The Ruling on Accepting Women’s Testimony Regarding Breastfeeding and Other Matters
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Your Eminence, there are some issues that, if you permit me to discuss them:
First: Accepting women’s testimony in matters concerning them, such as breastfeeding and similar issues, what is your opinion on this?
Answer:
The correct view is that a woman is believed if she is trustworthy, if she is attested to as truthful, honest, and religious. A woman testified before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the breastfeeding of 'Uqbah ibn al-Harith; so he ordered him to divorce her, and he said: So 'Uqbah divorced her, and she married another. 'Uqbah divorced her, and she married another. This falls under the category of news, the category of religious news, just as the adhan is accepted from one person. This is religious news concerning the sanctity of marital relations, and it is a matter that requires caution. Therefore, a group of scholars held that the testimony of one woman is accepted, while others held that two are necessary, and others said that four are necessary.
The presenter: Regarding the matter of breastfeeding?
The Shaykh: Breastfeeding, but the correct view is that one woman is sufficient, if she is trustworthy and reliable, with no doubt about her. Yes.
The presenter: If the matter is doubtful regarding the number of breastfeedings?
The Shaykh: It does not suffice, it does not suffice. Breastfeeding is not established unless there are five known, certain feedings within the two years. Yes.
The presenter: The fact that the children, as you mentioned, are deaf and mute, has no relation to this?
The Shaykh: Allah knows best. It is not necessitated by this, because she did not know, and the child did not know. So the sin is upon the father, and Allah does not punish anyone for the sin of another. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says: [Al-An'am: 164] But for a profound wisdom, what happened did happen. It had causes that Allah’s wisdom necessitated, (may Allah have mercy on him), Yes, (may Allah have mercy on him), and she is not the first to be afflicted with this. Others have been afflicted with more than this.
Your Eminence, there are some issues that, if you permit me to discuss them:
First: Accepting women’s testimony in matters concerning them, such as breastfeeding and similar issues, what is your opinion on this?
Answer:
The correct view is that a woman is believed if she is trustworthy, if she is attested to as truthful, honest, and religious. A woman testified before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the breastfeeding of 'Uqbah ibn al-Harith; so he ordered him to divorce her, and he said:
Leave her, how could it be when it was said
دعها، كيف وقد قيلThe presenter: Regarding the matter of breastfeeding?
The Shaykh: Breastfeeding, but the correct view is that one woman is sufficient, if she is trustworthy and reliable, with no doubt about her. Yes.
The presenter: If the matter is doubtful regarding the number of breastfeedings?
The Shaykh: It does not suffice, it does not suffice. Breastfeeding is not established unless there are five known, certain feedings within the two years. Yes.
The presenter: The fact that the children, as you mentioned, are deaf and mute, has no relation to this?
The Shaykh: Allah knows best. It is not necessitated by this, because she did not know, and the child did not know. So the sin is upon the father, and Allah does not punish anyone for the sin of another. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says:
and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another
وَلا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.