Chapter 3
Transactions
Breast Feeding
47721: The limits within which a married couple may
enjoy intimacy with one another, and the ruling on a
man suckling from his wife
Question:
Is it permissible for a man to suck on his wife's
breasts during intercourse?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The husband may enjoy intimacy with his wife in whatever way he wishes; the only thing that is
forbidden is anal intercourse and intercourse during the
wife's menstrual period or nifaas (post-partum bleeding).
Apart from that, he may enjoy his wife in whatever way
he wants, such as kissing, touching, looking, etc.
Even if he sucks on her nipples, this comes under
the heading of the intimacy that is permissible, and it
cannot be said that the milk has any effect on him, because if
an adult breastfeeds, it does not have any effect of
making him a mahram. Rather the breastfeeding that has this
effect is that which takes place during the first two years of life.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
It is permissible for a husband to enjoy all of his
wife's body, apart from the back passage and intercourse
during the wife's menstrual period or nifaas
(post-partum bleeding), or when in ihraam for Hajj or `Umrah, until
he has exited ihraam completely.
Shaykh `Abd al-`Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh
`Abd-Allaah ibn Qa'ood.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 19/351, 352.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
It is permissible for the husband to suck his wife's
breasts, and if any milk reaches his stomach it does not have
the effect of making him a mahram.
Shaykh `Abd al-`Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh `Abd al-Razzaaq `Afeefi, Shaykh `Abd-Allaah
al-Ghadyaan, Shaykh `Abd-Allaah ibn Qa'ood.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-`Uthaymeen said:
Breastfeeding by an adult does not have the effect
of making him a mahram, because the breastfeeding
that has that effect is five breastfeedings or more within
the first two years of life before weaning. Breastfeeding
by an adult does not have that effect. Based on this, if
we assume that someone breastfed from his wife or
drank her milk, he cannot become a son to her.
Fataawa Islamiyyah, 3/338.
With regard to it being permissible to enjoy
anything concerning which there is no prohibition, there
follow some of the views of the scholars:
Ibn Qudaamah said:
There is nothing wrong with enjoying the area
between the buttocks without any penetration, because what
is forbidden is the back passage, which is
mentioned specifically, which is forbidden because of the filth,
and that is specific to the back passage, therefore it
expressly forbidden.
Al-Mughni, 7/226.
Al-Kasaani said:
Among the saheeh rulings on marriage is that it
is permissible to look at and touch every part of her
from head to foot when she is alive, because intercourse
goes beyond looking and touching, so it is more
appropriate that touching and looking should be permitted.
Badaa'i' al-Sanaa'i', 2/231
Ibn `Aabideen said:
Abu Yoosuf asked Abu Haneefah about a man who touches his wife's private part and she touches his
to stimulate arousal _ did he see anything wrong with
that? He said: No, and I hope that the reward will be greater.
Radd al-Muhtaar, 6/367.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) stated that this is permissible when he forbade
intercourse in the vagina with a menstruating woman, but he
permitted all other parts of her body. So it is more obvious that it
is permissible at times other than menstruation.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-`Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The words "He may enjoy everything else of her
apart from that" means that the man may enjoy every part
of the menstruating woman apart from the vagina.
It is permissible to enjoy what is above and below
the waist wrapper (izaar), but the woman should be
wrapped in a waist wrapper, because the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to tell
`Aa'ishah to wrap herself in a waist-wrapper when she
was menstruating, then he would be intimate with her. He
told her to do that lest he saw something that he
disliked, namely the menstrual blood. But if the husband wants
to enjoy the area between the thighs, for example, there
is nothing wrong with that.
If it is said: What do you say about the words of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
when he was asked what part of his wife is permissible for
a man when she is menstruating and he said, "You
have that which is above the waist-wrapper" and this
indicates that one may only enjoy that which is above the
waist-wrapper?
The answer is as follows:
1 _ That is in order to be on the safe side and to avoid
that which is forbidden.
2 _ It may vary according to circumstances. The words
of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), "Do everything apart from intercourse" may be taken
as being addressed to one who can control himself, and
the words, "You have that which is above the
waist-wrapper" may be taken as being addressed to one who
cannot control himself, either because his religious
commitment is too weak or his desire is too strong.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti', 1/417.
And Allaah knows best.
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13534: A Muslim woman may breastfeed a Christian child
Question:
Can a Muslim woman breastfeed a Christian child?
And can a Christian woman breastfeed a Muslim child?
What is the Islamic ruling on this child if breastfeeding
takes place?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is permissible for a Muslim woman to breastfeed
a Christian child and it is permissible for a Christian
woman to breastfeed a Muslim child, because the basic
principle is that that is permitted, and there is no evidence to
the contrary. Rather that is a form of kind treatment and
Allaah has decreed kind treatment in all things. It is proven
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "In every living being there is reward."
Secondly: if breastfeeding takes place, then the
Islamic ruling on each of them is not altered by this
breastfeeding. Whoever was a Muslim before breastfeeding remains
a Muslim afterwards and whoever was a Christian
remains a Christian.
May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our
Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. Islam
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45620: Do her children from breastfeeding have
any relationship with her second husband?
Question:
A boy was breastfed by a woman along with her
own son, then this woman got divorced and married
another man, and had several sons and daughters. Her
first husband married another woman and had several
sons and daughters.
