76 - Rulings concerning breastfeeding

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ عِنْدَهَا، وَأَنَّهَا سَمِعَتْ صَوْتَ رَجُلٍ يَسْتَأْذِنُ فِي بَيْتِ حَفْصَةَ، قَالَتْ: فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، هَذَا رَجُلٌ يَسْتَأْذِنُ فِي بَيْتِكَ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: «أُرَاهُ فُلاَنًا»، لِعَمِّ حَفْصَةَ مِنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: لَوْ كَانَ فُلانٌ حَيًّا - لِعَمِّهَا مِنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ - دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ؟ فَقَالَ: «نَعَمْ؛ الرَّضَاعَةُ تُحَرِّمُ مَا تُحَرِّمُ الوِلادَةُ» 

‘Āʾishah, the Prophet’s wife, narrated that

1. God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) was with her when she heard the voice of a man seeking permission to enter Ḥafṣah’s home. I said: “Messenger of God, there is a man seeking entry to your home”. God’s Messenger said: “I think he is so-and-so”, (mentioning Ḥafṣah’s uncle through breastfeeding). 2. ꜤĀʾishah said: “Had such-and-such (mentioning her own uncle through breastfeeding) been alive, would he enter my home?” He said: “Yes, breastfeeding blocks marriages in the same way as birth”.

Related by al-Bukhari, 2646; Muslim, 1444.

Summary of Meaning

ꜤĀʼishah, Mother of the Believers, heard a man seeking permission to enter the home of another of the Prophet’s wives, Ḥafṣah bint ꜤUmar. When she mentioned this to the Prophet, he said that he thought the man to be Ḥafṣah’s uncle through breastfeeding. The Prophet told ꜤĀʼishah that breastfeeding blocks marriages in the same way as birth.

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