Rulings on Breast-feeding

26-1-2002 | IslamWeb

Question:

I want to marry my cousin (my Khalah's daughter). The reason is that when my cousin at the age of one and half year old my real mother take own milk for drink to her only and only one time under compulsion. Now dear sir I have studied various scholar's books in the country and out side the country. So I have know that I can be marry with my cousin. At the end I want to know under your order and knowledge. Moreover, Sheikh Bin Baz above said Imam also said that if the age of child is above to 2 years or not take milk of any women above 5 time at that occasion then the given milk women and her child is not the concerned (milk take children's brothers or sisters). At the end please sir I want to confirmed above said situation under your great education.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The Prophet said: “What is made unlawful by reason of blood is made unlawful by reason of the relations based on suckling.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Here are some conditions:

1) According to the preponderant opinion among Muslim scholars, one must suckle five times at least.

2) According to the majority of Muslim scholars, suckling for five times must be during the first two years of the child.

Thus, you are allowed to marry your cousin (Khala's daughter) since she suckled only once.

Here, we say that there is no difference between our Fatwa and Ibn Baaz's Fatwa.

Finally, you have to know that one suckling means that 'a child takes a woman's breast and then leaves it by him/herself. In addition, the child may suckle such five times one after the other in one sitting.’

Allah knows best.