Maintaining family ties—known as Silat ar-Rahim—is one of the most emphasized moral duties in Islam. The Prophet ﷺ warned against severing these sacred bonds and promised Allah’s mercy for those who uphold them. This article explores key hadiths, Qur’anic verses, and explanations from scholars about the importance, spiritual rewards, and consequences tied to nurturing family relations in Islam.

Narrated Abu Huraira (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) said, “Allaah created the creations, and when He finished from His creations, Ar-Rahim i.e., bond of kinship said, ‘(O Allaah) at this place I seek refuge with You from all those who sever me (i.e. sever the ties of kith and kin).’ Allaah said, ‘Yes, won’t you be pleased that I will keep good relations with the one who will keep good relations with you, and I will sever the relation with the one who will sever the relations with you.’ It said, ‘Yes, O my Lord.’ Allaah said, ‘Then that is for you.’” Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) added: “Read (in the Qur’an) if you wish, the Statement of Allaah: ‘Would you then, if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land and sever your ties of kinship?‘ (47:22).” [Al-Bukhaari no. 5987]

Commentary:
1-This Hadeeth highlights the importance of kindness to relatives. It enjoins considerate treatment to relatives and stresses that one should maintain a good relationship with them at all costs. So much so that even if they misbehave and sever relations, one should make efforts to restore not only relationship with them but also their rights. This is what kindness to relatives really means, and Islam has laid great stress on it. Relatives include both paternal and maternal relatives. Even if they were disbelievers, they have right on the person to keep good relation with them.

2- The Hadeeth also stresses the importance of proper treatment with relatives for the reason that this is a special means of attaining the nearness and Mercy of Allaah. A conduct contrary to it, that is to say, negation of the rights of relatives and continuation of estrangement with them, is the cause of displeasure and Wrath of Allaah. Allaah will make them deaf, cannot hear the truth and even if they hear, they will not benefit. And also Allaah will make them blind so they cannot see the truth and even if they see it they will not benefit, so Allaah closed the means of good from them. We seek refuge in Allaah from this state.

3- Keeping the bonds of kinship is done by giving relatives their due rights depending on the custom and what is known among the people. Whatever the people consider as enjoining the bonds then, is considered as such and vice versa, except if the person is living in a community which does not give importance to relatives, then the relation will be enjoined according to what the Shar’iah considers it to be.

4- The punishment of the one who severs the Rahim (relation with the kith and kin) on the Day of Resurrection:

a- The Rahim (i.e. womb) will be waiting for him on the sides of the Sirat
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira and Hudhaifa (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) that the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) said: “Allaah, the Blessed and Exalted, would gather people……..Trustworthiness and kinship would be dispatched, and these would stand on the right and left of the Sirat (Path) and the first of you would pass with (the swiftness) of lightning…..”[Muslim no. 195]

So how would the one who severed the relation with his relatives walk or pass on the Sirat?

b- The Rahim has an eloquent tongue on the Day of Resurrection
The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) said: “Kinship (Rahim) is derived from the All-Merciful (ar-Rahman). When someone maintains the connections of ties of kinship, they maintain connection with him. If someone cuts them off, they cut him off. They will have an unfettered, eloquent tongue on the Day of Rising.“[Al-Adab Al-Mufrad no. 54, and authenticated by Al-Albaani and graded it Saheeh]

The Rahim will speak and testifies for or against the person according to his connection with his relatives. Ibn Abbas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) narrated: “Every time the kinship will come on the Day of Rising in front of each individual and testify on his behalf that he has maintained that tie of kinship if he did indeed maintain it. It will testify against him that he cut it off if he cut it off.”[Al-Adab Al-Mufrad no. 73 and authenticated by Al-Albaani who graded it Saheeh]

c- Evil consequence of showing miserliness to the relatives on the Day of Resurrection
Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) said: “There is no relative comes to one of his relatives (of kith and kin) asking him of that which Allaah has granted him and show miserliness but Allaah will bring out for him (the latter) on the Day of Resurrection a snake from Hell fire called Shujaa’and would encircle him.”[Saheeh At-Targheeb no. 896 and Al-Albaani graded it Hasan Saheeh]

One should not be stingy with his relatives when they ask him of some of what he had saved and has more than his needs, because he who will do that then Allaah will prevent from him His favour and Grace on the Day of Resurrection. As is said in a hadeeth reported by at-Tabarani and authenticated by Al-Albaani who graded it as Hasan in Saheeh at-Targheeb no. 884.

d- He will be prevented from entering Paradise
Narrated Jubair bin Mut’im (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) that he heard the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) saying, “The person who severs the bond of kinship will not enter Paradise.“[Al-Bukhaari no. 5984] Also the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) said: “Three persons will not enter Paradise: the drunken, the one who severed the relation with kith and kin, and the one who believes in magic.”[Reported by Al-Hakim and authenticated by Al-Albaani in as-Silsilah as-Saheeha no. 2539 and graded it Saheeh lighairihi] He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) also said: “The fragrance of Paradise is smelled from a distance of one thousand years, by Allaah the person who severs the bond of kinship will not smell it.”[Saheeh at-Targheeb no. 2516 and Al-Albaani graded it Saheeh]

Accordingly, the person who severs the relationship with his kith and kin will not enter Paradise and will not attain Allaah’s Mercy. This is because he cut off that which Allaah has commanded him to join, so Allaah severed him in this world and Hereafter.

Sources:
Riadus-Saliheen by Darus-Salaam
Sharh Riyadus-Saliheen by Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen
Aleman-lidfa-aledman.net
Sunnah.com