Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful:
These hadiths that the author (may Allah have mercy on him) cited all indicate the importance of maintaining family ties, that is, maintaining kinship. He began with the hadith of Abu Sufyan Sakhr ibn Harith when he and a group of Quraysh came as envoys to Heraclius. He came to Heraclius before he embraced Islam (may Allah be pleased with him), because he embraced Islam in the Year of the Conquest, or even after it.
As for his coming to Heraclius, it was after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. When Heraclius heard about them, he was a man of intellect, with knowledge of the Scripture, and knowledge of the sending forth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and what he calls to, because the description of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is present in the Torah and the Gospel, as He (Blessed and Exalted is He) said:[Al-A'raf 7:157] : written with his description and known, so much so that they know him as they know their own sons, with no doubt about him.
When these groups of Arabs from the Hijaz, from the sending forth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), arrived, he called them to ask them about the condition of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), what he commands, what he forbids, the nature of his companions, and their dealings with him, among other things he asked them about. Al-Bukhari mentioned this at length in his Sahih. Among the things he asked them was: “What does he command? They said: He commanded us to maintain ties, to be truthful, and to be chaste”.
Maintaining ties means maintaining kinship. Truthfulness means the correct news that corresponds to reality. Chastity means from fornication, and from the wealth in people's hands, as well as their honor.
Then, when he mentioned to them what he mentioned, he said to him: “If what you say is true, he will rule what is under these two feet”. He said this while being one of the two rulers of the two great empires: the Romans and the Persians. The ruler of the Romans was this Heraclius who was questioning Abu Sufyan, and the ruler of the Persians was Kisra.
This king, the king of the Romans, said: “If what you say is true, he will rule what is under these two feet”. He said this while being a king with a large, great kingdom, but he knew that what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) brought was truth, and that it is the correct path corresponding to the fitrah and the interests of creation. He commanded truthfulness, chastity, and maintaining ties: maintaining kinship.
Then the author mentioned hadiths in this meaning, regarding maintaining kinship. Among them is that when Allah revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):[Ash-Shu'ara 26:214] : he gathered Quraysh, addressing them generally and specifically, saying: O sons of so-and-so, O sons of so-and-so, O sons of so-and-so, counting them by their thighs until he reached his daughter Fatimah, saying: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 48 : and this is part of maintaining ties.
And he clarified that they have a kinship which he will moisten with its moisture, meaning: he will moisten it with water. This is because cutting off kinship is fire, and water extinguishes fire. Cutting off kinship is death, and water brings life, as He (the Exalted) said:[Al-Anbya 21:30] . So he (peace and blessings be upon him) likened maintaining kinship to water that moistens a thing.
Also, among the hadiths that the author (may Allah have mercy on him) cited is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: : and that is because they are disbelievers. It is obligatory for the believer to disavow the loyalty of disbelievers, as Allah (the Exalted) said: [Al-Mumtahanah 60:4] : so he disavowed them despite their kinship to him.
He said: : meaning I will give it its right of maintaining ties, even if they are disbelievers. This indicates that a relative has the right of maintaining ties even if he is a disbeliever, but he does not have loyalty. He is not supported or aided in what he is upon of falsehood.
Then he also mentioned among the hadiths that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) informed the Companions that they would conquer Egypt, and he advised them to treat its people well, saying: : and that is because the lineage of the mother of Isma'il, the lineage of Ibrahim al-Khalil (peace be upon him), was from Egypt. For this reason he said: , because they are the maternal uncles of Isma'il, and Isma'il is the father of all the Arabized Arabs.
That indicates that kinship has a connection even if it is distant. As long as it is known that these people are from his tribe, they have the right of maintaining ties even if they are distant.
It also indicates that maintaining kinship from the mother's side is like maintaining kinship from the father's side. And success is from Allah.
These hadiths that the author (may Allah have mercy on him) cited all indicate the importance of maintaining family ties, that is, maintaining kinship. He began with the hadith of Abu Sufyan Sakhr ibn Harith when he and a group of Quraysh came as envoys to Heraclius. He came to Heraclius before he embraced Islam (may Allah be pleased with him), because he embraced Islam in the Year of the Conquest, or even after it.
As for his coming to Heraclius, it was after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. When Heraclius heard about them, he was a man of intellect, with knowledge of the Scripture, and knowledge of the sending forth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and what he calls to, because the description of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is present in the Torah and the Gospel, as He (Blessed and Exalted is He) said:
the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel
النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوباً عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإنْجِيلِWhen these groups of Arabs from the Hijaz, from the sending forth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), arrived, he called them to ask them about the condition of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), what he commands, what he forbids, the nature of his companions, and their dealings with him, among other things he asked them about. Al-Bukhari mentioned this at length in his Sahih. Among the things he asked them was: “What does he command? They said: He commanded us to maintain ties, to be truthful, and to be chaste”.
Maintaining ties means maintaining kinship. Truthfulness means the correct news that corresponds to reality. Chastity means from fornication, and from the wealth in people's hands, as well as their honor.
Then, when he mentioned to them what he mentioned, he said to him: “If what you say is true, he will rule what is under these two feet”. He said this while being one of the two rulers of the two great empires: the Romans and the Persians. The ruler of the Romans was this Heraclius who was questioning Abu Sufyan, and the ruler of the Persians was Kisra.
This king, the king of the Romans, said: “If what you say is true, he will rule what is under these two feet”. He said this while being a king with a large, great kingdom, but he knew that what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) brought was truth, and that it is the correct path corresponding to the fitrah and the interests of creation. He commanded truthfulness, chastity, and maintaining ties: maintaining kinship.
Then the author mentioned hadiths in this meaning, regarding maintaining kinship. Among them is that when Allah revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
And warn, [O Muhammad], your closest kindred.
أَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَFatima, daughter of Muhammad! Save yourselves from the Fire! I do not have anything for you in respect to Allah
يا فاطمة بنت محمد، أنقذي نفسك من النار فإني لا أملك لك من الله شيئاًAnd he clarified that they have a kinship which he will moisten with its moisture, meaning: he will moisten it with water. This is because cutting off kinship is fire, and water extinguishes fire. Cutting off kinship is death, and water brings life, as He (the Exalted) said:
and made from water every living thing
وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيّAlso, among the hadiths that the author (may Allah have mercy on him) cited is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:
Indeed, the family of so-and-so are not my close friends.
إن آل بني فلان ليسوا بأولياء ليThere has already been for you an excellent pattern in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, "Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allah. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allah alone
قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُوا لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَآءُ مِنْكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالْبَغْضَاءُ أَبَداً حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُHe said:
Except that they have a kinship tie, which I will maintain with its due.
غير أن لهم رحم سأبلها ببلالهاThen he also mentioned among the hadiths that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) informed the Companions that they would conquer Egypt, and he advised them to treat its people well, saying:
Indeed, they have a kinship tie and a maternal uncle relationship.
إن لهم رحماً وصهراًIndeed, they have a maternal uncle relationship and a kinship tie.
إن لهم صهراً ورحماًThat indicates that kinship has a connection even if it is distant. As long as it is known that these people are from his tribe, they have the right of maintaining ties even if they are distant.
It also indicates that maintaining kinship from the mother's side is like maintaining kinship from the father's side. And success is from Allah.