My question is:
I hope that you can tell me who are those who are
regarded as the brothers and sisters of this child
through breastfeeding _ are they the sons and daughters of
that woman through breastfeeding or the sons and
daughters of the man? Please note that this woman says that
she breastfed this boy for several days and her own son
nursed from one breast and this boy nursed from the other.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
1 _ When the infant has been breastfed by the
woman five times within the first two years of life, before
weaning, then he becomes her child through
breastfeeding, according to the consensus of the imams, and he
becomes a mahram for her. The man to whom the milk
belongs (because he is the father of the child whose
conception and delivery led to production of the milk) becomes
a father to the child through breastfeeding, according
to the consensus of the well-known scholars. This is
proven according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
2 _ If the man and woman become parents of the
child through breastfeeding, then all their children
become brothers and sisters to the breastfed child, whether
they are children of the father only (from another wife) or
of the mother only (from another husband) or from
them both, or they are their children through breastfeeding.
They all become brothers and sisters of this child
through breastfeeding. Even if a man has two wives and
one breastfeeds a baby boy and the other breastfeeds a
baby girl, these two children become brother and sister and
it is not permissible for them to marry one another,
according to the consensus of the four Imams and the majority
of Muslim scholars. Ibn `Abbaas was asked about this
matter and said: "The inseminator is one" _ i.e., the man
who had intercourse with both women, which led to
the pregnancies that produced the milk is one and the same.
3 _ According to Muslim consensus, there is no
difference between the children of the woman who were
breastfed along with this child and those who were born to
her before or after that. See Majmoo'
al-Fataawa, 24/31-32
4 _ There is no paternal relationship between the
woman's children through blood or through breastfeeding and
her second husband, i.e., he is not regarded as a father to
them through breastfeeding. The milk belongs to the
first husband, who is a father to all of them. But her
second husband is their mother's husband and by his
marrying her, her daughters by blood become mahrams to
him, because they are his stepdaughters (rabaa'ib), and
when he has consummated the marriage with their mother
they become mahrams to him. Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: …
your stepdaughters under your guardianship, born of your
wives to whom you have gone in" [al-Nisa'
4:23]
With regard to the relationship between the
woman's daughters through breastfeeding and her second
husband who was not the owner of the milk, and whether or
not they are mahrams for him because he is the husband
of their mother _ this is a matter concerning which there is
a difference of opinion among the scholars.
The majority of scholars think that the woman's
daughters through breastfeeding are mahrams for the
second husband, because he is the husband of their
mother. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was of the view,
and Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen agreed with him, that they
are not mahrams for him.
Based on this, the women who were breastfed by
this woman should observe hijab in front of her
second husband, because he is not a mahram for them.
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said: If we examine the view of the majority, which
is that it is not permissible for him to marry his
wife's daughter through breastfeeding and the view of
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah that she is not a mahram for
him, we may draw the conclusion that we should err on
the side of caution because that is the approach that is
referred to in the Sunnah. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqaas disputed
with `Abd ibn Zam'ah concerning a slave of Zam'ah. Sa'd
said: "O Messenger of Allaah, this is the son of my
brother `Utbah ibn Abi Waqqaas, whom he entrusted to my
care because he is his son." `Abd ibn Zam'ah said: "This
is my brother, the son of my father's slave woman who
was born on my father's bed." The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw that the child
clearly resembled `Utbah but he said: "He is yours, O `Abd
ibn Zam'ah. The child belongs to the bed." Then he said
to Sawdah bint Zam'ah, who was one of the Mothers of
the Believers (the Prophet's wives): "Observe hijab from
him, O Sawdah." Al-Bukhaari, 2053; Muslim, 1457.
Even though he had ruled that he was a brother of hers, he
told her to observe hijab from him because he saw that
he clearly resembled `Utbah. This was the ruling of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
that was based on erring on the side of caution. He told her
to observe hijab because there was some doubt about
him, and he ruled that he was her brother because he was
born in her father's bed.
Duroos al-Haram al-Makki, vol. 3 p. 245.
And Allaah knows best.
For more information see question no.
40226.
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45819: Can he marry the daughter of a woman who
was breastfed by his mother?
Question:
A woman was breastfed by my mother twice, and the
one who was breastfed alongside her was my older sister.
I had not been born yet. The woman who had been
breastfed by my mother got married, and she has a daughter. Is
it permissible for me to marry her (the daughter)?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
If a woman breastfeeds a child, then this child
becomes her child through radaa'ah (breastfeeding), and a
brother through breastfeeding of all her children, whether
those children were there before him or came later.
Based on this, any woman who was breastfed by
your mother is your sister through breastfeeding, and you
are a maternal uncle to all her children. So it is haraam
for you to marry her daughter, because you are her
maternal uncle through breastfeeding. And the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "What
becomes mahram (forbidden for marriage) through
breastfeeding is that which become mahram through blood ties."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2645; Muslim, 1447.
It is haraam for a maternal uncle through blood ties
to marry his sister's daughter, and the same applies to
the maternal uncle through breastfeeding.
But it should be noted that becoming a mahram
through breastfeeding can only be established through five
well-known breastfeedings, because of the report narrated
by Muslim (1452) from `Aa'ishah who said: ""When
the Qur'aan [Qur'an, Quran] was first revealed, the number of
breast-feedings that would make a child a relative (mahram) was
ten, then this was abrogated and replaced with the number
of five which is well-known."
