Index

Marriage

Rules regarding suckling a child

2473. If a woman suckles a child with the conditions which will be mentioned in rule 2483, that child becomes Mahram of the following persons:

1. The woman herself (i.e. the woman who suckles it) and she is called Riza'i mother (milk mother).
2. The husband of the woman (for the milk belongs to him); he is called Riza'i father (milk father).
3. Father and mother of that woman and all in their upward line, even if they are milk father and milk mother.
4. The children born of that woman, or those who are born to her later.
5. The children of the children of that woman, however low, regardless of whether they are born of her children or her children had suckled them.
6. The sister and brother of that woman, even if they are her milk sister and milk brother.
7. Paternal uncle and paternal aunt of that woman, even if they are by milk, i.e. suckling.
8. Maternal uncle and maternal aunt of that woman, even if they are by milk i.e. suckling.
9. The descendants of the husband of that woman, (to whom milk belongs) even if they may be his milk children.
10. Father and mother of that husband (to whom milk belongs), however high.
11. Sister and brother of the husband, (to whom milk belongs) even if they may be his milk sister and brother.
12. Paternal uncle and paternal aunt and maternal uncle and maternal aunt of the husband, (to whom milk belongs) however high, even if they are his milk uncles and aunts.

There are other persons also (details regarding whom will be given in the following rules) who become Mahram on account of sucking milk.

2474. If a woman suckles a child with the condition which will be mentioned in rule 2483, the father of the child cannot marry the daughters of that woman, but it is permissible for him to marry her milk daughters, although the recommended precaution is that he should not marry them. Moreover, he cannot marry the daughters of the husband also (to whom milk belongs), even if they may be his milk daughters. And if any one of them happens to be his wife already, his marriage becomes void.

2475. If a woman suckles a child with the conditions mentioned in rule 2483, the husband of that woman (to whom milk belongs) does not become Mahram of the sisters of that child, but the recommended precaution is that he should not marry them. Also, the relatives of the husband do not become Mahram of the sister and brother of that child.

2476. If a woman suckles a child, she does not become Mahram of the brothers of that child. Moreover, the relatives of that woman do not become Mahram of the brother and sister of the child suckled by her.

2477. If a person marries a woman who has suckled a girl fully, and if he has had sexual intercourse with her, he cannot marry that milk girl.

2478. If a person marries a girl, he cannot marry the woman who has suckled her fully.

2479. A man cannot marry a girl who has been suckled fully by his mother or paternal grandmother. Also, if his step-mother suckles a girl from the milk belonging to his father, he cannot marry that girl. And if a person contracts Nikah with a suckling girl, and thereafter, his mother or his paternal grandmother or his step-mother suckles that girl, the Nikah becomes void.

2480. A man cannot marry a girl who has been suckled fully by his sister, or by his brother's wife. And the position is the same if that girl is suckled by that man's niece (sister's daughter or brother's daughter) or the granddaughter of his sister or the granddaughter of his brother.

2481. If a woman suckles the child of her daughter i.e. her granddaughter, or grandson, the daughter will become haraam for her own husband, and the same applies if she suckles the child of the husband of her daughter from another wife. But if a woman suckles the child of her son, the wife of her son who is the mother of the suckling child, does not become haraam for her husband.

2482. If the step mother of a girl suckles the child of her husband, with the milk that belongs to the girl's father, the girl becomes haraam for her husband regardless of whether the child is the offspring of that very girl or of some other woman.