Rights of Relatives in Islam | According to Quran and Hadith

Islam is a complete code of life. Religion Islam emphasizes on keeping good relationships with family, relatives, and friends. Being a Muslim it is obligatory for you to keep good relation with relatives. According to saying of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), we should visit our relatives, inquire about their matters, spend on them and give them sadaqa if they are poor.

The relatives hold a special status in Islam. Islam gives great stress to the rights of relatives and encourages Muslims to maintain a good relationship with their relatives. In religion Islamic term, ‘Silah-Rahimi’ is used to express ‘good treatment towards the relatives’. In one of hadith Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said about the rights of relatives in these words: “The foremost claim to loving kindness and thoughtful attention on you is of your mother, and, then, of your father, and then, grade by grade, of the other relatives.” (Sahih Bukhari)

The essence of Islam is to serve Allah Almighty and do good to our fellow creatures in which individuals and animals also included. The worship of Allah is linked up with kindness to parents, kindred, and those in want. It is not a matter of verbal kindness; they have certain rights which must be fulfilled.

Allah Almighty says in Holy Quran about the rights of relatives in a way: “Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk”(Quran4:36).  In Islam doing good to the relatives is next in importance to the obedience of parents. Following ayah clearly describes the importance of rights of relatives:“And remember We took a covenant from the Children of Israel that worship none but Allah, and do good to your parents and relatives.”(Quran, 2:83)

Helping relatives comes under both “Justice” and “Doing good”. Still, Allah mentioned it separately; it shows how important this act is in the eyes of Allah. Muslims should keep good relations with their relatives for the sake of Allah Almighty.

For those who do “Silah-Rahimi” will earn rewards in this life and hereafter are mentioned below:

  • His sustenance is increased
  • His life is elongated
  • His family and home prosper
  • His death discomfort is eased
  • Silah-Rahimi is equivalent to the fear of Allah and piety
  • All the doors of paradise will be opened for those who practice Silah-Rahimi

For those who do not keep a good relationship with relatives will suffer a lot in this life and hereafter too. Some of the Ayahs related to this are mentioned below:

Allah Almighty says in Noble Quran: “Who break the covenant of Allah after contracting it and sever that which Allah has ordered to be joined and cause corruption on earth. It is those who are the losers” (Quran, 2:27)

In another verse of Holy Quran Allah Almighty says about keeping ties of kinship in these words: “So would you perhaps, if you turned away, cause corruption on earth and sever your [ties of] relationship?” (Quran, 47:22)

There are many hadiths which show the rights of relatives in Islam some of them are mentioned in this article. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said in one of his hadith: “Whosoever believes in Allah and the last day let him keep the ties of relations.” (Bukhari)

In another narration, He (SAW) said: “Whoever violates the rights of relatives shall not go to Paradise.” This hadith, alone, should be enough to make us realize the importance of ‘Silah-Rahimi’.  It shows that the violation of the relative’s rights is disliked by Allah, that with its foulness, no one can enter Paradise.

In short, we find that the association of the family can only be maintained by feelings of appreciative and kindness. If we want to earn Allah’s pleasure and blessings we must accept the Quranic instructions, and broaden our full support to our relatives. May Allah give us the strength to live our lives according to the Quranic teachings and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)! Ameen