Is shunning one's husband's sister and only communicating with her by phone, due to the many problems she causes, considered severing ties of kinship?

The kin (Arham) whose ties must be maintained are blood relatives from both the father's and mother's sides. The relatives of one spouse are not considered kin to the other spouse unless there is a blood relationship between them. Thus, a husband's sister is not considered kin to his wife unless there is a blood relationship.

As for maintaining kinship ties (Silat al-Rahim), it means showing kindness to relatives in ways that are customary, as there is no specific legal limit mentioned for it. It could be through financial aid, service, or visits and greetings.

If a woman is a relative, she is not obligated to maintain ties through visits if these visits lead to discord and conflicts. Warding off harm takes precedence over acquiring benefit, and in such a case, ties must be maintained through means other than visits.