Good Relation with Relatives — report 19

19. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Yahya from Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام who has said the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) عليه السلام has said, ‘A man must never turn away from his relatives, even if he is wealthy and has many children. He must not fail to love them, must not ignore their honor, their defense with his hands and tongue. They are the strongest defending power behind him and the most kind to him, who care the most for his affairs if a misfortune may befall him or is suffering from a hardship. One who holds back from his kin’s people only holds back one hand, and they hold back many hands from him. Whoever shows kindness to his friends finds love with them. Whoever extends his hands in charitable ways when he is able to do so Allah replaces for him in this world and will grant manifold of rewards in the next life. The truthful tongue of a man is a thing that Allah makes serve him among the people better than the property that he consumes or leaves as his legacy. No one of you must ever assume boastfulness and arrogance in his soul and distance himself from his relatives, even if he is a wealthy one. No one of you must ever reduce his good relations with his brother or distance from him when he is poor. No one of you must ever neglect relatives. Kindred relation has a characteristic that holding back from it does not benefit one and spending for it does not harm a person.’”