What is the least that can be done towards ill-mannered relatives to avoid severing ties of kinship and the accompanying warning? And are phone calls on Eid and greetings when meeting by chance sufficient? And what is the meaning of abandoning shunning as the minimum connection to kinship?

The minimum by which kinship ties are maintained is by extending greetings (salam), and by this, the religiously forbidden abandonment (hajran) is negated. This is the view of the majority of scholars. However, it is stipulated that refraining from speaking—apart from extending greetings—does not result in harm to the kin. Otherwise, greetings alone would not be sufficient to end the abandonment and achieve connection. If the kin are not harmed by the lack of direct conversation, then greeting them upon meeting or speaking to them on Eid suffices. But if they are harmed by this, then it is not sufficient. Patience in enduring harm from abusive kin magnifies the reward and elevates one's status with Allah.