Is it permissible to speak on the phone daily or whenever the opportunity arises?

The phone is a means of communication and a blessing. A Muslim should use it for what benefits him in his religious and worldly affairs. It is permissible to use it to maintain kinship ties and check on family, and it may even be obligatory for essential kinship ties. It is forbidden to use it for what is not permissible in Islamic law, such as backbiting and slander. It is also not permissible for unrelated men and women to speak through it without a legitimate religious purpose. Furthermore, a Muslim woman must close the door to speaking with unrelated men.