Quran Verses about Ties of kinship

16 ayahs · from 9 surahs

Allah commands people to be mindful of Him and to guard the ties of kinship, praises those who join what Allah has commanded to be joined, and commands giving close relatives their due of kindness and help. Those who sever the ties of kinship and spread corruption in the land are warned of the curse and an evil abode.

The command to guard and maintain ties of kinship

  1. يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسٖ وَٰحِدَةٖ وَخَلَقَ مِنۡهَا زَوۡجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنۡهُمَا رِجَالٗا كَثِيرٗا وَنِسَآءٗۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِي تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡأَرۡحَامَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ رَقِيبٗا ١

    Yāʾayyuhan-nāsuttaqū rabbakumul-ladhī khalaqakum min nafsiw wāḥidatiw wa khalaqa minhā zawjahā wa baththa minhumā rijālan kathīraw wa nisāʾā, wattaqullāhal-ladhī tasāʾalūna bihī wal-arḥām, innallāha kāna ʿalaykum raqībā.

    O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allāh, through whom1 you ask one another,2 and the wombs.3 Indeed Allāh is ever,4 over you, an Observer.5

    Footnotes (5)
    1. In whose name.
    2. i.e., request favors and demand rights.
    3. i.e., fear Allāh in regard to relations of kinship.
    4. When used in conjunction with Allāh's attributes, the word "ever" (occurring repeatedly throughout this sūrah and elsewhere, such as in sūrah al-Aḥzāb) is quite inadequate in imparting the sense of continuation expressed by the word "kāna" in Arabic, which indicates "always was, is, and always will be."
    5. Ever-present and taking account of everything.
  1. وَٱلَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦٓ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّهُمۡ وَيَخَافُونَ سُوٓءَ ٱلۡحِسَابِ ٢١

    Wal-ladhīna yaṣilūna mā amarallāhu bihī ay yūṣala wa yakhshawna rabbahum wa yakhāfūna sūʾal-ḥisāb.

    And those who join that which Allāh has ordered to be joined1 and fear their Lord and are afraid of the evil of [their] account,

    Footnotes (1)
    1. i.e., they uphold the ties of relationship.

Giving relatives their due and treating them well

  1. وَإِذۡ أَخَذۡنَا مِيثَٰقَ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ لَا تَعۡبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ وَبِٱلۡوَٰلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَانٗا وَذِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِ وَقُولُواْ لِلنَّاسِ حُسۡنٗا وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيۡتُمۡ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا مِّنكُمۡ وَأَنتُم مُّعۡرِضُونَ ٨٣

    Wa idh akhadhnā mīthāqa banī isrāʾīla lā taʿbudūna illallāha wabil-wālidayni iḥsānaw wa dhil-qurbā wal-yatāmā wal-masākīni wa qūlū lin-nāsi ḥusnaw wa aqīmuṣ-ṣalāta wa ātuz-zakāta thumma tawallaytum illā qalīlam minkum wa antum muʿriḍūn.

    And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them], "Do not worship except Allāh; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy. And speak to people good [words] and establish prayer and give zakāh." Then you turned away, except a few of you, and you were refusing.

  1. ۞ لَّيۡسَ ٱلۡبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ قِبَلَ ٱلۡمَشۡرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغۡرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلۡبِرَّ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِ وَٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَءَاتَى ٱلۡمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ ذَوِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَٱلسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِي ٱلرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلۡمُوفُونَ بِعَهۡدِهِمۡ إِذَا عَٰهَدُواْۖ وَٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ فِي ٱلۡبَأۡسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَحِينَ ٱلۡبَأۡسِۗ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُواْۖ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُتَّقُونَ ١٧٧

    Laysal-birra an tuwallū wujūhakum qibalal-mashriqi wal-maghribi wa lākinnal-birra man āmana billāhi wal-yawmil-ākhiri wal-malāʾikati wal-kitābi wan-nabiyyīna wa ātal-māla ʿalā ḥubbihī dhawil-qurbā wal-yatāmā wal-masākīna wabnas-sabīli was-sāʾilīna wa fir-riqābi wa aqāmaṣ-ṣalāta wa ātaz-zakāta wal-mūfūna biʿahdihim idhā ʿāhadū, waṣ-ṣābirīna fil-baʾsāʾi waḍ-ḍarrāʾi wa ḥīnal-baʾs, ulāʾikal-ladhīna ṣadaqū, wa ulāʾika humul-muttaqūn.

    Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allāh, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakāh; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous.

  1. يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَۖ قُلۡ مَآ أَنفَقۡتُم مِّنۡ خَيۡرٖ فَلِلۡوَٰلِدَيۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِۗ وَمَا تَفۡعَلُواْ مِنۡ خَيۡرٖ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٞ ٢١٥

    Yasʾalūnaka mādhā yunfiqūn, qul mā anfaqtum min khayrin falil-wālidayni wal-aqrabīna wal-yatāmā wal-masākīni wabnis-sabīl, wa mā tafʿalū min khayrin fa innallāha bihī ʿalīm.

    They ask you, [O Muḥammad], what they should spend. Say, "Whatever you spend of good is [to be] for parents and relatives and orphans and the needy and the traveler. And whatever you do of good - indeed, Allāh is Knowing of it."

  1. وَإِذَا حَضَرَ ٱلۡقِسۡمَةَ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينُ فَٱرۡزُقُوهُم مِّنۡهُ وَقُولُواْ لَهُمۡ قَوۡلٗا مَّعۡرُوفٗا ٨

    Wa idhā ḥaḍaral-qismata ulul-qurbā wal-yatāmā wal-masākīnu farzuqūhum minhu wa qūlū lahum qawlam maʿrūfā.

    And when [other] relatives and orphans and the needy are present at the [time of] division, then provide for them [something] out of it [i.e., the estate] and speak to them words of appropriate kindness.

  1. ۞ وَٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشۡرِكُواْ بِهِۦ شَيۡـٔٗاۖ وَبِٱلۡوَٰلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَٰنٗا وَبِذِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱلۡجَارِ ذِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡجَارِ ٱلۡجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلۡجَنۢبِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُكُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخۡتَالٗا فَخُورًا ٣٦

    Waʿbudullāha wa lā tushrikū bihī shayʾā, wabil-wālidayni iḥsānaw wabidhil-qurbā wal-yatāmā wal-masākīni wal-jāri dhil-qurbā wal-jāril-junubi waṣ-ṣāḥibi bil-janbi wabnis-sabīli wa mā malakat aymānukum, innallāha lā yuḥibbu man kāna mukhtālan fakhūrā.

    Worship Allāh and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side,1 the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allāh does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful,

    Footnotes (1)
    1. i.e., those whose acquaintance you have made. Also interpreted as the wife.
  1. ۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ وَٱلۡإِحۡسَٰنِ وَإِيتَآيِٕ ذِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَيَنۡهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَٱلۡبَغۡيِۚ يَعِظُكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ ٩٠

    Innallāha yaʾmuru bil-ʿadli wal-iḥsāni wa ītāʾi dhil-qurbā wa yanhā ʿanil-faḥshāʾi wal-munkari wal-baghy, yaʿiẓukum laʿallakum tadhakkarūn.

    Indeed, Allāh orders justice and good conduct and giving [help] to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.

  1. وَءَاتِ ذَا ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرۡ تَبۡذِيرًا ٢٦

    Wa āti dhal-qurbā ḥaqqahū wal-miskīna wabnas-sabīli wa lā tubadhdhir tabdhīrā.