You state in your question that this woman breastfed
from your mother twice, so we should note that the breastfeeding which makes the child a mahram is
five feedings.
Ibn al-Qayyim said in Zaad al-Ma'aad, 5/575:
One breastfeeding (rad'ah) means when the child
takes the beast and starts suckling, and then lets it go
without being made to do so. That is one breastfeeding,
because the Lawgiver referred to one breastfeeding in
general terms, so it is to be interpreted according to custom,
and this is the custom. If the child stops briefly in order
to breathe or to rest or because of some distraction,
then quickly goes back to the breast, this is regarded as
one breastfeeding, just as when a person who is eating
pauses briefly then quickly goes back to eating, this is
not regarded as two meals, rather it is one. This is the view
of al-Shaafa'i. And if the infant moves from one breast
to the other, this is one breastfeeding.
See also question no. 2864
Thus it becomes clear that the five breastfeedings
could all take place in one sitting.
If this woman was breastfed by your mother five times
in this sense, then it is not permissible for you to marry
her daughter, because you are her paternal uncle
through breastfeeding. If she was breastfed less than five
times, that does not mean that she is a mahram, so it
is permissible for you to marry her daughter.
If there is any doubt concerning the number of breastfeedings, whether it was five or not, there is no
proof of the child being a mahram in the case of doubt.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If there is any doubt as to whether breastfeeding took
place or not, or with regard to the number of
breastfeedings, whether the number that makes the child a mahram
was completed or not, this does not make the child a
mahram, because the basic assumption is that he is not a
mahram, and what is certain cannot be dispelled by what
is uncertain.
See also question no. 13357.
And Allaah knows best.
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36375: Their father's wife breastfed a baby girl _ is
she regarded as their sister?
Question:
My father married a woman in the past and was
blessed with children from this wife. This woman died
after breastfeeding another girl who was not her relative;
rather she did that as an act of kindness. Are we brothers of
this girl? Her father will not allow her to uncover in front
of us unless there is a fatwa.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
If this woman breastfed the child for five
known breastfeedings during the first two years of life, then
she is a daughter of the woman and her husband who is
the "owner of the milk" _ namely your father _ and all
the children of that woman from her husband, the owner
of the milk, or from any other husband will be brothers
and sisters of that girl; the children of the husband, the
owner of the milk, from the woman who nursed the infant
or from any other wife, will also be brothers and sisters
of that girl.
So all of you, siblings born to your father from any of
his wives, are all brothers and sisters of that girl.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)
said: "If a woman breastfeeds a child for five or more
known breastfeedings within the first two years, that
child becomes the son or daughter of her and her husband,
the owner of the milk, and all the children of that
woman, from her husband who is the owner of the milk or
any other husband, become brothers and sisters of this
infant. The children of the husband who is the owner of the
milk, from the wife who breastfed the child or any other
wife also become brothers and sisters of the infant. Her
brothers become maternal uncles for him, and the brothers of
the husband who is the owner of the milk become
paternal uncles. The father of the woman becomes a
grandfather for the child, as does the father of the husband who is
the owner of the milk, and his mother becomes a
grandmother to the child, because Allaah says concerning
female mahrams in Soorat al-Nisa' (interpretation of
the meaning):
"your foster mothers who gave you suck, your foster
milk suckling sisters" [al-Nisa'
4:23]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "What becomes mahram (forbidden for
marriage) through breastfeeding is that which become
mahram through blood ties." And he said: "There is
no breastfeeding (that makes the child a mahram) except
in the first two years." And it was proven in
Saheeh Muslim that `Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her)
said: "When the Qur'aan [Qur'an, Quran] was first revealed, the number
of breast-feedings that would make a child a
relative (mahram) was ten, then this was abrogated and
replaced with the number of five which is well-known, and
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) passed away when this was the case."
This version was narrated by al-Tirmidhi; the original
is in Saheeh Muslim.
From Fataawa Islamiyyah, 3/333
With regard to the definition of breastfeeding, please
see question no, 27280. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
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27280: Each of them breastfed the child of the other;
do any rulings result from that?
Question:
I hope that you can explain the ruling on
breastfeeding (radaa'ah) in full, for example, I breastfed my
brother-in-law's son for a month, and my son was breastfed by
my brother-in-law's wife. I have a daughter and a son
who are older than the child who was breastfed by my
brother-in-law's wife, and she also had two children before
the child of hers whom I breastfed.
I hope that you can describe the kind of
breastfeeding that makes the child a mahram and the rulings that
apply to the rest of the siblings? Thank you very much.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Whoever is breastfed by a woman five times, before
the age of two years, becomes her child through
breastfeeding and she becomes his mother. Her husband (the "owner
of the milk") becomes a father to him through
breastfeeding, and everyone who was also breastfed by this
woman becomes his brother or sister through breastfeeding,
and so on.
That is because of the report narrated by Muslim
(1425) from `Aa'ishah who said: "When the Qur'aan [Qur'an, Quran] was
first revealed, the number of breast-feedings that would
make a child a relative (mahram) was ten, then this
was abrogated and replaced with the number of five which
is well-known."
And al-Tirmidhi narrated that Umm Salamah said:
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: "The only breastfeeding that creates
the relationship of mahram is that which fills the
stomach from the breast, before weaning."
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
al-Irwa', 2150.
