Is this Hadith reliable?
“Maintain what your father loved. Do not cut it off lest Allah puts out your light.”
Answer:
This Hadith is suitable to quote and has been recorded in numerous Hadith collections. Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has recorded the following version in his Al Adabul Mufrad:
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) was once on a journey and he passed by a Bedouin. The Bedouin’s father had been a friend of ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu). ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said to the Bedouin, ‘Are you not the son of so-and-so?’ He replied, ‘Yes, indeed.’
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) instructed that he be given the donkey which he would ride on [when not riding on his camel]. He also took off his turban and gave it to him, One of the men with him said, [Since he a simple Bedouin] ‘Wouldn’t two dirhams be sufficient?’
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar replied, Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘Maintain ties with those whom your father loved, do not break off [ties], lest Allah put out your celestial light [in this world/in the Hereafter].’
(Al Adabul Mufrad, Hadith: 40. Also see Faydul Qadir, Hadith: 265 and footnotes of Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah of Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah, under Hadith: 26890)
Imam Muslim (rahimahullah) has also recorded this incident with slight variation in the wording. The last part of the Hadith in Sahih Muslim is as follows:
“The best form of obedience to parents, is for a child to maintain ties with those whom his father was close to”
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2552)
Also see here for an article on a similar topic.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar