In Islam, there are three rights and three obligations.

1.            Huqooq Allah – Rights of Allah on Muslims and Liabilities of Muslims to Allah.

2.            Huqooq Al-Nafs – Rights of our Nafs and our Liabilities towards Nafs.

3.            Huqooq Al-Ibad – Rights of people on us and our Liabilities towards people.

Huqooq Al- Ibaad means the people in general have rights on us. Silet ar Rahm pertains to the rights of our relatives on us. Relatives play a very important role in our lives. It includes our family members, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, nephews, and in-laws. Whether nearest or farthest, rich or poor, all blood relations or matrimonial ones; by marriage.

The importance of unity can not be under-estimated in any social situations. By being kind to our relations, it strengthens our social fabric and united families can face the challenges of life. A united and cohesive family shares sorrow and grief and also happy occasions.

Silet ar- Rahm is any behavior which is generally regarded by people as good, kind, gracious or obligatory when directed towards your relatives is Silet ar-Rahm.

When relatives break links with one another, it is called “Qat’a ar-Rahm”

Allah and the Messenger and his Pure Progeny have encouraged Silet ar-Rahm and strongly discourage Qat’a ar-Rahm.

Increase in life span and sustenance: Families who live with co-operation and care for each other are given increase in sustenance and longer life. Those who are divided and aloof from each other, Allah remove the bounty from their sustenance and their life span is shortened even if they are otherwise pious.

Allah says in Holy Qur’an:

“Who break their established covenant with Allah and the relations Allah has commanded to be kept and who spread evil in the land. These are the ones who lose a great deal” (2:27)

“Those who disregard their covenant with Allah after He has taken such a pledge from them, who sever the proper relations that Allah has commanded them to establish” (13:25)

“If you ignore the commands of Allah would you then also spread evil in the land and sever the ties of kinship.” (47:22)

“…and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, by Whom you demand one of another (your rights), and (to) the ties of relationship” (4:1)

“Certainly Allah orders equity, kindness (to people) and the giving (of what they need) to the relatives.” (16:90)

“Who maintain all the proper relations that Allah has commanded them to maintain, who have fear of their Lord and hardships of the Day of Judgment” (13:21)

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said:

1) “There is destruction in enmity, especially with the relatives. It is the destruction of the religion.”

2) A man approached the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and inquired, “What is the worst deed in the eyes of Allah?” He replied: “To attribute partners to Allah” The man asked: “After this which is the worst sin?” He replied: “To sever relations.”

3) “Do not sever relations with your blood relations even if they cut off relations with you.”

4) When a person goes towards his relatives so that he can fulfill his rights with his life and his wealth, Allah bestows upon him the reward of a martyr at every step he takes. He (Allah) writes down forty thousand Hasana (the unit of Divine rewards) and He erases forty thousand of his sins and He elevates him by forty thousand grades.

Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.) said:

“I seek refuge from the sins which cause hastening of death” Someone asked “Maula, is there a sin by which death is hastened?” He replied: “Yes, the breaking up of the family ties”

Death due to Qat’a ar Rahm: A companion of Imam Jaffer al-Sadiq (a.s.) complained about the ill-treatment given to him by his relatives, “My own brother and my cousins are harassing me. They have snatched my house. If I complained to the government, I shall be able to recover my house.” The Imam said: “Be patient, every thing will be alright.” In the year 131 A.H. there was a terrible plague and all his relatives were perished. Thereafter, the man came back to the Imam. He asked the man: “How are your relatives?” The man said: “By Allah, all of them are dead.” The Imam said: “Their deaths have been due to their ill-treatment and Qat’a ar Rahm of relatives like you, not recognizing your rights and cutting off relationships”

Kindness to relatives is commanded in the same way as Salaat and Zakaat:

It is related from Imam Ali ar-Riza (a.s.): “In the Glorious Qur’an, Allah has ordered Three things along with Three other things:

1)      Salaat is ordered with Zakaat. If one offers Salaat but does not pay Zakat (when it is due upon him), then his Salaat will not be accepted.

2)      Allah has ordered thankfulness to Himself along with thankfulness to one’s parents. If one is not grateful to his parents it is as if he has not been grateful to Allah.

3)      Allah has ordered piety along with kindness to one’s kith and kin. Then one who is not kind to the relatives is not pious.

Worldly Benefits of Kindness to Relatives: Increase in life span, postponement of death, and increase in family. Imam Jaffer al-Sadiq (a.s.) relates three Traditions from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) in the court of Mansur Dawaniqi:

1)      A man, who has only three years of life remaining, performs an act of kindness to his relatives and Allah increases his life by thirty years. In the same way a man has thirty years of life remaining, but due to his breaking of ties with his relatives, his remaining life was decreased to three years.

2)      Fulfilling the rights of kith and kin increases the life span even if the relative is a sinner.

3)      Silet ar Rahm (kindness to relatives) is a cause of the easy accounting of the deeds on the Day of Qiamah and protects one from sudden death.

Reference:

Bihar al-Anwar

Al-Kafi

Nahjul Balagha