Maintaining Family Ties in Islam: Dealing with Innovations and Disagreements

Can We Sever Ties with Relatives Who Practice Innovations like Milad and Quran Recitations?

Question: Can we tell our siblings or close relatives that if they don’t stop practicing innovations like celebrating Milad, Quran recitations, Khatam, and Giyarvi, we will sever ties with them?

Answer: We should not sever ties based on these things, but we can distance ourselves from them, meaning we should not participate or assist in such activities. However, the relationship should remain intact because the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) strongly warned against breaking family ties. In fact, he emphasized that maintaining ties means mending broken relationships. In the Prophet’s time, many companions had parents or relatives who were non-Muslim or polytheists, yet they maintained their ties while continuing to treat them with kindness. For example, Abu Hurairah’s (RA) mother was a polytheist, but he remained with her, prayed for her guidance, and eventually, she embraced Islam. So, we should maintain relationships while avoiding participation in sinful activities and continue to advise them when the opportunity arises.

 Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullah

❪Jeddah Dawah Center – Al-Salamah – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia❫