Allah Almighty says: {Worship Allah and do not associate any partners with Him. Be kind to parents, relatives, orphans, the needy, near and distant neighbors, close friends, wayfarers, and slaves whom you own} [Surat an-Nisā’: 36] Allah Almighty says: {Fear Allah in Whose name you ask one another, and be mindful of your kinship ties} [Surat an-Nisā’: 1] Allah Almighty also says: {and those who maintain [the ties] which Allah has ordered to be maintained, and fear their Lord, and are afraid of a terrible reckoning} [Surat al-Ra‘d: 21] Allah Almighty also says: {We have enjoined upon man kindness to his parents} [Surat al-‘Ankabūt] Allah Almighty says: {Your Lord has ordained that you worship none but Him, and show kindness to parents. If one or both of them reach old age in your care, do not say to them a word of annoyance nor scold them, rather speak to them noble words. and lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy, and say, “My Lord, have mercy upon them as they raised me when I was small.”} [Surat al-Isrā’: 23-24] Allah Almighty also says: {We have enjoined upon man kindness to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning took place within two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents} [Surat Luqmān: 14]
1) The verses highlight the greatness of the parents’ right, then that of the relatives. Allah Almighty joined between His own right to be worshiped and their right to be treated kindly, indicating thereby their great status.
2) The parents are the worthiest of people of the person’s company. Their right comes next to the right of Allah. “The parents are the reason for one’s existence, and their favors upon him are enormous, the father provides for him and the mother lovingly cares for him.” [Ibn Kathīr’s commentary on Allah’s saying: {And We have enjoined upon man kindness to his parents}]
312/1- Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmān ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “I asked the Messenger of Allah, ‘Which deed is the best?’ He said: ‘Offering prayer on time.’ I said, “Then what?’ He said: ‘Kindness to parents.’ I said, ‘Then what?’ He said: “Jihad in the way of Allah.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) The best right due to Allah Almighty after proclaiming His oneness is offering the prayer.
2) The excellence of dutifulness to parents, which is to be kind to them in words and actions.
3) Negligence in extending kindness to parents through words and actions is a form of undutifulness.
4) The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) competed with each other in doing good deeds and raced for attaining righteousness. They used to ask about things that are all-inclusive of benefit.
5) Jihad in the way of Allah enjoys a high status in Islam given the great interests it provides, like protecting the lands of Muslims, and the spread of Islam in all corners of the earth.
313/2- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “No son can repay (the kindness of his father) unless he finds him enslaved so he buys him and emancipates him.” [Narrated by Muslim]
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1) The parents enjoy a great right in Islam, and it comes next to fulfilling the right of servitude to Allah Almighty.
2) It is impermissible for a person to enslave his parents or one of them. Were such a thing to occur, it would be one of the portents of the Hour, heralding great evils owing to people’s corruption.
3) Emancipating a slave parent takes place once his son buys him/her. Buying is a cause for emancipation without need for uttering such words like: I have set him/her free.
314/3- He also reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his guest; whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should maintain his ties of kinship; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or keep silent.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) Maintaining ties of kinship, i.e. ties with one’s relatives, is one of the characteristics of faith.
2) The guidance of Islam ensures reinforcement of the ties among relatives and warns against whatever may weaken or spoil those ties.
315/4- He also reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Verily, Allah Almighty created the creation, and when He had finished that, the womb (ties of kinship) got up and said, ‘This is the place for one who seeks refuge with You from severing (of ties of kinship).’ He said: ‘Yes. Are you not satisfied that I should keep relationship with one who joins your ties with you and sever it with one who severs ties with you?’ It said, ‘Certainly so.’ Thereupon He said: ‘Well, that is how things are for you.’ Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) then said: ‘Recite if you like: {Then if you turn away, what else can be expected but that you will spread corruption in the land and sever your ties of kinship? These are the ones whom Allah has cursed, and has made them deaf and has blinded their sight.} [Muhammad: 22-23]’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
The wording of another narration of Al-Bukhāri reads: “Thereupon, Allah Almighty said: ‘I will keep ties with he who keeps ties with you and sever ties with he who severs ties with you.’”
