Skip to main content

Family · Weekly

Reach out to a relative

The practice
Contact a relative, prioritising one who has cut ties with you
When
once a week
In daily life
Pick one name from your contacts each week: the aunt you haven't called in months, the cousin you drifted away from. A short call or a voice message is enough to start, and with someone who cut you off, a simple 'I've been thinking of you' can open the door.

The sources

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لَيْسَ الْوَاصِلُ بِالْمُكَافِئِ، وَلَكِنِ الْوَاصِلُ الَّذِي إِذَا قَطَعَتْ رَحِمُهُ وَصَلَهَا ‏"‏‏.

“The Prophet ﷺ said, "Al-Wasil is not the one who recompenses the good done to him by his relatives, but Al-Wasil is the one who keeps good relations with those relatives who had severed the bond of kinship with him”
Narrated by `Abdullah bin `AmrSahih al-Bukhari 5991
The full hadith, with its chain and grading →

Arabic: ara-bukhari · Translation: Muhsin Khan (eng-bukhari), from the eng-bukhari edition of hadith-api (public domain), sunnah.com numbering.

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يُبْسَطَ لَهُ فِي رِزْقِهِ، وَأَنْ يُنْسَأَ لَهُ فِي أَثَرِهِ، فَلْيَصِلْ رَحِمَهُ ‏"‏‏.

“I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying, "Who ever is pleased that he be granted more wealth and that his lease of life be pro longed, then he should keep good relations with his Kith and kin”
Narrated by Abu HurairaSahih al-Bukhari 5985
The full hadith, with its chain and grading →

Arabic: ara-bukhari · Translation: Muhsin Khan (eng-bukhari), from the eng-bukhari edition of hadith-api (public domain), sunnah.com numbering.

أَنَّ رَجُلاً، قَالَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَخْبِرْنِي بِعَمَلٍ يُدْخِلُنِي الْجَنَّةَ‏.‏ قَالَ مَا لَهُ مَا لَهُ وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ أَرَبٌ مَالَهُ، تَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ، وَلاَ تُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلاَةَ، وَتُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصِلُ الرَّحِمَ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَقَالَ بَهْزٌ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، وَأَبُوهُ، عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّهُمَا سَمِعَا مُوسَى بْنَ طَلْحَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ، بِهَذَا‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَخْشَى أَنْ يَكُونَ، مُحَمَّدٌ غَيْرَ مَحْفُوظٍ إِنَّمَا هُوَ عَمْرٌو‏.

“A man said to the Prophet ﷺ "Tell me of such a deed as will make me enter Paradise." The people said, "What is the matter with him? What is the matter with him?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "He has something to ask. (What he needs greatly) The Prophet ﷺ said: (In order to enter Paradise) you should worship Allah and do not ascribe any partners to Him, offer prayer perfectly, pay the Zakat and keep good relations with your Kith and kin." (See Hadith No. 12, Vol)”
Narrated by Abu AiyubSahih al-Bukhari 1396
The full hadith, with its chain and grading →

Arabic: ara-bukhari · Translation: Muhsin Khan (eng-bukhari), from the eng-bukhari edition of hadith-api (public domain), sunnah.com numbering.

Part of: Home & Family

More Sunnahs like this

Pick one

Uswa is a free app that helps you keep one small Sunnah at a time, with a reminder that restates your own plan. No ads, no subscriptions.

Get early access

Sources: Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and narrations of Jami at-Tirmidhi graded sahih or hasan sahih by al-Albani.