What is meant by "from the breast" means at the time
of breastfeeding. The Arabs say "Maata fulaan
fi'l-thadiy (So and so died at the time of breastfeeding, i.e, in
infancy, before weaning)." This is the view of al-Shawkaani.
Al-Tirmidhi said: This is a saheeh hasan hadeeth, and
the view followed by the majority of scholars among
the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) and others is that breastfeeding does
not make a child a mahram unless it is done before the
child reaches the age of two. Any breastfeeding that occurs
after the age of two does not make the child a mahram."
Al-Bukhaari (2645) narrated that Ibn `Abbaas (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning
the daughter of Hamzah: "She is not permissible for me
(to marry), because what becomes mahram (forbidden
for marriage) through breastfeeding is that which
become mahram through blood ties. And she is the daughter
of my brother through breastfeeding"
The definition of breastfeeding:
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
One breastfeeding (rad'ah) means when the child
takes the beast and starts suckling, and then lets it go
without being made to do so. That is one breastfeeding,
because the Lawgiver referred to one breastfeeding in
general terms, so it is to be interpreted according to custom,
and this is the custom. If the child stops briefly in order
to breathe or to rest or because of some distraction,
then quickly goes back to the breast, this is regarded as
one breastfeeding, just as when a person who is eating
pauses briefly then quickly goes back to eating, this is
not regarded as two meals, rather it is one. This is the view
of al-Shaafa'i. And if the infant moves from one breast
to the other, this is one breastfeeding. See also question
no. 2864
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If a woman breastfeeds a child for five well
known breastfeedings or more during the first two years, the
infant becomes a child for her and her husband who is the
owner of the milk, and all that woman's children from
the husband who is the owner of the milk or from
other husbands become siblings of this infant, and the
children of the man who is the owner of the milk, whether
from the breastfeeding woman or from other wives,
become siblings of the infant. Her brothers become maternal
aunts for him, and the brothers of the husband, the owner of
the milk, become paternal uncles for him, and the father
of the woman becomes a grandfather for the child and
the father of the husband, the owner of the milk, becomes
a grandfather to him and the husband's mother becomes
a grandmother to him, because Allaah says
concerning female mahrams in Soorat al-Nisa' (interpretation of
the meaning):
"your foster mothers who gave you suck, your foster
milk suckling sisters"
[al-Nisa' 4:23]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "What becomes mahram (forbidden
for marriage) through breastfeeding is that which
become mahram through blood ties." And he (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There is no
breastfeeding except during the first two years." And it was proven
in Saheeh Muslim that `Aa'ishah (may Allaah be
pleased with her) said: "When the Qur'an was first revealed,
the number of breast-feedings that would make a child
a relative (mahram) was ten, then this was abrogated
and replaced with the number of five which is
well-known. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) passed away when that was the state of affairs."
This version was narrated by al-Tirmidhi but it is also
found in Saheeh Muslim.
From Fataawa Islamiyyah, 3/333
In conclusion:
If your son was breastfed five times in the first two
years by your brother-in-law's wife, then he is a brother to
all of her sons and daughters.
Similarly the son of this woman who was breastfed
by you, becomes a son to you and a brother to all your
sons and daughters, whether they are older or younger
than the one who was breastfed, whether they were
already present or have not been born yet.
Your sons _ apart from the son who was breastfed by
the wife of his paternal uncle _ may marry the daughters
of their paternal uncle, because they are not mahrams to
one another. And your daughters may marry the sons of
their paternal uncle except the son who was breastfed by
you, because he is a brother to them, as explained above.
And Allaah knows best.
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34557: She is not permissible for him to marry because
she is his maternal aunt through breastfeeding (radaa'ah)
Question:
We are faced with a very important and sensitive
issue which has to do with breastfeeding (radaa'ah).
This situation is as follows:
- Aaminah (the grandmother) is the sister of Zaynab
and breastfed Faatimah the daughter of Zaynab.
- Then Aaminah breastfed Umm Kathoom (her
daughter's daughter).
The issue is that one of Faatimah's sons has
proposed marriage to Umm Kalthoom. Is this
marriage permissible?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The question may be summed up by saying that
Aaminah breastfed both Faatimah and Umm Kalthoom,
so Faatimah and Umm Kalthoom are sisters through breastfeeding. So it is not permissible for any
of Faatimah's sons to marry Umm Kalthoom, because
she is their maternal aunt through breastfeeding. The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"What becomes mahram (forbidden for marriage)
through breastfeeding is that which become mahram through
blood ties." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2645; Muslim, 1445.
The maternal aunt through blood ties is a mahram just
as is the maternal aunt through breastfeeding.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said
in al-Mughni (7/87):
Every woman who is a mahram (forbidden for
marriage) because of blood ties, her equivalent
through breastfeeding is also a mahram, namely
mothers, daughters, sisters, paternal aunts, maternal aunts,
brother's daughters and sister's daughters… because the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"What becomes mahram (forbidden for marriage)
through breastfeeding is that which become mahram through
blood ties." Agreed upon. And we do not know of any
differing opinion on this matter.
Being a mahram because of breastfeeding depends on
two things:
1 _ That the child be breastfed five times, meaning
that the infant grasps the nipple and … then lets go.
2 _ These five breastfeedings should have taken
place before he reaches the age of two.
See also question no. 27280 &
804.
And Allaah knows best.