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1) The Hadīth encourages maintaining ties of kinship and asserts the prohibition of severing them.
2) It is the refuge of Allah alone, without partner, that should be sought. It is impermissible to seek refuge with created beings, even those who enjoy a high position in the sight of Allah Almighty.
3) Maintaining ties of kinship is a cause of receiving mercy from Allah and emergence of goodness among the people, whereas severing ties of kinship is a cause for the spread of mischief and corruption.
The words of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) are one of the best means whereby the noble Qur’an can be explained and the meanings of Allah’s speech can be clarified. That is because the noble Qur’an and the prophetic Hadīths are both revealed by Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty says: {and We have sent down to you [O Prophet] the Reminder to explain to people what has been sent down to them}, which means: we sent down to you the Sunnah so that it would explain to the people the Qur’an that was sent down to them. The aforementioned Hadīth is an example to prove that.
316/5- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “A man came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, who is the most entitled among people to my good companionship?’ He said: ‘Your mother.’ The man said: ‘Then who?’ He said: ‘Your mother.’ The man said: ‘Then who?’ He said: ‘Your mother.’ The man said: ‘Then who?’ He said: ‘Your father.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
According to another version the man said: “O Messenger of Allah, who is the most entitled among people to good companionship?” He said: “Your mother, then your mother, then your mother, then your father, then your nearest relatives according to the order (of nearness).”
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1) The mother is the most deserving person of her chilld’s good companionship, given her weakness and need for care, and because she has suffered as much hardship and trouble as none else has. Moreover, a mother is weak since her birth, so what would her state be in her old age?!
2) One is urged to keep good company with his mother, and with his father to the best of his ability because they are the reason for his existence, after Allah Almighty. Thus, this right is due to them in return for the birth, care, and benefit they provided.
3) Putting the rights in their due order is the justice which the Shariah called for.
4) The Hadīth highlights the Companions’ keenness on knowing the levels of goodness and the rights due upon them.
317/6- He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “May he be disgraced, may he be disgraced, may he be disgraced, he whose parents, either of them or both of them, reach old age in his life and he does not enter Paradise (because of his dutifulness towards them).” [Narrated by Muslim]
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1) Dutifulness to parents is a great reason for entering Paradise.
2) The parents in their old age are the neediest to dutifulness owing to their weakness. Showing dutifulness to them is realized by saying to them good words and treating them in a good way.
3) Undutifulness to parents is a reason for entering Hell. So, one should beware of closing a door to Paradise that was opened to him, and from opening a door leading him to Hell.
318/7- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) also reported that a man said: “O Messenger of Allah, I have relatives whom I keep ties with, yet they sever ties with me; whom I treat kindly, yet they abuse me; and whom I tolerate, yet they are intolerant with me.” Thereupon, he (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “If you are as you say, it is as if you are feeding them hot ashes, and you will have a supporter against them from Allah as long as you continue to do so.” [Narrated by Muslim]
-- His saying: ‘it is as if you are feeding them hot ashes’ is a simile intended for illustrating that the pain they suffer from incurring the sin for doing this is similar to the pain felt by someone who is eating hot ashes, as they bear a huge sin for neglecting his right of maintaining ties with him and abusing him, while he is safe of such a sin for his kindness to them; and Allah knows best.
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1) Maintaining ties of kinship should be based on taking the initiative rather than expecting a similar attitude.
2) A great share of good is for one who fends off abuse through good treatment, and meets his relatives’ severing of ties by maintaining ties with them. {Repel evil with what is good} However, {and none can attain this except those who are greatly fortunate.}
3) Complying with the command of Allah is a reason for a slave receiving help from Him. A guided slave is the one who aptly complies with the law of Allah Almighty and expects the reward for that from Him, without paying attention to people’s negligence of his rights upon them.
