The Zakat Section · 45 – Maintaining Family Ties (Doing Good to Relatives)
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) relates:
When the verse, “You will not attain to righteousness until you spend from what you love” (Al-Imran, 3:92), was revealed, Abu Talha said: "O Messenger of Allah! I see that our Lord is commanding us to give from our wealth to the poor. I declare you witness that I shall donate my land in Eriha for the sake of Allah.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded, “Give it to your relatives.” And Abu Talha divided the land between Hassan ibn Sabit and Ubay ibn Ka’b.
Abu Dawud reports: It reached me through Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Ansari that Abu Talha, Hassan, and Haram share a common ancestor. Ubay ibn Ka'b is the son of Kays ibn Atik ibn Zayd ibn Muawiya ibn Amr ibn Malik ibn an-Najjar. Thus, Amr is the ancestor who unites Hassan, Abu Talha, and Ubay. The Ansari said: There are six ancestors between Abu Talha and Hassan.
EXPLANATION
Eriha: A location near Medina.
Maymunah (radiyallahu anha) narrated: "I had a slave girl whom I freed; the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon me. I informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that I had freed the slave girl. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Allah grant you abundant reward. Had you not freed her but given her to your uncles, your recompense would have been greater.'"
Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to encourage giving charity. A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have only one dirham.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him, "Spend it on yourself." He said, “I have another dirham besides that.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Spend it on your child.” He said, “I have another dirham besides that.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Spend it on your wife or husband.” He said, “I have another dirham besides that.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Spend it on your servant (female slave)." He said, “I have another dirham besides that.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “You know best about your own situation and see it best. Allocate it accordingly."
From Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: “It is sufficient for a person to ruin those whose provision he is responsible for, in terms of sin.” [504]
**EXPLANATION:**
A believer should spend his wealth on his family in goodness and lawful matters, and not leave them in distress. To have what one possesses and yet burden his family is the greatest sin.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) related:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: “If one is delighted by the expansion of his provision and the blessing of his lifespan, let him maintain ties with his relatives.” [505]
EXPLANATION
Maintaining kinship, visiting the righteous, good conduct in society, leads to abundance of provision and a blessed life, even if brief.
Abdurrahman bin Avf, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say:
"Allah, exalted is He, said: 'I am the All-Merciful, the Kind. Kindness is derived from My name, and I have set it apart for Myself. Whoever maintains ties of kinship, I maintain towards him My kindness. And whoever severs them, I sever My kindness towards him.'" [506]
It is narrated from 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn Awf that he heard a hadith pertaining to the meaning of the preceding hadith.
Muḥammad ibn ‘Ubayd ibn Muṭim relates from his father, who transmits on a chain reaching the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him: The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “One who does not maintain ties with relatives will not enter Paradise.”
On the authority of Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), he reported:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: “One who visits his relatives but does not maintain ties with those closest to him is not considered one who maintains family connections. Rather, the one who maintains family connections is the one who maintains them even when they do not maintain it for him.”