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13357: He is married to his maternal aunt
through breastfeeding
Question:
Until recently there were concubines in our country,
and this issue has come up; I would like to know the
shar'i ruling on it.
A man had a wife whose name was Aaminah, and he
had a concubine whose name was Sa'diyyah.
Aaminah (his wife) breastfed a girl called Zaynab,
and the slave woman Sa'diyyah had a daughter whose
name was Haleemah.
The daughter, Haleemah, got married and had a son
called `Ali, who grew up and married Zaynab, who had
been breastfed by Aaminah.
They have been married for many years, and have
several sons and daughters. My question is, what is the ruling
on this marriage?
Is it permissible for me not to tell them, if this marriage
is not legitimate?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
One of the rulings on radaa'ah (breastfeeding) is that
the milk of the wet nurse has an effect on the child
she breastfeeds and on his or her children. If Zayd
was breastfed by Faatimah, then Zayd and his children
are regarded as children of the wet nurse (Faatimah), but
his brothers are not connected to them through breastfeeding.
But for the wet nurse, the bond established by breastfeeding includes all her relatives, so whoever
is related to the wet nurse is also related to the child
whom she breastfed. So the husband of the wet nurse is
regarded as a father of the child through breastfeeding; her
brothers are regarded as maternal uncles through
breastfeeding, and her father and grandfathers are regarded
as grandfathers of the child through breastfeeding. If
her husband has another wife, then this woman is
regarded as the wife of the child's father through
breastfeeding, and her children are regarded as his brothers on the
father's side through breastfeeding… and so on. `Urwah ibn
al-Zubayr narrated that `Aa'ishah said: Aflah the brother
of Abu'l-Qu'ays asked permission to enter upon me
after the ruling on hijab had been revealed, and I said, "I
will not let you in until I ask the permission of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), for it
was not the brother of Abu'l-Qu'ays who nursed me but
the wife of Abu'l-Qu'ays." The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered upon me and I said
to him, "O Messenger of Allaah, Aflah the brother of
Abu'l-Qu'ays asked permission to enter upon me, but I
refused to let him in until I asked your permission."
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "What stopped you from letting him in? He is
your (paternal) uncle."
I said, "O Messenger of Allaah, the man is not the
one who nursed me, rather it was the wife of
Abu'l-Qu'ays who nursed me."
He said, "Let him in, for he is your uncle, may your
right hand be rubbed with dust (i.e., may you prosper)!"
`Urwah said: For that reason `Aa'ishah used to
say, "Consider those things which are illegal (for
marriage) because of blood relations as illegal because of
the corresponding relations through breastfeeding."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4796; Muslim 1445.
This hadeeth confirms that there are parents
through breastfeeding, and that the husband of the wet nurse
is regarded as a father of the child through
breastfeeding. The wife of Abu'l-Qu'ays breastfed `Aa'ishah, so
she became a mother to her, and her husband became a
father to her through breastfeeding, and his brothers
became paternal uncles to `Aa'ishah through breastfeeding.
Hence the brother of Abu'l-Qu'ays said to `Aa'ishah, "Do
you observe hijab before me when I am your paternal
uncle?" Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3644. The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) confirmed that he was
a paternal uncle to `Aa'ishah when he said, "Let him
in, for he is your uncle, may your right hand be rubbed
with dust (i.e., may you prosper)!" See al-Mughni ma'a
al-Sharh al-Kabeer, 9/199; al-Mawsoo'ah
al-Fiqhiyyah, 22/248.
With regard to the matter mentioned in the question,
the answer is as follows:
The daughter, Zaynab, who was nursed by the
wife, Aaminah, is regarded as a daughter of Aaminah
because of this breastfeeding. She is also a daughter to
Aaminah's husband through breastfeeding. So the husband is
her father through breastfeeding, if the child was nursed
five times or more when the infant was under the age of
two years. Based on that, the husband's daughter
Haleemah from his concubine Sa'diyyah is the sister of
Zaynab through her father through breastfeeding, and
Haleemah's children _ including `Ali _ are mahrams to
Zaynab because she is their maternal aunt through
breastfeeding. So it is not permissible for any of them to marry her.
You mention in your question that `Ali married
Zaynab. This marriage is invalid and he must leave her at
once, because he is regarded as having married his
maternal aunt through breastfeeding.
With regard to the children who were born as a result
of this marriage, they are legitimate children who should
be named after their father `Ali, because this is regarded
as an ambiguous marriage and children born as a result
of that are to be named after the father, as the scholars said.
Shaykh `Abd al-`Azeez ibn Baaz was asked:
I was breastfed by a woman whose husband took a
second wife and had children from her. Are they my brothers?
He replied: If you were breastfed five times or more,
and the milk belonged to the husband because it was
produced as the result of a baby being born to him, then they
are your brothers through your father through breastfeeding."
Fataawa Islamiyyah, 3/323.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked a similar question:
After I had consummated the marriage with my wife,
I found out that she is my sister through
breastfeeding, because I was breastfed along with her sister. Is she
my mahram in this case?
He replied: Yes, if the matter is as you say, and you
were breastfed along with the wife's sister from her mother,
in the sense that you were breastfed by the wife's mother
or her father's wife, then you are her brother and the
marriage is invalid. But you should realize that breastfeeding
does not count unless the child is breastfed five or more
times in the two years before weaning. If it was less than
that, then it has no effect and it does not establish
the relationship of mahram.