4) Having the reward for patience stored is better than receiving the rights in the worldly life, according to the interest involved in pardoning or getting the right. {but whoever pardons and seeks reconciliation}
319/8- Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever loves to have his sustenance expanded and his term of life prolonged should maintain ties of kinship.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) Maintaining ties of kinship is a major reason for increasing one’s sustenance and prolonging one’s life term.
2) One reaps what he sows, so whoever shows kindness to his relatives by maintaining ties with them, Allah will show him kindness by maintaining his sustenance and extending his lifespan.
Allah Almighty, by His wisdom, made maintaining the ties of kinship a Shariah-valid reason for increasing the lifespan of the doer and expanding his sustenance. This does not go against the known fact that all this is predestined.
Just as belief and guidance, and disbelief and misguidance are all predestined and associated with causes, also lifespan and sustenance may increase or decrease in relation to their causes. For this reason, many reports have been reported on supplicating Allah Almighty for having a long life and abundant sustenance. So, O you who keenly wishes to live for long and receive abundant sustenance, hasten to piety and maintaining ties of kinship, for this is the best way thereto.
297/9- Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “Abu Talhah was the richest among the Ansar of Madinah and possessed the largest property from palm-trees, and the most beloved of his possessions to him was (his garden known as) Bayrahā’ which was opposite the mosque. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) often visited it and drank from its fresh water. When this verse was revealed: {You will never attain righteousness until you spend in charity from what you love} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 92], Abu Talhah came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, Allah Almighty has revealed to you: {You will never attain righteousness until you spend in charity from what you love}, and what I love most of my property is Bayrahā’, so I have given it as charity for Allah’s sake, and I anticipate its reward with Him; so spend it, O Messenger of Allah, as Allah guides you.’ Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Well-done! That is a profitable deal! That is a profitable deal! I heard what you said, and I suggest that you give it to your nearest relatives.’ Abu Talhah then said, ‘I will do so, O Messenger of Allah,’ and he divided it among his relatives and paternal cousins.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) Relatives are the most entitled among people to honor and maintenance of ties.
2) Spending on relatives counts as both maintenance of ties of kinship and charity.
3) It is recommended to consult scholars regarding important matters, for scholars are the heirs of prophets.
321/10- ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: “A man came to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and said: ‘I pledge allegiance to you to make Hijrah (emigration) and Jihad, seeking reward from Allah.’ He said: ‘Is either of your parents alive?’ He said, ‘Yes, both of them.’ The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘And you are seeking reward from Allah Almighty?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Then return to your parents and give them your good companionship.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim; this is the wording of Muslim]
Another version narrated by both of them reads: “A man came seeking his permission to perform Jihad, so he said: ‘Are your parents alive?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Then strive in serving them.’”
1) Prioritization is required in the Muslim’s life; he should start with fulfilling the most confirmed rights, then what comes next. This reflects the person’s good understanding and that he is rightly guided by Allah Almighty.
2) Dutifulness to parents is one of the most confirmed obligations; it is more confirmed than Jihad when it is a communal obligation.
3) Jihad has ranks and branches, and whoever performs an act of obedience, seeking thereby to please Allah Almighty, like being dutiful to his parents, is considered to be performing an aspect of Jihad (striving) for the sake of Allah Almighty.
322/11- He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The one who upholds ties of kinship is not the one who recompenses the good done to him by his relatives; rather, he is the one who keeps good relations with those relatives who had severed the bond of kinship with him.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
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1) The true upholder of ties of kinship is the one who takes the initiative to maintain ties with his relatives, even if they do not respond to him in the same manner.
2) It is obligatory to devote one’s deeds sincerely to Allah Almighty, for the good effects resulting from that endure in the worldly life and the Hereafter.
