[Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Book of Righteousness, Number 1904, Sahih]
From Ibn Umar –RadhiAllaahu anhu- who said: ‘A man came to the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- and said: ‘Indeed I have committed a major sin, is there any repentance for me?’
The Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said: ‘Do you have a mother?’
He answered: ‘No.’
The Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said: ‘Do you have an aunt (mother’s sister)?’
He answered: ‘Yes.’
The Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said: ‘Then be good to her (and it will act as a source of compensating your sins).’
[Ref: Tirmidhi, and declared Saheeh by Albani and in the wording collected by Ibn Hibban and Hakim: ‘Do you have parents?’ ‘Saheeh Targheeb wa Tarheeb’ p.658 no. 2504]
Abu Huraira (r.a)'s Announcement :
أخبرنا أبو عبد الله الحافظ، ومحمد بن موسى، قالا: نا أبو العباس الأصم، نا محمد بن عبيد الله بن المنادي، نا يونس بن محمد المؤدب، نا الخزرج، عن أبي أيوب، عن أبي هريرة، قال: جاء عشية خميس ليلة الجمعة، قال: فقعد الناس حوله، قال: أحرج على كل قاطع رحم إلا قام من عندنا، قال: فقام شاب فأتى عمة له قد حرمها منذ سنين، فسلم عليها، فقالت: ابن أخي ما جاء بك؟ قال: لا، إلا أني قعدت إلى أبي هريرة فقال: أحرج على كل قاطع رحم إلا قام من عندنا، حتى كانت الثالثة، قالت: ارجع إليه فاسأله لم قال ذلك؟ فرجع إليه فقص عليه القصة ما كان من أمره وما قالت له عمته، فقال أبو هريرة: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: " إن أعمال بني آدم تعرض كل خميس ليلة الجمعة، فلا يقبل عمل قاطع رحم "
A young man once went to attend the weekly hadeeth lecture of the Sahabi Sayyidna Abu Hurairah, Radi-Allahu anhu but Abu Hurairah's routine opening announcement stopped him:
"If anyone sitting here has severed any ties of kinship (qata-ur-rahim), he should leave." (and repair his relationship).
The young man recalled his aunt, who lived in the same town but with whom he had not been on speaking terms. The young man quietly left the gathering and went straight to his aunt's home. He met his aunt and asked for forgiveness for his past behavior and sought rapprochement.
When the aunt inquired about the reason for this change of heart, the young man narrated how he had heard Abu Huraira's announcement. His aunt accepted the apology but asked him to inquire from Abu Hurairah, Radi-Allahu anhu, the reason for this unusual announcement. Why, instead of mentioning the major sins, did Abu Hurairah focus only on this issue? What was so special about ties of kinship?
Sayyidna Abu Hurairah replied that he had heard from the Prophet Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam that our deeds are presented to Allah every Thursday night and anyone who has severed family ties has all his good deeds rejected. Abu Hurairah did not want any such person sitting in his gathering, which was held on the same night, for fear that it could deprive the entire gathering of blessings.
Another hadith in Adaab Al Mufrad written by Imam Bukhari, explains further the reason for this fear: "Allah's mercy will not descend on people among whom there is one who severs ties of kinship."
[al-Bayhaqi, Shuab Al-Iman - hadith 7595 and reported in Adaab al Mufrad but classified as Da'eef on pg. 31 da’eef - Irwaa (no. 949) ]
Read more In sha Allah: http://the-finalrevelation.blogspot.com/2012/10/obligation-of-upholding-ties-of-family.html#ixzz3R2kpP7EC
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