If you are certain that you were breastfed five times
or more by the mother of the woman whom you have
married in the first two years of life, then you must leave
her because this marriage is not valid. Any children who
were born before you found out are to be named after
you according to sharee'ah, because these children were
born as the result of an ambiguous marriage and children
born as a result of that are to be named after the father, as
the scholars said.
Fataawa Islamiyyah, 3/329.
You have to tell them about that, because they have
the right to receive sincere advice from you and so as
to denounce an evil action, because their staying in
this invalid marriage is an evil action. The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "Whoever
among you sees an evil action, let him change it with his
hand (by taking action), and if he cannot then with his
tongue (by speaking out) …" Narrated by Muslim.
May Allaah help us all to do that which He loves
and which pleases Him.
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20759: Ruling on breastfeeding and the wisdom behind it
Question:
Is providing breast milk (mother/wetnurse) to an
infant too young to live on solid foods a required duty?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Yes, if the infant needs to be breastfed then breast
milk must be provided for him.
It says in al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah (22/239): There
is no difference of opinion among the fuqaha' that it
is obligatory to breastfeed an infant so long as he needs
that and he is at the age for breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding is a proven right of the infant, according
to the rulings of sharee'ah, and must be provided for him
by the one whose duty it is to do so. The fuqaha'
clearly stated that breastfeeding is the right of the child.
They explained the reason for that as being
that breastfeeding for an infant is like maintenance for an adult.
What they said is true and is indicated by the
Qur'aan [Qur'an, Quran]. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"but the father of the child shall bear the cost of
the mother's food and clothing on a reasonable basis"
[al-Baqarah 2:233]
Allaah has enjoined upon the father to spend on
the woman who nurses his child, because nutrition
reaches the child via the nurse through the breast milk.
So spending on the nurse is in fact spending on him. It
says in Sharh Muntaha al-Iraadaat: The one who is
obliged to spend on the infant, whether male or female, is
obliged to spend on the child's nurse, because the child
is nourished by the milk produced by the nurse, and
that can only happen if she is nourished. So it is obligatory
to spend on the nurse because this is in fact spending on
the child.
Al-Mufassal fi Ahkaam al-Mar'ah, 9/464.
The scholars are unanimously agreed on the effects
of breastfeeding in establishing the prohibition on
marriage and on making the child the mahram of the woman
who breastfeeds him, and making it permissible to look at
her and be alone with her, but it does not make it
obligatory to spend on the person, or make him an heir or a
guardian in cases of marriage.
The reason for this mahram relationship is
obvious, because when the infant is nourished by the milk of
this woman, his flesh grows on that, so it is as if he is her
own child.
Hence the scholars regarded it as makrooh to appoint
a kaafir woman or an immoral woman as a wet-nurse, or
a woman who was suffering from a contagious
disease, because it may pass to the child.
They regarded it as mustahabb to choose a wet-nurse
who was of good character and morals, because
breastfeeding changes the child's nature.
It is better if no one breastfeeds the child but his
mother, because that is more beneficial, and that may be
obligatory for her if the child will not accept the breast of
anyone else.
Doctors encourage giving the mother's milk,
especially in the early months.
The wisdom of Allaah in creating the nourishment of
the child in his mother's milk has been proven
through scientific and medical research.
Medical benefits of breastfeeding:
Breastfeeding brings great benefits. Allaah has
enjoined breastfeeding in His Book, when He said
(interpretation of the meaning):
"The mothers shall give suck to their children for
two whole years, (that is) for those (parents) who desire
to complete the term of suckling"
[al-Baqarah 2:233]
So Allaah has stated the child's right to be breastfed.
Fourteen hundred years after this verse was
revealed, international organizations such as the World
Health Organization have issued statement after statement
calling on mothers to breastfeed their children, whereas
Islam enjoined that fourteen centuries ago.
The benefits of breastfeeding for the child include
the following:
1 _ The mother's milk is sterile, containing no germs.
2 _ The mother's milk cannot be imitated by any
milk prepared from the milk of cows, goats or camels. It
is composed in such a way as to meet the child's needs
day after day, from birth until weaning.
3 _ The mother's milk contains sufficient amounts
of protein and sugar that suit the infant completely,
whereas the proteins in cow's, goat's and buffalo's milk are
difficult for the child's stomach to digest, because they are
suited to the offspring of those animals.
4 _ The development of children who are breastfed
is faster and more complete than that of children who
are bottle-fed.
5 _ The psychological and emotional bond between
the mother and her child.
6 _ The mother's milk contains various elements that
are essential to the child's nourishment, in the right
amounts and formats needed by his body, and in a form that
is suited to his ability to digest and absorb. The
nourishing content of the milk is not fixed; it changes day by
day according to the child's needs.
7 _ The mother's milk is kept at a suitable
temperature that meets the child's needs, and can be given to him
at any time.
8 _ Breastfeeding is a natural means of contraception
for the mother, and is free of the complications that
may accompany use of birth control pills, the coil (IUD)
or injections.
From Tawdeeh al-Ahkaam, 5/107. Islam
Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
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40226: He breastfed from his maternal aunt twice; can
he marry her daughter?