323/12- ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The womb (meaning the ties of kinship) is suspended from the Throne, saying: ‘He who keeps ties with me, Allah will keep ties with him, and he who severs ties with me, Allah will sever ties with him.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) Ties of kinship have a significant status in Islam, and due to this, they are under the Throne and near to the Most Merciful.
2) Whoever upholds ties with his relatives, Allah will extend His bounty and mercy to him, and whoever severs ties with his relatives, Allah will sever connection with him.
324/13- The Mother of the Believers, Maymūnah bint al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that she had set free a slave-girl of hers without first seeking the permission of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). On the day when it was her turn to have the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) stay with her overnight, she said to him, ‘O Messenger of Allah, do you know that I set free my slave-girl?’ He said: ‘You did?’ She replied, ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Had you given her to your maternal uncles, your reward would have been greater.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) Charity given to relatives is better and greater in reward, because it combines both charity and maintenance of ties of kinship.
2) A Muslim with a good understanding of the religion consults with people of knowledge in order to handle matters properly.
325/14- Asmā’ bint Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her and her father) said: “My mother came to me while she was still a polytheist, during the time of the covenant of the Messenger of Allah (with the Quraysh). So, I asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): ‘My mother has come to visit me, wishing to receive something good from me. Shall I maintain relations with her?’ He replied: ‘Yes, maintain relations with your mother.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
It was said that she was her biological mother, and it was also said that she was her mother through suckling, but the first opinion is the correct one.
The covenant of the Messenger of Allah (with the Quraysh): the term of his peace treaty with the polytheists of Quraysh in Hudaybiyah.
1) A Muslim should uphold ties with his relatives, even if they are disbelievers, because the right of kinship is due to them.
2) Maintaining ties of kinship with disbelieving relatives is not part of the forbidden alliance with the disbelievers, rather it is a form of dutifulness and fair treatment that are not prohibited.
3) The perfect justice of Islam is reflected in giving every person his due right without injustice or exaggeration. A disbelieving relative should have his right of maintaining of ties with him because he is a relative anyway.
321/15- Zaynab al-Thaqafiyyah, wife of ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Give in charity, O women, even if it should be some of your jewelery.” I returned to ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd and said, ‘You are a man who does not possess much (property), and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) has commanded us (women) to give charity. So go and ask him if giving charity to you will serve the purpose; otherwise, I shall give it to someone else.’ ‘Abdullāh said: ‘Rather, you go ask him.’ I went and found a woman of the Ansār at the door of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), waiting to ask the same question as mine. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was endowed with awe, and so we could not go in. When Bilāl came out to us, we said to him, ‘Go to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and tell him that there are two women at the door who have come to ask him whether it will serve them to give charity to their husbands and to orphans who are in their charge, but do not tell him who we are.’ Bilāl went in and asked him, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) asked him who the women were. When he told him that they were a woman from the Ansār and Zaynab, he asked him which Zaynab it was, and when he was told that it was the wife of ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd, he (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘They will have a double reward, one for maintaining the ties of kinship and another for giving charity.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) Upholding ties with relatives through charity earns the upholder two rewards, one for charity and one for maintaining ties with them.
2) It is permissible for a wife to give charity to her household members.
3) It is permissible for a woman to go out of her house to fulfill a need or ask about a matter related to religion, provided that she has taken permission from her husband to do that.
4) Seeking religious knowledge and inquiring about useful matters is one of the most important obligations.
327/16- Abu Sufyān, Sakhr ibn Harb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported, in the course of his long narration about Heraclius when the latter questioned him about the teachings of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): I (Abu Sufyān) said: “He (i.e. the Prophet) says to us: ‘Worship Allah alone and do not associate anything with Him, and give up what your ancestors say.’ And he commands us to perform prayers, speak the truth, to observe modesty, and to uphold the ties of kinship.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) The mission of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was founded on worshiping Allah Almighty in a good manner by proclaiming His oneness, and being kind to the people by maintaining ties with them and fulfilling their rights.
