Can I distance myself from my family if they’re toxic and make my life miserable, or would that be a major sin?
As-salamu alaykum, everyone. I need some heartfelt advice about a family situation that’s been weighing on me heavily. To sum it up: My family has been deeply toxic, neglectful, and abusive throughout my childhood. Now that I’m older, I thought they had truly changed, but recent events showed they still harbor ill feelings-they lied about me and tried to make my life as difficult as possible. Is it haram if I cut ties completely? For some context, I come from a family that picks and chooses when to be religious. Growing up, my older brother physically abused me, and my family always excused it, saying they’d only “talk” to him instead of disciplining him seriously. The abuse eventually stopped, and I chose to forgive him even though he never sought forgiveness. My mother neglected me to the point where I had to learn self-care on my own-I’d go without showering, brushing my teeth, changing clothes, or eating proper meals. My older sister would mock me for smelling bad and lacking hygiene, often gossiping about me with my step-sisters right in front of me. Again, I forgave both her and my mother, even though they never asked for forgiveness, because I wanted to be a good Muslim and uphold family ties. Over time, I grew closer to my siblings and parents, but things fell apart when my brother got married. His wife took a dislike to me and fabricated lies about me, turning the whole family against me. My brother backed her up, and together they convinced everyone that I should be forced to live with my dad (since my siblings live there and can “keep an eye” on me) and that I should be physically disciplined for things I never did. My brother even threatened to beat me himself when I tried to defend myself. My mum told me directly that she believed me, yet she still went along with the rules my siblings set, and even arranged for my dad to come to her house to forcibly take me to his. Once there, I was made to cook for the entire household while they continued lying about me and speaking ill of me behind my back. If I didn’t serve them or call them for meals, my dad would yell that it’s “wrong” to act that way and that families shouldn’t hold grudges over “mistakes.” My dad is very traditional and often twists Islamic teachings to suit him, like saying Islam requires women to cook and clean for men. Now that I have a job and can save money, I’m seriously thinking of moving out and cutting off all contact with my family. They have no idea about my plans, and they would never allow it-they’d likely argue it’s haram for a woman to live alone, even though I’m an adult and financially independent. I might keep minimal contact with my mum, because I know my siblings and dad will blame her if I leave without their permission and make her life miserable. My mum doesn’t treat me outright badly, but she treats me noticeably worse than my siblings, even though I’m the only child who actively helps her, cooks for her, and cleans when she needs it. She lashes out at me when my siblings scold her for not following their “discipline” instructions, saying I’m the source of all her stress. So my main question is: Would it be haram to completely cut ties with my family, given everything I’ve described? Surely Allah, in His infinite mercy, understands how unbearably hard it is to stay connected to people who harm me so deeply, and how much it affects my well-being. Could it be that I won’t incur sin for protecting myself in this way? Any guidance or thoughts would mean a lot-jazakum Allahu khayran for reading this far.