Breastfeeding by an elderly woman who does not give birth: Is it forbidden?
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Fatwa No. ( 4175 )
Q: We are three brothers and we have children. Our mother is advanced in age, approximately sixty years old. She breastfed my brother’s son when she was of this age. After sixteen years had passed, she breastfed my son in a manner where she would place her breast in the mouth of each of them for the purpose of amusement so that the child would not continue to cry. She informed us that she feels something coming out of the breast, which is a fluid consisting of water, and this has happened to her repeatedly. Is it forbidden for the sons to marry their paternal cousins? Please issue a ruling for us. May Allah reward you with good and do you good, and I hope the fatwa will be official.
A: If the situation is as you described, and the breastfeeding was five times or more within the two-year period, then the one who was breastfed in this manner is not permitted to marry his paternal or maternal cousins; because through this breastfeeding, he has become a brother by milk to his paternal and maternal uncles and aunts, and an uncle to their children,
Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:233], and He said: [An-Nisa 4:23] until He said: [An-Nisa 4:23]. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sunan Ibn Majah 1937Sahih (Darussalam). It is established from the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: “Among what was revealed in the Qur'an was: ‘Ten known breastfeedings make marriage forbidden,’ then it was abrogated by: ‘Five known breastfeedings.’ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away while the matter remained as such.” Know that if a child sucks milk from the breast and then stops, this is considered one breastfeeding. If he returns to it and sucks milk from it, that is considered a second breastfeeding, and so on. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: We are three brothers and we have children. Our mother is advanced in age, approximately sixty years old. She breastfed my brother’s son when she was of this age. After sixteen years had passed, she breastfed my son in a manner where she would place her breast in the mouth of each of them for the purpose of amusement so that the child would not continue to cry. She informed us that she feels something coming out of the breast, which is a fluid consisting of water, and this has happened to her repeatedly. Is it forbidden for the sons to marry their paternal cousins? Please issue a ruling for us. May Allah reward you with good and do you good, and I hope the fatwa will be official.
A: If the situation is as you described, and the breastfeeding was five times or more within the two-year period, then the one who was breastfed in this manner is not permitted to marry his paternal or maternal cousins; because through this breastfeeding, he has become a brother by milk to his paternal and maternal uncles and aunts, and an uncle to their children,
Allah the Exalted said:
Mothers may breastfeed their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing [period].
وَالْوَالِدَاتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلادَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَةَProhibited to you [for marriage] are your mothers, your daughters
حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَّهَاتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُكُمْyour brother's daughters, your sister's daughters
وَبَنَاتُ الأَخِ وَبَنَاتُ الأُخْتِBreast-feeding makes unlawful (for marriages) the same things that blood tie make unlawful.
يحرم من الرضاع ما يحرم من النسب
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.