2) The command to uphold ties of kinship is one of the first provisions laid down by Islam, the thing that testifies well to its significance.
328/17- Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Verily, you are going to conquer a land where the ‘qīrāt’ is mentioned.”
In another version of the Hadīth, he said: “You are going to conquer Egypt, which is a land where the qīrāt is frequently mentioned. So when you conquer it, treat its inhabitants kindly, for there is a right due for them as well as blood ties with them.”
According to another version of the Hadīth, “...So when you conquer it, be kind to its inhabitants, for there is a right due for them for the blood ties with them,” or he said: “for the marriage relationship with them.” [Narrated by Muslim]
Scholars said that the blood ties refer to the fact that Hājar, the mother of Ismā‘īl (Ishmael, peace be upon him) was from that land. The marriage relationship refers to the fact that Māriyah, the mother of Ibrāhīm, the son of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was from that land.
Qīrāt: the name of a currency.
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1) Blood relatives are entitled to keeping ties with them even the far ones, for the concept of kinship ties is broader than the close relatives.
2) Maintaining ties with maternal relatives is the same as maintaining ties with paternal relatives.
3) It is recommended to be kind to blood relatives and those related through marriage even if they are polytheists, so long as they are not in war with Allah Almighty and His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and not showing open animosity.
329/18- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “When this verse was revealed: {And warn [starting with] the nearest kinsfolk.} [Surat al-Shu‘arā’: 214] the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) called the people of Quraysh. When they gathered, he addressed them generally and personally and said: “O sons of ‘Abd Shams! O Banu Ka‘b ibn Lu’ay! Save yourselves from Hell! O Banu Murrah ibn Ka‘b! Save yourselves from Hell! O Banu ‘Abd Manāf! Save yourselves from Hell! O Banu Hāshim! Save yourselves from Hell! O Banu ‘Abdul-Muttalib! Save yourselves from Hell! O Fātimah! Save yourself from Hell, for I have no power (to protect you) from Allah in anything except that I would duly sustain my ties of kinship with you.” [Narrated by Muslim]
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The nearest kinsfolk: your closest relatives then the ones next to them.
He addressed them generally and personally: he spoke to them of what generally applies to all of them, then he singled some of them because of their close kinship with him.
1) It is obligatory to maintain ties with relatives, take care of them, try constantly to reform them and guide them to what is good, for these are some of the fruits of maintaining ties of kinship.
2) A caller to Allah is required to start with warning his own relatives then the members of his clan, for the relatives are worthier of receiving goodness, then those who come next to them, till goodness reaches all the people.
3) Keenness on guiding people is one of the characteristics of a successful caller to Allah, as he demonstrates his love to people and his care to extend goodness to them.
4) The Hadīth encourages a Muslim to do good deeds and not rely upon lineage or boasting of it.
330/19- ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) saying publicly, not secretly: ‘Indeed, the family of Banu so-and-so are not my allies. Rather, my ally is Allah and the righteous believing people, but they (that family) have kinship ties with me and I do what I must do to uphold them.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim; this is the wording of Al-Bukhāri]
My ally: my supporter to whom I turn in all my affairs.
1) Loving and hating for Allah’s sake is one of the most important characteristics of faith. A believer has to disassociate himself from affection to the disbelievers with regard to their religion, since there should not be alliance between a Muslim and a disbeliever.
2) The disbelieving relative is entitled to the right of upholding ties of kinship with him, but he is not entitled to the right of alliance which entails love and aid.
3) The bond of Islam and brotherliness for the sake of the religion are greater than the bonds of blood, marriage, and interest.
Ties that should be maintained are general and personal:
- General ties are those related to faith and knowledge; they should be maintained by mutual love and exchange of advice, enjoining adherence to the truth and patience, and fulfilling obligatory as well as recommended rights.
- Personal ties , on the other hand, refer to relationships that are based on blood, marriage, or breastfeeding.