Question:
I proposed marriage to the daughter of my maternal
aunt, but when the time for marriage drew close my aunt
told me that she had breastfed me twice when I was little,
but I had not drunk my fill on those occasions. Is it
permissible for me to marry her?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is permissible for you to marry the daughter of
your maternal aunt in this situation, because
breastfeeding (radaa'ah) only makes the woman (and her
daughters) the mahrams of the child who nursed if it takes place
five times. [A mahram is a relative whom one is forbidden
to marry and with whom the rulings of hijab or covering
do not apply - Translator]. The evidence for that is the
hadeeth narrated by Muslim (1452) from `Aa'ishah who
said: "One of the (rulings) that was revealed in the
Qur'aan [Qur'an, Quran] was that ten known breastfeedings make the child
a mahram, then that was abrogated and replaced with five."
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The scholars differed concerning the number of breastfeedings for which the ruling on
breastfeeding (radaa'ah) applies. `Aa'ishah and al-Shaafa'i and
his companions said that there is no proof for any
number less than five. The majority of scholars said that the
ruling applies if breastfeeding occurs once. This was
narrated by Ibn al-Mundhir from `Ali, Ibn Mas'ood, Ibn
`Umar, Ibn `Abbaas, `Ata', Tawoos, Ibn al-Musayyib,
al-Hasan, Makhool, al-Zuhri, Qataadah, Hammaad, Maalik,
al-Awzaa'i, al-Thawri and Abu Haneefah _ may Allaah
be pleased with them. Abu Thawr, Abu `Ubayd, Ibn
al-Mundhir and Dawood said: The ruling applies in the
case of three breastfeedings, not less than that. Al-Shaafa'i
and those who agreed with him followed the hadeeth
of `Aa'ishah which mentioned five known breastfeedings.
For the definition of breastfeeding which makes the
child a mahram, see question no. 804.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz was asked whether breastfeeding
from a woman three times makes her a mahram.
He replied: this breastfeeding three times does not
make her a mahram through breastfeeding. The ruling
on becoming a mahram through breastfeeding only
applies if breastfeeding occurs five times or more. Then he
quoted the hadeeth of `Aa'ishah as evidence.
Fataawa Islamiyyah, 3/326.
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen said:
One breastfeeding does not have any effect, rather it
must be five breastfeedings that occur before the child
is weaned and before he reaches the age of two. A
person does not become the woman's (foster) child if
he breastfeeds once or twice or three or four times. It
must also be five known breastfeedings; if there is
some uncertainty as to whether he breastfed four or five
times, the principle is that it was four, because every time
we are uncertain about numbers, we take the lower
number. Based on this, if a woman says, I breastfed this child
but I do not know if it was once or twice, or three or four
or five times, we say that this child is not her (foster)
child, because it has to be five known breastfeedings without
a doubt.
Al-Fataawa al-Jaami'ah li'l-Mar'ah
al-Muslimah, 2/768. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
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13750: The blessing of natural breastfeeding
Question:
I have been told that breastfeeding is blessed by
Allah and that the Koran states; `every drop of breast milk'
is blessed. Could you please tell me where in the Koran
I might find such a refence?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Undoubtedly the blessing comes where Allaah wills,
and it comes if a person asked Allaah to bless him in his
wealth or provision, so He makes it blessed, or He makes
the person blessed, as `Eesa (Jesus _ peace be upon him)
said. Allaah says:
"[`Eesa (Jesus) said:] And He has made me
blessed wheresoever I be"
[Maryam 19:31 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
And the blessing will be wherever Allaah puts it, as
He says concerning rain (interpretation of the meaning):
"And We send down blessed water (rain) from the sky"
[Qaaf 50:9]
i.e., you gain blessing by its falling, because it makes
trees and plants grow. With regard to breastfeeding, I do
not remember any aayah which mentions it in
conjunction with blessing in particular.
Shaykh `Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr.
The Qur'aan [Qur'an, Quran] encourages the mother to breastfeed her
child naturally. Allaah says:
"The mothers shall give suck to their children for
two whole years, (that is) for those (parents) who desire
to complete the term of suckling"
[al-Baqarah 2:233]
This is a command to mothers, as the scholars
explained, to breastfeed their children. The scholars also
mentioned that one part of breastfeeding is obligatory, which is
the yellow substance (colostrum) that is produced at
the beginning of breastfeeding and which is known
medically to be of great benefit in building the immune system
of the child etc. Undoubtedly in carrying out the
commands of Allaah there is great blessing.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
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12454: It is permissible for a woman to breastfeed her
child before doing ghusl
Question:
If a woman has not yet done ghusul can she breast
feed her child?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is permissible for a women to breastfeed her child
before doing ghusl, whether it is ghusl after nifaas,
menstruation or sexual relations. There is no evidence to indicate
that she must do ghusl in these cases in order to
breastfeed her child. Rather ghusl is obligatory in cases of
impurity in order to pray or to do any act of worship for
which tahaarah (purity) is required. The woman who is
bleeding following childbirth or menstruating must do ghusl
when the nifaas or period ends in order to do those acts
of worship and also so that it may become permissible
for her husband to have intercourse with her. It is not
haraam for the woman who is menstruating or bleeding
following childbirth to touch anything during her period or
nifaas, except for the Mushaf (copy of the Qur'aan [Qur'an, Quran] in
Arabic only). And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
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21203: Breastfeeding a child during pregnancy
Question:
I am breastfeeding my child who is ten months old, and
I am now pregnant. Should I stop breastfeeding my
child because of pregnancy? Or should I continue to
breastfeed despite the fact that I am pregnant? Is breastfeeding
a child whilst pregnant haraam or halaal? I hope that
you can answer my question quickly.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The question of breastfeeding a child during
pregnancy should be referred to a capable and trustworthy doctor.
