“Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk..” (4:36)
Treating family and relatives with kindness is considered one of the biggest good deeds a Muslim should ever did. Relatives, alongside with family, is the biggest support system someone can ever get. While there are many ways to be kind, there are also many rights of relatives in Islam that should be fulfilled:
1. Treated with Kindness
Allah SWT and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) commanded us to treat our parents with kindness it’s even written in the Holy Quran. However, not only parents to whom we should treat with kindness. We have to do the same to our relatives as well. Also read Rights of Minorities in Islam
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
“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.” (Bukhari)
2. A Good Relationship Should be Maintained
A good Muslim should be able to maintain his relationship with his relatives. Since the command to do maintain a good relationship came directly from Allah SWT, then keeping a good relationship with them considered as a form to worship Allah SWT and being obedient to the Exalted. Also read The Rights of Husband upon Wife in Islam Rules
“Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk” (4:36)
3. To be Supported with Their Needs
There are a good ways to keep our relationship with the relatives in a good terms, that is to support our relatives whenever they need everything. Spending to our relatives is also a good deeds. There is a Quranic verse about supporting our relatives which goes:
“You will not attain piety until you spend from that which is beloved to you”. (3:93)
4. To be Helped
Helping each other is an obligation for everyone. We should be kind and living a good life by helping each other. While helping other people invite a good reward, helping our own relatives is one of the greatest good deeds. It is also part of the rights of relatives in Islam:
“And render to the kindred their due rights.”(17:26)
5. For Sharing Their Sorrow
As a one whole family, thick and thin, happiness and sadness should be shared together. So whenever our relatives are deep in sorrow, we should be there for them to share their sorrow. The simplest example is when one of our relatives is passed away, we should show our deepest condolence, visiting their house, and helping them with anything they need. Also read Rights of Inheritance in Islam for Women
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6. To be Respected by the Younger Relatives
Keeping the ties with relatives is an obligation for every Muslim. It is including the way we treat them. If our status in the family is a younger relative, we should treat the older relatives not only with kindness but also with respect. It’s how we try to maintain a good relationship with them.
“Whosoever believes in Allah and the last day let him keep the ties of relations.” (Bukhari)
7. To be Loved Dearly
Another rights of relatives in Islam that should be fulfilled no matter what is to give them love and passion. Loving our relatives dearly can be shown and proof in many ways. Caring for them, always there for them whenever they need us, and treating them with kindness are how we can show our genuine love to our relatives. Also read Rights Of Parents in Islam
Rewards for Being Kind to Relatives
Family and relatives are the most important thing in a Muslim’s life. Keeping a tight ties between families will be highly rewarded by Allah SWT. Here are the biggest reward for those to treat all the relatives with kindness.
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- Elongated Life
If we are having a good relationship with our relatives and extended family, our lifespan also increasing. How could it be? Because we are happy when we are able to maintain a good relationship with others. We can feel their love and support in our life. It’s the most important thing to get through life who can be rough and tough sometimes. Also read Virtues of Charity in Islam
- Increased Sustenance
Having many relatives and family is a good guarantee to us. When our relationship with them are good and we are able to fulfill the rights of relatives in Islam, our relatives can be a big help for our everyday lives. There are also many benefits we could gain. One of those is that our sustenance is increased by Allah SWT.
Remember that when we do a good deed to others, it will invite another goodness to our lives. And when our lives are better than our relatives, it is our obligation to help them within our power and capability.
- Prosperity in Family and Home
Allah SWT has guarantee Himself that whoever treat his relatives with kindness, Allah will never let him living a poor life. Giving our relatives their rights is opening the door of rizq and blessing as wide as possible. Then it resulted in increasing prosperity for our family and home.
- Eased in Death
The more goodness and positivity we have in life, then the less sorrow we will have. Not only in life, we gain many benefits until the end our life. All death discomfort that may come to us will be eased as a reward that we have given the rights of our relatives.
- Doors of Paradise Widely Opened
Be kind, that the door of Paradise will be opened for you. Treat them badly, then you won’t be able to enter it forever.
This is verified by the Prophet (peace be upon him) who said,
“Whoever violates the rights of relatives shall not go to Paradise.”
It is clear that there are many rights of relatives in Islam that should be fulfilled. Allah SWT has also made it clear that the biggest reward will be given to those who give them their rights. And as for Muslims who do bad to their relatives and not treating them with kindness, they will not be able to enter Paradise.