The all-inclusive meaning of maintaining such ties is to extend good to them to the best of one’s ability, and avert evil from them to the best of his ability, as the situation may call for.
331/20- Abu Ayyūb, Khālid ibn Zayd al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man said: “O Messenger of Allah, inform me of a deed that admits me to Paradise and distances me from Hell. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Worship Allah and not associate any partner with Him, establish prayer, pay Zakah, and uphold kinship ties.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) Muslims are urged to carry out the Shariah obligations including maintaining ties of kinship, for they are a reason for entering Paradise and distancing from Hell.
2) It is part of a person’s good understanding of the religion that he endeavors to keep himself away from the Fire and to enter Paradise and attain the pleasure of Allah Almighty.
332/21- Salmān ibn ‘Āmir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When any of you breaks his fast, let him break it with dates for they are a blessing. If he cannot find dates, then with water, for it is pure.” He also said: “Charity given to a needy person counts as charity only, but charity given to a relative counts as (two good deeds): charity and maintaining ties.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan (sound)]
1) The Shariah explains that charity is of various degrees based on the one to whom it is given. The closer the recipient is, the better the charity is.
2) Charity given to the poor counts as charity only, but charity given to a relative counts as both charity and maintaining of kinship ties.
This Hadīth is not authentic if cited as a statement of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). Rather it is authentically attributed to him as an action. Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to break his fast before he prayed with fresh dates; if there were not any, he would eat some small dates; if there were not any, he would have some sips of water.
333/22- Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: “I had a wife whom I loved, but (my father) ‘Umar hated her. He told me to divorce her, but I refused. ‘Umar went to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and mentioned this to him. So the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Divorce her.’” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
1) It is obligatory to obey the parent even in what is disliked.
2) Obedience to the parents applies to what is good only. If one of them orders his child to do something that would spoil his religiosity, then no obedience is due to him.
334/23- Abu Ad-Dardā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man came to him and said: “I have a wife and my mother orders me to divorce her?” So, he said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: ‘The parent is the middle door of Paradise (i.e. the best way to Paradise), so it is up to you whether you take advantage of it or not.’” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
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1) Pleasing the parents takes precedence over pleasing the wife.
2) The Companions’ approach in giving Fatwa was to mention the statements of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) without unnecessarily conducting personal reasoning.
Obedience is not absolutely due in all cases where a father orders his son to divorce his wife, but this rather depends on the father’s character and uprightness. If he is righteous, wise, and more aware of the interests than his son, then he should be obeyed in this case. But if the father is dissolute and unwise, he should not be obeyed in what incurs evil upon his son.
335/24- Al-Barā’ ibn ‘Āzib (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The maternal aunt has the status of the mother.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
There are many other famous Hadīths reported in the books of Sahīh Hadīths that are relevant to this topic like the Hadīth of the People of the Cave, the Hadīth of Jurayj, and both were previously cited. There are still other famous Hadīths cited in the books of Sahīh that I have excluded for the sake of brevity. One of the most important of them is the long Hadīth reported by ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) that included many general principles and etiquettes of Islam. I will cite it in full, Allah willing, in the Chapter on Hope. ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) said in this Hadīth: “I entered upon the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) in Makkah, i.e. at the beginning of his mission of prophethood, and said to him: ‘Who are you?’ He said: ‘I am a prophet.’ I said: ‘What is a prophet?’ He said: ‘I was sent by Allah, the Exalted .’ I said: ‘What did He send you with?’ He said: ‘He sent me with the command to uphold the ties of kinship and to destroy the idols so that Allah alone should be worshiped and nothing should be associated with Him...’” and he mentioned the Hadīth till its end. Allah knows best.
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1) It is obligatory on a person to show dutifulness and kindness to his maternal aunt just as he does with his mother because they are of the same status. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The maternal aunt has the status of the mother.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
2) The maternal aunt is like the mother in terms of her compassion to her nephews and nieces and her taking care of them.