Is it stipulated for a person to be considered a severer of kinship ties that there be an intention to sever, or is it sufficient for the قطع (severance) to last for a certain period? And will he be punished for that if he dies during that period?

The Shari'ah commanded maintaining kinship ties (silat al-rahim) and forbade severing them. It did not specify a particular method or amount for this, rather, the reference for it is to custom (urf) and what is considered a connection. Connection can be through visiting, calling, correspondence, or greeting, and it has degrees, the lowest of which is abandoning abandonment and greeting. Whoever has preoccupations that prevent him from full connection may connect with what he is able to, such as money, supplication, and the like. If he falls short in what he is able to do, he is considered a severer (qati'), but if he does what he is able to do, he is not called a severer.