“The womb-tie is a close bond. Whoever maintains it, I will maintain ties with him; and whoever severs it, I will sever ties with him.”
Narrated by al-Bukhārī (no. 5989), from the narration of ʿĀʾishah — may Allah be pleased with her.
Also narrated by al-Bukhārī (no. 5988), from the narration of Abū Hurayrah — may Allah be pleased with him — with the wording: “Indeed, the womb-tie is a close bond from the Most Merciful…”
Brief Explanation of the Hadith
Allah has made maintaining the ties of kinship among the greatest means of attaining His mercy and pleasure, and He has derived its very name from His own Name “al-Raḥmān” as an honor to its status and to show its lofty rank. Thus, the revealed texts emphasize the gravity of its right and the seriousness of severing it. Among them is the statement of the Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him: “The womb-tie is a close bond; whoever maintains it, I will maintain him, and whoever severs it, I will sever him.” And in another narration: “Indeed, the womb-tie is a close bond from the Most Merciful.” That is to say, the term raḥim (kinship tie) is derived from the Name of Allah, al-Raḥmān, for it is an effect of His mercy, bound to Him in a close connection, like the intertwining of veins and their interlacing.
The word raḥim applies to one’s relatives — all who are connected by lineage, whether or not they are heirs, and whether or not they are unmarriageable kin (maḥārim).
Then the Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — informed that whoever maintains the ties of kinship, Allah will maintain him; that is, whoever upholds his kin through kindness, honor, and due care, Allah will uphold him with His immense bounty and grace, and ennoble him with His love and nearness.
The scholars have mentioned that maintaining kinship varies according to the circumstances of both the one who maintains and the one to whom it is maintained: at times through financial support, at times through service, at times through visiting and offering greetings, at times through communication and correspondence, and by other forms of benevolence. As for the one who severs his kinship ties and turns away from them, Allah will sever him from His mercy and guidance.
The determination of what constitutes maintaining kinship is referred back to customary practice: whatever people regard as an act of connection is deemed connection, and whatever they regard as severance is deemed severance. This may vary according to different customs, times, and places.
The ḥadīth indicates: the obligation of maintaining ties of kinship and the warning against severing them; that kinship is an extension of Allah’s mercy, intertwined with it—thus, whoever severs it is cut off from Allah’s mercy, and whoever maintains it attains His mercy. It further shows that recompense is in accordance with one’s deed, and that Islam calls for solidarity and cohesion among members of the community.