Question:
Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullah,
Mufti Saheb,
Is there a certain minimum time, distance, or frequency limit set by the Shari’ah on how often one should visit or keep in touch with his relatives?
(i.e. is it necessary to visit relatives who live far away from one (i.e.
more than 1000 km away)?)
Jazakumullahu khairan,
Wa ‘Alaykum as-salaam,
Answer:
There is no specified time or distance set by Shari’ah in order for one to visit one’s relatives but it is incumbent on a person to keep ties with one’s family in any way. One can send gifts to them, if the family member is in some difficulty then one can try to remove that difficulty for the family member, one should fulfil their needs, if the family member invites one then one should accept the invitation and visit that family member, if a family member is ill then one should visit that family member, if a family member passes away then one should attend the funeral. If it is easy to visit the family member then one should visit that family member at least once in a week or month.
One should give importance to visiting ones parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, paternal and maternal uncles and aunts. If it is difficult to visit them then one can suffice by sending a letter or phoning them, in fact one should make a concerted effort to sometimes visit ones parents no matter how far they live.
And Allah Ta’ala knows best
Mufti Muhammad Ashraf
Darul Iftaa
Jameah Mahmoodiyah
Springs
16 April 2005
07 Rabee’ul Awwal 1426