He asks this question, and he is a sick man who sought a cure for his illness before medicine became widespread in our beloved kingdom, and he was told to drink the milk of a nursing woman, and
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The questioner : He asks this question, and he is a sick man who sought a cure for his illness before medicine became widespread in our beloved kingdom, and he was told to drink the milk of a nursing woman, and he drank one sip of her milk, and Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) cured him. Is she his mother or not? Please inform us. May Allah reward you with good?
The Shaykh : The truth is that I doubt that a woman's milk is a cause for healing. I believe that the healing occurred in his case not because of it, meaning that it was what Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) willed and decreed that the healing would be in this circumstance or at this time, which was the time he drank this milk.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Since we do not know that a woman's milk is a cause for healing, but as we mentioned in a previous session, a person's feeling about something, the patient, has a profound effect on the illness. In any case, we do not think that women's milk is a cause for healing.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for what he asked about, whether she becomes his mother, she does not become his mother, because one of the conditions of breastfeeding is that it be five breastfeedings or more. If it is less than that, it is not a cause of prohibition, meaning it does not make the breastfed child prohibited for the woman from whom he breastfed, nor does she become prohibited for him.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Also, among the conditions according to the majority of scholars is that the breastfeeding be in its proper time, meaning the time in which the child is nourished by breastfeeding.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If that time is exceeded, such that he is weaned and not dependent on milk for his sustenance, then the effect of the milk on him is not realized.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It has no effect.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Some scholars held that the breastfeeding of an adult is a cause of prohibition, due to the generality of the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:23] and because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the wife of Abu Hudhayfah regarding the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, Salim: He said: and he was an adult who served them.
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh : Some scholars used this as evidence that the breastfeeding of an adult is effective and a cause of prohibition, but the majority are of the opposite opinion, that it has no effect and does not cause prohibition. The Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) chose the detailed view and said: If there is a need for the breastfeeding of an adult and he is breastfed, then the prohibition is established; otherwise, if there is no need, it is not established. But the stronger position is what the majority held. This is indicated by the fact that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade seclusion with women, they said: O Messenger of Allah, what about the in-laws? He said: warning against the seclusion of a husband's relative with his wife.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If breastfeeding were a cause of permissibility, meaning for permitting seclusion, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have clarified that, given the need for its clarification.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : He would have said, for example, if the husband has a brother and naturally he is with him in the residence, he needs to be alone with his wife. If there were a cure for this real situation that people need, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would have said: breastfeed her, and it would be over.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The problem would be over. Since the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not clarify that, despite the need for it in this great matter, this indicates that there is no effect to the breastfeeding of an adult, and this is the stronger position.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And it is recommended to avoid the breastfeeding of an adult under any circumstances, so that we do not fall into problems.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
O brothers, we have reached the end of this meeting.
The Shaykh : The truth is that I doubt that a woman's milk is a cause for healing. I believe that the healing occurred in his case not because of it, meaning that it was what Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) willed and decreed that the healing would be in this circumstance or at this time, which was the time he drank this milk.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Since we do not know that a woman's milk is a cause for healing, but as we mentioned in a previous session, a person's feeling about something, the patient, has a profound effect on the illness. In any case, we do not think that women's milk is a cause for healing.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for what he asked about, whether she becomes his mother, she does not become his mother, because one of the conditions of breastfeeding is that it be five breastfeedings or more. If it is less than that, it is not a cause of prohibition, meaning it does not make the breastfed child prohibited for the woman from whom he breastfed, nor does she become prohibited for him.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Also, among the conditions according to the majority of scholars is that the breastfeeding be in its proper time, meaning the time in which the child is nourished by breastfeeding.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If that time is exceeded, such that he is weaned and not dependent on milk for his sustenance, then the effect of the milk on him is not realized.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It has no effect.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Some scholars held that the breastfeeding of an adult is a cause of prohibition, due to the generality of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
your [milk] mothers who nursed you
وأمهاتكم اللاتي أرضعنكمBreastfeed him, and he will become prohibited for you
أرضعيه تحرمي عليهThe questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh : Some scholars used this as evidence that the breastfeeding of an adult is effective and a cause of prohibition, but the majority are of the opposite opinion, that it has no effect and does not cause prohibition. The Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) chose the detailed view and said: If there is a need for the breastfeeding of an adult and he is breastfed, then the prohibition is established; otherwise, if there is no need, it is not established. But the stronger position is what the majority held. This is indicated by the fact that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade seclusion with women, they said: O Messenger of Allah, what about the in-laws? He said:
The relative is death
الحمو الموتThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If breastfeeding were a cause of permissibility, meaning for permitting seclusion, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have clarified that, given the need for its clarification.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : He would have said, for example, if the husband has a brother and naturally he is with him in the residence, he needs to be alone with his wife. If there were a cure for this real situation that people need, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would have said: breastfeed her, and it would be over.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The problem would be over. Since the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not clarify that, despite the need for it in this great matter, this indicates that there is no effect to the breastfeeding of an adult, and this is the stronger position.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And it is recommended to avoid the breastfeeding of an adult under any circumstances, so that we do not fall into problems.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
O brothers, we have reached the end of this meeting.