If he says that breastfeeding the child will not harm
the foetus or the nursing infant, then there is no reason not
to do it and it is permissible.
But if it will harm your child or the foetus, then do
not breastfeed him. And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
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4049: Ruling on milk banks
Question:
In America there are banks known as milk banks,
which buy milk from nursing mothers then sell it to women
who need to give it to their children but their own milk
is lacking, or they are sick or are too busy working,
etc. What is the ruling on buying milk from these banks?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
We put this question to Shaykh Muhammad ibn
Saalih al-`Uthaymeen, may Allaah preserve him, who replied
as follows:
This is haraam. It is not permissible to establish this
kind of bank, because this is human milk, and the milk
from different mothers will be mixed, so that no one will
know who is the mother. In Islam, drinking the milk of a
woman creates the same relationship as does a close tie by
blood (i.e., it has an effect on whom one may and may not
marry, etc.). If the milk is of any kind other than human,
then there is nothing wrong with milk banks.
And Allâh knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh
Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
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1488: The rules of Radaa' still apply if the child drinks
the breast-milk from a bottle
Question:
I understand that a child becomes "related" to a
woman when he nurses from her. Does he also become related
if he receives her breastmillk in a bottle ?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Yes, the rules of Radaa' still apply, so long as the
child drinks the equivalent of the well-known five
breast feedings within the first two years of life.
Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
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804: Uncertain of the number of breast-feedings
Question:
My question is about marriage. I want to marry a
cousin because we are very deeply in love. But we heard that
I got some milk from her mother. Then we wondered
how many times this had happened. When we asked
her mother, she said, "I don't remember - it is so long
ago." So she does not remember how many times she may
have given me milk. I do not know what I should do in such
a situation.
But one thing I know very well is that I love her
very much! Please advise me.
Answer:
Praise be to Allah.
For breast-feeding to have the effect of making a child
a relative (mahram), two conditions must be met:
(1) The number of breast-feedings should be five or
more, because of the hadith of `Aa'ishah (may Allah be
pleased with her), who said: "When the Qur'an was first
revealed, the number of breast-feedings that would make a child
a relative (mahram) was ten, then this was abrogated
and replaced with the number of five which is
well-known." (Reported by Muslim, no. 1452).
(2) This should happen within the first two years of
the child's life, because of the hadith: "Harmalah ibn
Yahya told us that `Abdullah ibn Wahb told us that Ibn
Lahimah informed us from Abu al-Aswad from `Urwah
from `Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr that the Messenger of
Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allah be Upon Him) said:
"There is no breast-feeding except what fills the stomach
to bursting point." (Reported by Ibn Maajah, no. 1946;
see also Saheeh al-Jaami`, no. 7495).
Al-Bukhaari, may Allah have mercy on him, included
a chapter in his Saheeh entitled: "The chapter of the
one who says there is no breast-feeding after two years
because of the words of Allah `. . . two whole years, (that is)
for those (parents) who desire to complete the term
of suckling . . .' [al-Baqarah 2:233]."
The definition of rad`ah (one breast-feed) is that the
child should take the breast and drink milk from it, then
leave it of his own accord in order to breathe or to
change position, and so on.
If this is the case, then the rulings concerning
breast-feeding will apply, i.e. the child will be considered
a relative and marriage will be forbidden, etc.
In the case of doubt concerning the number of
breast-feedings, Ibn Qudaamah, may Allah have mercy on
him, said: "If there is some doubt concerning whether
breast-feeding took place, or concerning the number of
feeds and whether it was enough to make the child a
relative (mahram) or not, then there is no proof that the child
must be considered a relative, because the general rule of
life is that a child does not breast-feed from anyone
except his own mother, and one cannot dismiss certainty in
favour of doubt. (al-Mughni 11/312).
Therefore it is permissible to marry if there is no proof
of breast-feeding that would make the individual
concerned a relative.
I do not want to omit reminding the one who asked
this question that we are obliged to adhere to the
Sharee`ah no matter where it leads us, and our desires and
emotions should not prevent us from following the truth.
The Muslim must remain chaste and avoid all kinds of
"love relationships." He must strive to protect himself
by marrying in a proper fashion according to
Islamic sharee`ah.
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
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721: Breast-feeding a child over two years old
Question:
Is it permissible to breast-feed a child over 2 years
old? Until what age does breast-feeding make the child
a relative (mahram)? Are there any exceptions to this rule?
I am asking because there are many 2 year olds in
our area who need families - they need to be "adopted" in
the Western sense. I would like to help these children,
and expand our ummah, but too avoid hardship, I hope
that there is a way that they could become relatives of
my son.
Answer:
Breast-feeding a child over two years old will not
have the effect of making him a relative (mahram). It
is permitted to breast-feed one's own child beyond
two years, but two years is enough, as Allah says:
"The mothers shall give suck to their children for
two whole years, (that is) for those (parents) who desire
to complete the term of suckling . . ."
[al-Baqarah 2:233]
The reply to the rest of this question can be found
under Question 804.
Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
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