Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I would like to know something about breast feeding...

1) Is it allowed in Islam to drink any womens milk?
2) Can husband drink his wife`s milk?
3) If somebody drinks it by mistake what is the fatwah on it?

Please help!!! 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Drink women’s milk

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: Is it allowed in Islam to drink any womens milk?

It is indeed permissible in Shariah for an infant to drink the milk of any woman; and the suck of an infant will develop a lasting foster and ‘mehram’ relationship with that woman.

Al-Muwatta Hadith 30.4

Yahya related from Malik from Thawr ibn Zayd ad-Dili that Abdullah ibn Abbas (r.a.) said, "The milk which a child under two years old sucks, even if it is only one suck, makes the foster relatives ‘haram’ (sacred)."

Q-2: Can husband drink his wife`s milk?

If the husband happens to taste the milk from his wife’s breast accidentally or voluntary, there is absolutely no harm and does not effect their ‘nikaah’ or marital relationship in the least.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.815 Narrated by Aisha

Once the Prophet (saws) came to me while a man was in my house. He (saws) said, "O 'Aisha! Who is this (man)?" I replied, "My foster brother." He (saws) said, "O 'Aisha! Be sure about your foster brothers, as fostership is only valid if it takes place in the suckling period (before two years of age)."

Q-3: If somebody drinks it by mistake what is the fatwah on it?

In light of the above clear guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws), the consumption of a women’s milk will only bring into effect foster-relationships if the suckling baby is in the suckling period, which is unanimously accepted in Islam as being under two years of age. Thus the majority of the good scholars in Islam are of the opinion that if an adult accidentally happens to taste the milk of a woman, it does not develop a foster or ‘mehram’ relationship with that woman.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan