Failing to Maintain Good Relations with Relatives

7. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father in a marfu’ manner from abu Hamza al-Thumali who has said the following: “Once Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib عليه السلام said in one of his sermons, ‘I seek refuge in Allah from sins that accelerate destruction.’ The narrator has said that at this point ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Kawwa’ al-Yashkuri stood up and asked, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin, do sins hasten one’s destruction?’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, it does. Woe upon you, it is failing to maintain good relations with relatives. A family lives together and cooperates with each other, even though they may happen to be a sinful people, Allah grants them sustenance. A family who fails to maintain good relations with relatives face Allah’s depriving them (from benefits), even though they are pious people.’”