Kindness Toward Close Familial Ties: Rights of Relatives

Explaining the right of relatives as regards kindness to close familial ties Huzoore Anwer (may Allah be his Helper) said:

“ (silla rehmi–kindness to close familial ties) is a very expansive term. It entails that the relatives of wife have the same rights as the man’s own relatives. towards them is just as important as it is to one’s own relations. If this habit is instilled and (silla rehmi) is practised from both sides, will bickering and arguments still take place in homes? Not at all, because most conflicts arise over small issues such as a slight annoyance from the in-laws or if someone’s father or someone’s mother says something, even if in jest, and someone does not like it and is quickly offended and says that he would not talk to their mother-in-law or will not talk to their father-in-law or brother-in-law. Accusations are also made about other relatives. It is these irritabilities expressed on these small matters that become basis of bigger conflicts.”

(Friday sermon delivered on 2 July 2004 at International Centre, Mississauga, Canada. Published Al Fazl International, 16 July 2004)