How does a person maintain ties with their relatives other than their parents?
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The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah reward you. How is the maintenance of ties with relatives other than the parents, such as maternal aunts, paternal aunts, maternal uncles, and paternal uncles? How is the connection with them, especially if the place is far away?
The Shaykh : The maintenance of ties, may Allah bless you, has not been specified in the Sunnah or the Book. So whatever people consider to be maintaining ties, that is maintaining ties. This varies according to circumstances, times, and the degree of kinship. For example, among relatives, there are those who have a great right over you, such as a paternal uncle, a maternal uncle, or a brother, whereas a distant paternal cousin is not like these. Also, circumstances vary. In the case of illness, one must visit them and ask about their condition. In the case of poverty, one must maintain ties with them. In the case of wealth and health, and when everyone is preoccupied with their own affairs, if you do not visit them more than once a month, or if you do so by telephone, that is sufficient. I declare the end of the time, for our time ends with the announcement of the time for prayer.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : The same question.
The Shaykh : Ah.
The questioner : I have a close maternal aunt... in a distant area.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : ...once a year?
The Shaykh : That is sufficient. Now, in the present time, once a year is sufficient. The telephone is available; if she has a telephone, may Allah make things easy, praise be to Allah. We ask for your excuse, as we have taken up your time from the beginning, and we are unable to extend it due to the presence of the prayer.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Is it being recorded now?
The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah reward you. How is the maintenance of ties with relatives other than the parents, such as maternal aunts, paternal aunts, maternal uncles, and paternal uncles? How is the connection with them, especially if the place is far away?
The Shaykh : The maintenance of ties, may Allah bless you, has not been specified in the Sunnah or the Book. So whatever people consider to be maintaining ties, that is maintaining ties. This varies according to circumstances, times, and the degree of kinship. For example, among relatives, there are those who have a great right over you, such as a paternal uncle, a maternal uncle, or a brother, whereas a distant paternal cousin is not like these. Also, circumstances vary. In the case of illness, one must visit them and ask about their condition. In the case of poverty, one must maintain ties with them. In the case of wealth and health, and when everyone is preoccupied with their own affairs, if you do not visit them more than once a month, or if you do so by telephone, that is sufficient. I declare the end of the time, for our time ends with the announcement of the time for prayer.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : The same question.
The Shaykh : Ah.
The questioner : I have a close maternal aunt... in a distant area.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : ...once a year?
The Shaykh : That is sufficient. Now, in the present time, once a year is sufficient. The telephone is available; if she has a telephone, may Allah make things easy, praise be to Allah. We ask for your excuse, as we have taken up your time from the beginning, and we are unable to extend it due to the presence of the prayer.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Is it being recorded now?