Is a woman obliged to uphold ties of kinship with relatives among whom there is intermingling and handshaking with men?

Maintaining ties of kinship (silat al-rahim) is obligatory for both men and women without distinction. The minimum form of maintaining ties is greeting with peace (salam). If that is not possible, then contact through phone, correspondence, or giving gifts.

Maintaining ties is obligatory for a woman regarding her parents, grandparents, and their branches, such as paternal and maternal uncles, provided her husband grants permission and it does not lead to something forbidden, such as illicit mixing.

A woman must exert her utmost effort to avoid mixing with non-mahram men. Illicit mixing is that which leads to forbidden looking or touching, or shaking hands.

If a woman, during her visit to her kin, has non-mahram men enter her presence while she is modestly dressed, and she does not look at, speak to, joke with, or soften her voice with them unnecessarily; then this is not forbidden.