Question Summary:
i want to ask that i am being preesurized to meet my female cousins….. i want to ask tthat in keeping view the present time… what do u thnk that upto which extent a muslim can meet with female cousins…

Question Detail:

i want to ask that  i am being preesurized to meet my female cousins..... i want to ask tthat  in keeping view the present time... what do u thnk  that upto which extent  a muslim can meet with female cousins...
does islam allows to talk to them as a person h
ave to b in contact with his family members, uncles. aunts etc etc
so about spending life in family and with cousins etc.... What does ISLAm SAys.... how our meeting should b done???

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
As Muslims we are very fortunate to be the followers of such a deen which is complete and comprehensive. In our daily lives we ought to be vigilant of falling into the traps of shaitaan. A person at every given moment should be aware of obeying every single commandment of Allah Taala more so in today’s times keeping in mind the amount of fitnah that has come upon us.
Maintaining the bonds of kinship (silatur-rahim) indeed enjoys extraordinary importance in Islam. Conversely, severing the ties (qata-ur-rahim) is very high on the list of major sins. In the Qur’an, Allah has cursed the one severing family ties.
وَالَّذِينَ يَنْقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ
“And those who break the covenant of Allah, after its ratification, and sever that which Allah has commanded to be joined (i.e. they sever the bond of kinship and are not good to their relatives) and work mischief in the land, on them is the curse, and for them is the unhappy home (i.e. Hell)” [Surah-Ar-Rad V: 25.]
Another hadith highlights the high stakes involved in a compelling way: “Rahim (family ties) is a word derived from Ar-Rahman (The Compassionate One) And Allah says: ‘I shall keep connection with him who maintains you and sever connection with him who severs you.’” [Saheeh Al Bukhari]
In today’s times many of us consider the aspect of hijaab to be something of the past. Every aspect of Islam has its rights. In the same manner a male is permitted to keep good family ties with those family members close and far to him which are his Mahram i.e: Those women Haraam for him to marry. On the contrary those females who are his Ghair Mahram i.e: Halaal for him to marry, Shariat instructs us to keep our distance and maintain strict Hijaab.In the following verse Allah commands the Believers to lower their gazes(Surah Nur V:31)
قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ذَلِكَ أَزْكَى لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ
Fuqahaa have extracted that the above verse refers to ones Ghair Mahram, A male will only be allowed to look at the face and hands of a Ghair Mahram out of necessity e.g.: buying and selling etc. To have a general conversation and to be in the company of strange woman is not allowed even though it be a cousin.    [Fataawa Mahmudiyah V19 Pg166]
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Ebrahim Desai,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah