Translation: Misbaah Olagunju
The Ninth Counsel (O Student of Knowledge) is:
أداء الحقوق
Fulfilling THE RIGHTS (II)
Fulfilling rights O brothers is a great matter which none discharges except the people true belief, we have upon us a number of great rights (to fulfil)
حق ذوي الأرحام
RIGHT OF KINS
The right which comes right after that (right of the parents) O brothers is the right of the Kin, surely the close relatives have right (to be fulfilled towards them), and they are in hierarchies as you are aware, therefore be keen, may Allah make you fortunate, upon being careful of severing them, rather it is obligatory upon you to uphold them (the kinship ties), Allah —the exalted— said:
(فَهَلۡ عَسَیۡتُمۡ إِن تَوَلَّیۡتُمۡ أَن تُفۡسِدُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَتُقَطِّعُوۤا۟ أَرۡحَامَكُمۡ أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ ٱلَّذِینَ لَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَأَصَمَّهُمۡ وَأَعۡمَىٰۤ أَبۡصَـٰرَهُمۡ)
“Would you then, if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land, and sever your ties of kinship? * Such are they whom Allah has cursed, so that He has made them deaf and blinded their sight.”
[Surah Muhammad 22 - 23]
(وَٱلَّذِینَ یَصِلُونَ مَاۤ أَمَرَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦۤ أَن یُوصَلَ)
“Those who join that which Allah has commanded to be joined (i.e. they are good to their relatives and do not sever the bond of kinship)”
[Surah Ar-Ra'd 21]
Of course you will definitely have difficulties with your relatives and all sorts of behaviour in recompense for your interaction with them, from them are those who will meet your bonding with it’s equivalence, and from them is the kind who is perceptive of good relations with him, and this is the kind referred to as “dhil-Rahim al-Kaashihu” (The relative who conceals enmity) in the hadith, and among your relatives is someone who will be of bad character, who will be a person of repugnance, therefore there are several types from the types of striving in tolerating this kind of relative and in the pursuance of his pleasures, and due to this, the prophet —Allah raise his rank and grant him peace—, considers charity done towards relatives as charity and also joining kinship bonds, and also considers charity towards “dhil-Rahim al-Kaashihu” to be from the beneficial charity that which he exhorted towards (because it strengthens the bond with them), therefore be avid towards it, and be avid towards joining the ties of kinship by visiting whoever you’re able to visit (among your relations).
And be of assistance and be generous towards whoever you are able to assist, make good relations through cheerfulness, through projecting happiness to make them happy, through being with them in difficulties, by frequently checking on them in sickness, by fetching for them what makes them happy and dispelling from them their grieve, and it has been reported in an hadith that:
”The tie of kinship is connected to the Majestic throne, saying: whoever unite me Allah will unite him (with His mercy) and whoever severe me Allah will severe him (from His mercy).” – (Sahih Muslim: 2555 and others).
