All of us have relatives viz. brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, grandfathers, grandmothers, etc. In some cases all of them reside together in a single house. While in some cases they live separately at a distance from each other. Some of these relatives live in different places within the same city. While some live in different places across several cities spread over various countries. No matter where they reside, there is one thing that is common is that all these people with us are our relatives. Some of them are closely related to us, while in some cases they are distant relatives, however, they are related to us in some way or the other.
Since they are our relatives, it is necessary that we treat them kindly with love and affection. We must always be prepared to help them in prosperity as well as in adversity. We must always support them, encourage them, and befriend them in their loneliness. This is our moral, religious and human responsibility.
We should frequently visit them, inquire about their health, write letters to them, and present them with gifts. If anyone of them is unwell, then we must visit them. If they are poor then we must assist them financially. We must participate in wedding
ceremonies and other important engagements. Actually all this is our religious duty.
Allah forbid, if anyone of them meets with an accident then we must visit him in the hospital. Or Allah forbid, if one of them expires, then we must participate in the funeral and burial. We should offer our sincere condolences. All these are also a part of our religious and moral responsibility.
Allah has commanded us to maintain relations and has prohibited us from severing relations under any circumstance. Allah loves that man who maintains good relations. One’s age increases by maintaining relations and one’s age decreases by severing relations. We can maintain relations even by exchanging salaam, and by inquiring about one’s health, by calling them through the telephone or by e-mail.
Our beloved Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said: ‘Join relations even if it is by exchanging salaam’.
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