Muslim

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: Hazrat Salim bin Ma'qil was a slave of an Ansari woman named Fatimah radi Allahu anha bint Yasar. She freed him and let him go. Then he became the ally (halif) of Hazrat Abu Hudhaifah radi Allahu anhu, which is also called "mawla al-mawalat." Afterwards, Hazrat Abu Hudhaifah radi Allahu anhu adopted him as his son (mutabanna, i.e., a son by declaration), and began to consider him as his son. Therefore, he used to live with them in the house.

When the Qur'an prohibited adoption (mutabanna) and the command of veiling (hijab) was revealed, Hazrat Abu Hudhaifah radi Allahu anhu began to feel discomfort at his coming and going, but by then it had become difficult to separate him. Therefore, the wife of Hazrat Abu Hudhaifah radi Allahu anhu, Hazrat Sahla radi Allahu anha, asked the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam for a solution to this problem. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Give him your milk (i.e., breastfeed him)."

But since he was already a grown man and was the imam of Masjid Quba, in whose leadership both the Muhajirun and Ansar used to pray, Hazrat Sahla radi Allahu anha said, "How can I give him my milk?" Then, according to Ibn Sa'd, the author of Tabaqat al-Kubra, she expressed her milk into a vessel for five days, each time the amount of one feeding, and gave it to him, thus completing five feedings (rad‘at). After this, the discomfort in the heart of Hazrat Abu Hudhaifah radi Allahu anhu was removed.

Issue of Adult Breastfeeding (Rada‘at Kabir):

The imams have differed regarding the period of breastfeeding (rada‘at). (Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim, in Zad al-Ma‘ad, vol. 5) has transmitted various opinions. The four well-known opinions are:

➊ The position of the majority of the Ummah, which is also supported by the apparent meaning of the Qur'an, is that the period of breastfeeding is two years. This is the view of Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah, Imam Ahmad rahimahullah, the two companions (Abu Yusuf and Muhammad rahimahumallah), and according to the Muwatta, also the view of Imam Malik rahimahullah.

➋ According to Imam Zufar, it is three years (Takmilat Fath al-Mulhim, vol. 1, p. 52), and according to Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah, Imam Zufar's position is the same as that of Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah.

➌ According to Imam Malik rahimahullah, after two years, a short period is excused so that the child becomes accustomed to leaving milk, but there are different opinions regarding how long this period is. However, according to the Malikis, the preferred opinion is two months.

➍ According to Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, the period of breastfeeding is thirty months, i.e., two and a half years, and according to Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah, one opinion is in agreement with the two companions. However, Imam Abu Ja‘far al-Tahawi adopted the opinion of the majority, and Ibn Nujaym considered it stronger based on evidence, and Allamah Taqi Usmani also considered the opinion of the majority stronger based on evidence, although he has strongly advocated for the correctness of Abu Hanifah rahimahullah's opinion both rationally and textually (Takmilat Fath al-Mulhim, vol. 1, p. 54).

On this basis, according to the majority, prohibition (hurmah) is not established by adult breastfeeding (rada‘at kabir), and the breastfeeding of Hazrat Salim is specific to him. However, according to Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah, prohibition is established by breastfeeding in infancy (rada‘at saghir), and in cases of necessity, as an exception, adult breastfeeding is permissible only for the concession of not observing hijab. But in any case, this is an exceptional and necessary situation, not a general principle or rule.

Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah, in Zad al-Ma‘ad (vol. 5), and Imam Shawkani, in Nayl al-Awtar (vol. 6), have strongly advocated this view. According to Hafiz Ibn Hazm, there is no difference between adult breastfeeding (rada‘at kabir) and breastfeeding in infancy (rada‘at saghir). This is also the view of Hazrat Aisha radi Allahu anha, Hazrat Ali radi Allahu anhu, Urwah bin Zubair radi Allahu anhu, Ata bin Abi Rabah rahimahullah, and Layth bin Sa‘d rahimahullah. It is also transmitted from Hazrat Hafsa radi Allahu anha, Abdullah bin Zubair radi Allahu anhu, and Qasim bin Muhammad.

Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim has considered Ibn Hazm and Dawud to be in agreement with the majority, and also in agreement with Hazrat Aisha radi Allahu anha. And this is correct, because in (al-Muhalla, issue 1869, p. 17), this opinion has been adopted.

Benefits and Issues:

➊ Due to this hadith, Aisha radi Allahu anha held the position that the prohibition (of marriage) is established by breastfeeding (radā‘ah) at any age, but the other Mothers of the Believers radi Allahu anhunna did not agree with her, as will be mentioned in the next chapter. (See Hadith: 1947)

➋ Salim was the adopted son of Abu Hudhayfah, whom he and his wife Sahla radi Allahu anha had raised. When Allah, the Exalted, abolished the custom of adopted sons, they found it difficult to observe the rules of veiling (hijab) because Salim resided in their house. Upon this, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam instructed Sahla radi Allahu anha to breastfeed Salim so that the obligation of veiling would be lifted.

➌ The Mothers of the Believers considered this ruling to be specific to Salim, but Aisha radi Allahu anha and some scholars have deemed it permissible in circumstances similar to those faced by Salim and Sahla radi Allahu anhuma. Caution lies in not giving this breastfeeding (radā‘ah) the same ruling as breastfeeding in infancy. And Allah knows best. Imam Bukhari preferred this opinion. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Marriage, Chapter: “Whoever said: There is no breastfeeding after two years...”, Hadith: 5102) Imam Ibn Taymiyyah and Imam Shawkani have written regarding this hadith that, although it is not for general circumstances, there is allowance to act upon it in certain specific and dire situations. (Nayl al-Awtar: 6/353)

This is the opinion of the narrator Rabi‘ah. The majority among the Companions held the view of specification (takhsees). In contrast, the position of Sayyidah A’ishah radi Allahu anha is not one of specification, but rather of permissibility in cases of extreme necessity. Even now, if such an issue arises, this concession can be availed, provided that the issue is resolved thereby, just as the issue of Abu Hudhayfah radi Allahu anhu was resolved.

(1) The necessary clarification of this issue has already been stated in Hadith: 3321.
(2) A small child who does not yet have awareness of specific matters may come and go near non-mahram women.