Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Allah (swt), who created us from the same mother and father, has given us the bond of blood and affection as a right and responsibility. Maintaining family ties is sometimes something we neglect, sometimes we delay, yet it is one of the foundational pillars of our religion. Sıla-i rahim is defined as “keeping family bonds alive, maintaining relationships with relatives, observing their rights and visiting them.” In the verse I recited at the beginning of my khutba, Allah (swt) commands: “Be mindful of Allah, in whose name you appeal to one another, and of the ties of kinship. Surely Allah is ever watching over you.”[1] Scholars, based on this verse as well as other verses and hadiths, have declared that neglecting sıla-i rahim is haram (forbidden).

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

The bond we establish with our relatives is so important that it affects our connection with Allah (swt) as His servant. A healthy relationship built on kindness, compassion and justice with our family leads to divine mercy in every aspect. In this regard, our beloved Prophet (saw) said: “Learn your lineage in order to maintain ties of kinship. Without doubt, maintaining these ties brings love, wealth in your possessions, and blessings in your work.”[2] Unfortunately, in the hustle and bustle of daily life, family and kinship ties have weakened, even to the point of disappearing altogether. Yet our religion not only commands us to strengthen these relationships as much as possible but also forbids us from severing the bonds.

Dear Jama’ah!

A life that finds blessing through sıla-i rahim is enriched not only with sustenance, but also with peace, love and prayer. In families where hands are extended to one another, where people ask how others are doing, and stand shoulder to shoulder in both sorrow and happiness, the mercy of Allah never ends. Sometimes a visit, sometimes a phone call, sometimes even a simple greeting is enough to open the doors of this mercy. Because sıla-i rahim is not just a responsibility,  it is a means of blessing. Indeed, our Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “Whoever wishes for their provision to be increased or their life to be extended, let them maintain ties of kinship.”[3] Through this hadith, he teaches us that maintaining family ties is the path to attaining such blessings. However, sıla-i rahim is not limited to remembering only those who are alive. Reading Al-Fatiha at a grave, remembering a fellow believer, sharing in their sorrow, lightening their burden, all of these are also part of sıla-i rahim. To show care to our relatives but neglect the oppressed brothers and sisters on the other side of the world is to misunderstand the full meaning of sıla-i rahim. Remembering a child in Gaza who needs a bite to eat or a distressed brother waiting in Syria, this too, is sıla-i rahim. It is a bridge of mercy that transcends borders, languages, and geographies. When we travel to our homelands and visit loved ones. Let us see this as an opportunity not only to take a holiday, but to practice sıla-i rahim. Let us revive our family ties, end conflicts and spread love. Let us make those visits we’ve neglected, ask about our relatives’ wellbeing and visit the graves of those who came before us. Let us send greetings, win hearts, compete in doing good, even with small gestures, and give sadaqah for our journey before we set out. May Allah (swt) make us among those believers who keep family ties alive and build bridges of affection. May He make the roads we travel safe and the homes we reach peaceful. We pray for ease, health, safety and blessed journeys to all our brothers and sisters who are travelling or planning to travel. Ameen.

[1] Surah An-Nisa, 4:1

[2] Tirmizi, Birr ve Sıla, 49

[3] Buhârî, Edeb, 12

Khutba – The Door Opened to Paradise: Sıla-i Rahim