Is maintaining family ties via the telephone sufficient?

Question:
The questioner says in his second question: Is it sufficient for me to maintain ties with my relatives via the telephone, or is it necessary to go to them?

Answer:
This varies: if going to them is necessary, then it is obligatory; otherwise, the telephone and correspondence are sufficient, and praise be to Allah. Inquiring about them via the telephone, via correspondence, or via visiting, all of this is good. But if the need calls for going to them, to console them, or because of their illness, or the like, then maintaining family ties includes going to them if they are bedridden and their ties cannot be maintained except by visiting them, or if they are sick and you visit them. If their ties can be maintained without visiting, through correspondence, along with maintaining ties if they are poor, consoling them, and giving them their needs along with the correspondence, then there is no harm.
And if correspondence is not possible and a telephone call is not possible, but visiting in person is possible, you visit them in person. Otherwise, you do it through your agent; you send them their needs and maintain ties through the agent.
The point is that a person should fear Allah as much as he is able. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is how it came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the authentic hadith. The family tie, when Allah created it, said: .
So Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) maintains the ties of those who maintain their family ties, and severs the ties of those who sever their family ties, and the danger is great. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .
So it is obligatory to be cautious. Severing ties occurs through turning away, not caring, and not maintaining ties through wealth, or through kind words, or through one's person. This is severing ties. Maintaining ties through wealth, or through kind words, or through correspondence, or through the telephone, all of this is maintaining ties. The believer seeks the perfection of maintaining ties. So the poor person needs more than just words, and along with physical visiting, he needs more in the form of financial support for his poverty, whether from zakah or from other sources.
And likewise, the person who falls into distress regarding maintaining family ties, one should strive to relieve his distress, whatever distress it is. If it is distress of debt, you strive to pay off his debt if you are able. If it is distress of imprisonment for a just cause, you strive to release him in the manner that Allah has prescribed and permitted. If he is a fugitive, you strive to secure him in the manner you are able to, and so on, of the means of maintaining ties. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.