On the other hand...

On the other hand, a man might have 33 years of his life left but because he did not observe family ties, Allah will shorten his life by 30 years.” He (S) also said: “Do not sever your relationship with a member of your family even if he severs his relationship with you.” He (S) also said: “When my people ignore family ties, their wealth falls into the hands of rascals.” Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) the Commander of the Faithful said: “When people sever family ties, their wealth falls into the hands of the wicked.” He (a.s.) also said: “Surely one of the sins which hastens the coming of death is the severance of family ties.” Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) and Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “There are three things in which Allah does not give any permission to any body to disregard them: trustworthiness to the good and to the bad, keeping covenants for the good and the bad, and doing good to parents whether they are good or bad.” Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a.s.) was asked concerning: “And be careful of (your duty to) Allah by whom you demand one of another (your rights), and (to) the ties of relationship.” [^1] He said: “It means the family relationship.

Surely Allah the Most High has ordered it to be regarded and has magnified it. Do you not observe that He has mentioned it with Himself.” In another saying he (a.s.) listed lying among the grave (mortal) sins; the same thing being found in an epistle of Imam ‘Ali al-Rida (a.s.) to the caliph al-Ma’mun.

Mentioning the grave (mortal) sins, he (a.s.) included the severing of family ties and commented that it is about such people who commit this sin that Allah says: ‘Upon them shall be the curse and they shall have the evil (issue) of the abode.’ [^2] Commenting on the Qur’an 4:1, Imam ‘Ali al-Rida (a.s.) said: “Allah has ordered people to be careful of their duty to Him as well as observing family ties.

A person who does not observe family ties has not been careful of his duty to Allah.” [^1]: The Qur’an 4:1. [^2]: The Qur’an 13:25. Previous…