Who Becomes a Mahram Through Breastfeeding?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

If a woman breastfeeds a girl and a boy within 2 lunar years, they become mahram to each other and to the milk mother.

But does the husband and son’s son of the milk daughter become her mahram?

Does the milk son’s son become mahram to his milk mother?

Since they are milk siblings, is his son mahram to her milk daughter, and her daughter to her milk brother?

Which relationships become mahram through breastfeeding? Please clarify all these relationships.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

If a woman breastfeeds a girl and a boy within 2 lunar years, they become mahram to each other and to the milk mother.

Does the husband and son’s son of the milk daughter become her mahram?

The husband of the milk daughter will not become a mahram to the milk mother. However, the milk daughter’s son’s son (grandson) becomes a mahram to the milk mother.

Does the milk son’s son become mahram to his milk mother?

Yes, he becomes her mahram.

Since they are milk siblings, is his son mahram to her milk daughter, and her daughter to her milk brother?

Yes, in both cases.

Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) narrated the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “What is unlawful through lineage is unlawful through breastfeeding” [Bukhari; Muslim]

Prohibitions and Hijab Rulings

A boy and a girl may not marry their milk parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, etc. Also, the obligation of covering (hijab) would not apply between the baby and the opposite gender relatives of the nursing family.

However, wisdom and caution do entail modesty in dress and interaction, since they are not actual blood relatives.

The mahram relationship and prohibition (hurmat) arising from breastfeeding only applies if the baby is less than two lunar years old.

According to the preferred position of legal verdict (fatwa), the appointed time period is two lunar years (24 lunar months). [Ibn Humam; Fath al-Qadir; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; Maydani, Lubab]

In general, the child who is nursed is considered akin to a family member, yet this ruling does not apply to the siblings of the milked child.

As an example, Ali and Fatima have two children: Hasan and Hiba. Fatima nurses her friend’s son, Saqib. Saqib is now considered to be a milk brother to both Hasan and Hiba. However, Saqib’s sister, Isra, remains unrelated to the family and could marry Ali if she so wanted.

Consult When Unsure

Breastfeeding (rada’a) creates kinship with marriage prohibitions and mahram rulings similar to blood relationships. These rulings can be complex when extended family and later generations are involved. When unsure of a relationship, consult a scholar and verify family ties before marriage, hijab, or family decisions.

And Allah knows best.

[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Related Answers

Who Is Considered a Mahram for a Breastfed Child?

Explains which relatives become mahram through breastfeeding and the legal effects of milk kinship in Islamic law.

Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.