    And give the relative his right, and [also] the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully.1

    Footnotes (1)
    1. i.e., on that which is unlawful or in disobedience to Allāh.
  1. وَلَا يَأۡتَلِ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡفَضۡلِ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلسَّعَةِ أَن يُؤۡتُوٓاْ أُوْلِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينَ وَٱلۡمُهَٰجِرِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَلۡيَعۡفُواْ وَلۡيَصۡفَحُوٓاْۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغۡفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٌ ٢٢

    Wa lā yaʾtali ulul-faḍli minkum was-saʿati ay yuʾtū ulil-qurbā wal-masākīna wal-muhājirīna fī sabīlillāh, walyaʿfū walyaṣfaḥū, alā tuḥibbūna ay yaghfirallāhu lakum, wallāhu ghafūrur raḥīm.

    And let not those of virtue among you and wealth swear not to give [aid] to their relatives and the needy and the emigrants for the cause of Allāh, and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allāh should forgive you? And Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.

  1. فَـَٔاتِ ذَا ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞ لِّلَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ ٣٨

    Fa āti dhal-qurbā ḥaqqahū wal-miskīna wabnas-sabīl, dhālika khayrul lil-ladhīna yurīdūna wajhallāh, wa ulāʾika humul-mufliḥūn.

    So give the relative his right, as well as the needy and the traveler. That is best for those who desire the face [i.e., approval] of Allāh, and it is they who will be the successful.

  1. أَوۡ إِطۡعَٰمٞ فِي يَوۡمٖ ذِي مَسۡغَبَةٖ ١٤

    Aw iṭʿāmun fī yawmin dhī masghabah.

    Or feeding on a day of severe hunger

  2. يَتِيمٗا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ ١٥

    Yatīman dhā maqrabah.

    An orphan of near relationship

  3. أَوۡ مِسۡكِينٗا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةٖ ١٦

    Aw miskīnan dhā matrabah.

    Or a needy person in misery

The warning to those who sever ties of kinship

  1. ٱلَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهۡدَ ٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مِيثَٰقِهِۦ وَيَقۡطَعُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦٓ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفۡسِدُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡخَٰسِرُونَ ٢٧

    Al-ladhīna yanquḍūna ʿahdallāhi mim baʿdi mīthāqihī wa yaqṭaʿūna mā amarallāhu bihī ay yūṣala wa yufsidūna fil-arḍ, ulāʾika humul-khāsirūn.

    Who break the covenant of Allāh after contracting it and sever that which Allāh has ordered to be joined and cause corruption on earth. It is those who are the losers.

  1. وَٱلَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهۡدَ ٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مِيثَٰقِهِۦ وَيَقۡطَعُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦٓ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفۡسِدُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱللَّعۡنَةُ وَلَهُمۡ سُوٓءُ ٱلدَّارِ ٢٥

    Wal-ladhīna yanquḍūna ʿahdallāhi mim baʿdi mīthāqihī wa yaqṭaʿūna mā amarallāhu bihī ay yūṣala wa yufsidūna fil-arḍi ulāʾika lahumul-laʿnatu wa lahum sūʾud-dār.

    But those who break the covenant of Allāh after contracting it and sever that which Allāh has ordered to be joined and spread corruption on earth - for them is the curse, and they will have the worst home.1

    Footnotes (1)
    1. i.e., Hell. Another meaning is (in contrast to verse 22), "...and they will have the bad consequence of [this] home," also referring to Hell.
  1. فَهَلۡ عَسَيۡتُمۡ إِن تَوَلَّيۡتُمۡ أَن تُفۡسِدُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَتُقَطِّعُوٓاْ أَرۡحَامَكُمۡ ٢٢

    Fahal ʿasaytum in tawallaytum an tufsidū fil-arḍi wa tuqaṭṭiʿū arḥāmakum.

    So would you perhaps, if you turned away,1 cause corruption on earth and sever your [ties of] relationship?

    Footnotes (1)
    1. From Islām or from jihād (struggling in the cause of Allāh).
  2. أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَأَصَمَّهُمۡ وَأَعۡمَىٰٓ أَبۡصَٰرَهُمۡ ٢٣

    Ulāʾikal-ladhīna laʿanahumullāhu fa aṣammahum wa aʿmā abṣārahum.

    Those [who do so] are the ones that Allāh has cursed, so He deafened them and blinded their vision.