The first question: What is the criterion for relatives whom one must maintain ties with?

As for the relatives, a person must maintain ties with them. The scholars have differed on this, and the difference is in three opinions.

The first opinion is that the relatives whom a person must maintain ties with are those who inherit from him, based on evidence from the words of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and from the Prophet ﷺ.

It is also said that what is meant are those whom it is forbidden to marry, if one party is male and the other female.

This includes siblings, sons, daughters, parents, and also uncles.

This excludes the children of paternal uncles, the children of maternal uncles, and others. So we say: and among the scholars.

Whoever says that there is no limit to the ties of kinship, then as long as a person is connected by kinship, it is considered kin, even if it is distant.

Even if it is, even if it is distant. But what appears to be correct, and Allah knows best, is that what relates to.

What a person is required to maintain, and whom it is forbidden for him to marry, whom it is forbidden for him to marry if she were a woman and he is a man.

And beyond that, it is recommended, it is recommended, and it may become obligatory in some cases if one of the relatives is in need.

If one of the relatives is in need, and the person is able and the relative cannot do without him, then he must maintain the tie, he must maintain the tie.

As for the other part of the question, which is that she says her brother.

He is far from her, and because she does not keep in touch with him, we say that maintaining ties is a broad concept. It can be done through a phone call, through writing, or by sending a gift, and also.

By checking on him if he is sick or otherwise. We say that this is part of maintaining ties, the kind of ties that are required from a person.

Maintaining family ties, and what is meant by keeping in touch is not necessarily physical presence and witnessing, because this depends on.

The difficulty and avoiding hardship, especially with the vastness of countries and also.

The frequency of people's travels. Sometimes people from the same family are in different places, one in the east and another in the west, unlike earlier times when they would be in the same town and gather together.

And their separation was rare. Therefore, we say in such circumstances, there is no harm for her to maintain ties through affection.

And to send a gift, to visit in case of illness, to respond to invitations and occasions, and that is sufficient, and Allah knows best.