Have you visited a sick or distressed person this week by going to his home or the hospital and enquired after his health or comforted him; or in the event of a relative’s demise, have you paid condolences in accordance with the Sunnah?

If we act upon this, we shall find ways to maintain ties with our family members and earn the immense reward that accompanies this. Try your absolute best to make a habit of filling in this Pious Deeds booklet; you shall develop steadfastness in performing good deeds.

Those who sever relations with you, join ties with hem!

Bihisht ki Kunjiyān is an Urdu book republished by Maktaba-tul-Madinah, the publishing wing of Dawat-e-Islami. It was originally written by the ḥadīth expert, ‘Abd al-Muṣṭafā A’ẓami  رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه , and is testament to the author’s expertise and vast knowledge. In this, he also discusses the issue of estrangement and dissolving of ties between family members:

In contemporary times, siblings exclaim, ‘From today, I am not your brother, and you are not my sister’, over the most minute of issues. Also, occurring between blood brothers and people masse, this is known as severing ties of kinship. This is harām, and an action which can lead one to Hell. Each Muslim should consistently keep this in mind and never go about breaking said ties. He must always endeavour to maintain them.

Some individuals say, ‘We shall keep ties with relatives who do so with us and cut ties with those who don’t.’ This wholly conflicts and contrasts with what Islam is.

One permissible scenario exists in which ties can be broken with relatives, and that is to sever ties in matters of sharia. For example, if a relative becomes an apostate or misguided, it becomes necessarily binding (wājib) to sever ties with them, no