grandmother who is the mother's mother, that she becomes part of the *rahim*.
The Shaykh: This has entered the previous discussion. Please proceed.
The questioner: ... his father's friend ...
The Shaykh: No, he is not part of maintaining family ties as encouraged by the Lawgiver based on the hadith mentioned earlier. Did we not mention the hadith:
Indeed, among the most righteous acts of kindness is that you maintain ties with the friends of your father
إنَّ مِن أبَرِّ البِرِّ أن تصل أهل ودِّ أبيكThe questioner: Yes, yes, and this includes maintaining ties with the father's friends or those who were ... the father's.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.