How Many Breastfeedings Are Required to Establish a Mahram Relationship?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
My cousin wants to ask for a girl’s hand in marriage. However, therein lies confusion about breastfeeding, as his mother breastfed the girl’s youngest sister once when she was a few months old. I wanted to ask, as per the Hanafi fiqh, what is the consensus or majority ruling about establishing ties of kinship through breastfeeding? Will he be able to marry her, or is he her mahram? Regarding the Hadith regarding 5 or 10 feedings needed, I have heard that the ruling has been abrogated, and if so, could you please explain how it has been abrogated? Thank you for your time. May Allah bless you.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
The majority ruling is that a single instance of ingesting even a drop of a woman’s milk, as long as the child was less than 2.5 lunar years old, will establish a mahram relationship. Therefore this girl is your breastfed sister.
A single instance of ingesting even a drop of a woman’s milk will establish a mahram relationship if the child ingesting it was less than 2.5 lunar years old.
[Mukhtasar al-Quduri]
The Ruling of 10, 5, or 3 Feedings
The ruling of 10, 5, or 3 feedings must have been abrogated in stages till only one feeding was required, but since this abrogation took place right before the passing of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), perhaps not every Companion was aware of the final ruling right away. Many of the jurists amongst the Companions, however, were. See the detailed answer below
[Usmani, Takmila Fath al Mulhim]
I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.
Related Answers
- Breastfeeding Leading to Mahram Relationship – SeekersGuidance
- Breastfeeding Archives – SeekersGuidance
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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
