Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulām Muṣṭafā Ẓahīr Amunpuri
What is the Islamic ruling on marrying the divorcee or widow of one’s foster (raḍāʿī) father?
Such a marriage is not permissible.
Just as it is prohibited to marry the former wife of one's biological father,
it is likewise prohibited to marry the former wife (divorcee or widow) of one's foster father.
﴿وَلَا تَنكِحُوا مَا نَكَحَ آبَاؤُكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ﴾
(Sūrah al-Nisā’, 4:22)
Translation:
“And do not marry those women whom your fathers had married…”
This ruling applies equally to foster fathers, because of the principle:
"Whatever relationships are prohibited due to blood (nasab) are also prohibited due to breastfeeding (raḍāʿah)."
Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها reported:
"إن الرضاعة تحرّم ما تحرّم الولادة"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2646, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1444)
Translation:
“Breastfeeding makes unlawful whatever blood relations make unlawful.”
➤ It is ḥarām (strictly forbidden) to marry the divorcee or widow of one’s foster father,
just as it is ḥarām in the case of a biological father.
Such a woman becomes permanently unmarriageable (maḥram) through raḍāʿah.
❖ Question:
What is the Islamic ruling on marrying the divorcee or widow of one’s foster (raḍāʿī) father?
❖ Answer:
Such a marriage is not permissible.
Just as it is prohibited to marry the former wife of one's biological father,it is likewise prohibited to marry the former wife (divorcee or widow) of one's foster father.
✿ Qur’anic Evidence:
﴿وَلَا تَنكِحُوا مَا نَكَحَ آبَاؤُكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ﴾
(Sūrah al-Nisā’, 4:22)
Translation:
“And do not marry those women whom your fathers had married…”
This ruling applies equally to foster fathers, because of the principle:"Whatever relationships are prohibited due to blood (nasab) are also prohibited due to breastfeeding (raḍāʿah)."
✿ Hadith Evidence:
Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها reported:
"إن الرضاعة تحرّم ما تحرّم الولادة"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2646, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1444)
Translation:
“Breastfeeding makes unlawful whatever blood relations make unlawful.”
Final Ruling:
➤ It is ḥarām (strictly forbidden) to marry the divorcee or widow of one’s foster father,
just as it is ḥarām in the case of a biological father.
Such a woman becomes permanently unmarriageable (maḥram) through raḍāʿah.
