Muslim

Hadith Footnote:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
رَضْعَةٌ and مَصَّةٌ or اِمْلاَجَةٌ:
mean sucking once.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: ➊
Three words have been used in the hadith for breastfeeding (radā‘ah):

**Maṣṣah:**
This means “to suck the breast.”
When a child sucks a woman’s breast once, even if it is just a single drop, this is called a maṣṣah.

**Imlājah:**
This means “for a woman to put her breast into the child’s mouth.”
When a woman puts her breast into the child’s mouth, and then the child removes it, this is called imlājah.

**Murḍi‘ah:**
Its meaning, as explained by ‘Allāmah Shirāzī in *al-Muhadhdhab*, Ibn Qudāmah in *al-Mughnī*, and Ḥāfiẓ Ibn al-Qayyim in (*Zād al-Ma‘ād*, vol. 5, p. 511, Maktabah al-Furqān*), is that when a child puts a woman’s breast in his mouth and begins to drink, and then, being satisfied, leaves it of his own will without any cause or reason, this is considered one murḍi‘ah.
If the child leaves it to take a breath or because something catches his interest and then immediately resumes drinking, or leaves one breast and immediately starts on the other, this is still considered a single suckling (raḍ‘ah), just as a person eats food and drinks water in between, or leaves one type of food and starts another; it is still considered a single meal (aklah).

➋
There is a difference of opinion among the imams regarding the amount of breastfeeding (radā‘ah) required. The most well-known opinions and schools are three:

1.
Whether the breastfeeding is little or much, in every case the prohibition (of marriage, etc.) is established; even a single gulp that would break the fast is sufficient to establish prohibition.
This is the position of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah rahimahullah.
Imām Mālik rahimahullah holds the same view.
One narration from Imām Aḥmad rahimahullah is also in agreement.
Imām Bukhārī rahimahullah has also adopted this, and Imām Layth ibn Sa‘d even considered it a matter of consensus (ijmā‘) (*Zād al-Ma‘ād*, vol. 5, p. 507).
However, Imām Shawkānī rahimahullah considered Layth ibn Sa‘d to be in agreement with Imām Shāfi‘ī rahimahullah (*al-Darārī al-Muḍiyyah*, vol. 2, p. 212).
In any case, this is the position of the majority.

2.
Prohibition is not established by one or two sucklings; it is established by three or more sucklings.
This is the view of Imām Abū Thawr,
Abū ‘Ubaydah,
Ibn al-Mundhir,
and Dāwūd al-Ẓāhirī.
One narration from Imām Aḥmad rahimahullah is also in agreement.

3.
For prohibition to be established, at least five sucklings are necessary.
This is the position of Imām Shāfi‘ī rahimahullah,
the preferred view of Imām Aḥmad rahimahullah,
and also the view of Ibn Ḥazm and Isḥāq ibn Rāhwayh,
and is supported by authentic ahadith, as will be mentioned ahead.
This is the preferred (rājiḥ) view, because the main purpose of breastfeeding (radā‘ah) is that it should have an effect on the child’s physical development, contributing to his flesh, skin, and bones.
For details, see (*Ḥujjatullāh*, vol. 2, pp. 131–132).

4.
For prohibition, ten sucklings are required.
This is narrated from Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah radi Allahu anha and Ḥafṣah radi Allahu anha.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) stated this blessed saying in response to a question from a man. This incident is narrated in detail in Sahih Muslim. Umm al-Fadl (radi Allahu anha) said: The Prophet of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was present in my house when a Bedouin came to him. He said: O Prophet of Allah! I had a woman in my marriage, and while she was still with me, I married another woman. My first wife claims that she has breastfed my new wife once or twice. At that, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) stated the above-mentioned ruling. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Rada‘, Chapter: Regarding One Suckling and Two Sucklings, Hadith: 1451)

Some scholars have deduced from this hadith that the rulings of breastfeeding (rada‘ah) are established by three instances of suckling, meaning that the milk relationship is established. However, the correct view is that prohibition (of marriage) is established by five instances of suckling, as narrated in Sahih Muslim from Aisha (radi Allahu anha) that initially, the ruling of prohibition through breastfeeding was revealed in the Qur’an for ten instances of suckling, then it was abrogated and the ruling was revealed for five instances of suckling. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Rada‘, Chapter: Prohibition by Five Sucklings, Hadith: 1452)

This narration is authentic and explicit that the prohibition of suckling (raḍā‘ah) is not established by one or two instances of breastfeeding, rather it requires more instances. In view of the previous hadith, the maximum intended is five times, so that all the ahadith can be acted upon.