The Ruling on Visiting Relatives, Maintaining Family Ties, and the Difference Between the Two
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The last question from our sister says: I have not visited my relatives for a long time; because my father prevents me and my brothers from leaving the house except to seek knowledge. Is there a sin on me for cutting them off for that period? And what is the way to visit them if my father prevents us from doing so, and I do not know what the reason is? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Visiting is not obligatory; maintaining family ties is the obligatory part. Cutting off family ties is forbidden. As for visiting, it is not required. If your father prevents you, there is no harm. You should try to please him through good means.
The presenter : This is a questioner, may the Shaykh be respected.
The Shaykh : Or the questioner is likewise; the point is whether it is a female or male questioner, visiting is not obligatory. If maintaining family ties is achieved through writing, by phone, by telephone, by correspondence, or by other means with friends and loved ones, asking about their condition, "How are you? I hope you are well," that is sufficient, even if you do not visit them, and praise be to Allah. Visiting may be prevented by obstacles and preoccupations. A person may be traveling for a long time, and your father may have a legitimate religious excuse, fearing for you from visiting, from certain things.
So the result is that the father has intentions—may Allah will it—that are good, so do not rush. And if the need arises for visiting, consult him in a good manner, or through your mother, or your brothers, or your uncles, until he is pleased, and until the visit is in a safe manner, with no danger in it; because visits differ. If the visit is to a sister or brother or uncle, there is no harm. But a visit to the sons of an uncle, or the sons of an aunt, no, there is danger in that; because they are not mahram.
So the result is that it is upon you to seek permission from your father, and not to rush, and to make du'a for the relatives for success and guidance, and to ask about them, and to send them greetings with friends and loved ones, or by telephone. All of that is good, and the intended purpose is achieved by it, and praise be to Allah.
And if they are poor, then from maintaining ties is visiting them and supporting them, and doing good to them. And if they are wronged, then from maintaining ties is interceding to remove the injustice from them, and helping the oppressed. And if the need arises to pay off their debt, then from maintaining ties is helping to pay off the debt, if the relative is able, and other than this from the aspects of good.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good.
The last question from our sister says: I have not visited my relatives for a long time; because my father prevents me and my brothers from leaving the house except to seek knowledge. Is there a sin on me for cutting them off for that period? And what is the way to visit them if my father prevents us from doing so, and I do not know what the reason is? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Visiting is not obligatory; maintaining family ties is the obligatory part. Cutting off family ties is forbidden. As for visiting, it is not required. If your father prevents you, there is no harm. You should try to please him through good means.
The presenter : This is a questioner, may the Shaykh be respected.
The Shaykh : Or the questioner is likewise; the point is whether it is a female or male questioner, visiting is not obligatory. If maintaining family ties is achieved through writing, by phone, by telephone, by correspondence, or by other means with friends and loved ones, asking about their condition, "How are you? I hope you are well," that is sufficient, even if you do not visit them, and praise be to Allah. Visiting may be prevented by obstacles and preoccupations. A person may be traveling for a long time, and your father may have a legitimate religious excuse, fearing for you from visiting, from certain things.
So the result is that the father has intentions—may Allah will it—that are good, so do not rush. And if the need arises for visiting, consult him in a good manner, or through your mother, or your brothers, or your uncles, until he is pleased, and until the visit is in a safe manner, with no danger in it; because visits differ. If the visit is to a sister or brother or uncle, there is no harm. But a visit to the sons of an uncle, or the sons of an aunt, no, there is danger in that; because they are not mahram.
So the result is that it is upon you to seek permission from your father, and not to rush, and to make du'a for the relatives for success and guidance, and to ask about them, and to send them greetings with friends and loved ones, or by telephone. All of that is good, and the intended purpose is achieved by it, and praise be to Allah.
And if they are poor, then from maintaining ties is visiting them and supporting them, and doing good to them. And if they are wronged, then from maintaining ties is interceding to remove the injustice from them, and helping the oppressed. And if the need arises to pay off their debt, then from maintaining ties is helping to pay off the debt, if the relative is able, and other than this from the aspects of good.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.