What is the ruling on one who is uncertain about the number of breastfeedings?
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The questioner:
If one is uncertain about the number of breastfeedings, whether they are five or fewer, what is the ruling?
The Shaykh:
The default is that there is no prohibition until the five feedings are established. However, one should avoid it as a precaution. As for the prohibition, it is not established except by five feedings. Five feedings, five feedings. Anything less than that involves doubt and suspicion, so it is left as a precaution. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you, the questioner says
The Shaykh:
Therefore, when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ruled that the child belonged to 'Abd ibn Zam'ah, looking at the bed as mentioned previously, he said, "Veil yourself from him, O Sawdah," looking at the suspicion, because there was a suspicion of resemblance to 'Utbah ibn Abi Waqqas. So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ruled by the bed and acted with precaution regarding the suspicion. Avoiding what is doubtful is required by the Shari'ah. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Bulugh al-Maram 16:32 And he said: Sunan an-Nasa'i 5711Sahih (Darussalam). So whatever is less than five establishes the suspicion and creates doubt, so it is avoided. Yes.
If one is uncertain about the number of breastfeedings, whether they are five or fewer, what is the ruling?
The Shaykh:
The default is that there is no prohibition until the five feedings are established. However, one should avoid it as a precaution. As for the prohibition, it is not established except by five feedings. Five feedings, five feedings. Anything less than that involves doubt and suspicion, so it is left as a precaution. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you, the questioner says
The Shaykh:
Therefore, when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ruled that the child belonged to 'Abd ibn Zam'ah, looking at the bed as mentioned previously, he said, "Veil yourself from him, O Sawdah," looking at the suspicion, because there was a suspicion of resemblance to 'Utbah ibn Abi Waqqas. So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ruled by the bed and acted with precaution regarding the suspicion. Avoiding what is doubtful is required by the Shari'ah. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
So he, who saves himself from these doubtful things, saves his religion and his honor
من اتقى الشبهات فقد استبرأ لدينه وعرضه.Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.
دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبك
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، ما حكم من شكّ بعدد الرضعات؟ للشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.