Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Volume 1, Page 744
For two years, my husband would put my breast in his mouth. Later, realizing his mistake, he consulted Mawlānā Sayyid Aḥmad Shāh (رحمه الله) of Gujarat, who provided a written fatwa stating:
“In the mentioned case, if a man puts his wife’s breast in his mouth, it is a disliked (makrūh) act, but it does not affect the validity of the marriage.”
However, I did not feel satisfied with this answer and continued living with my husband. After ten years, I began insisting again that our nikāḥ is not valid. My husband repeatedly reassured me that our marriage is valid. Finally, in frustration, he angrily said to clarify:
"I did not put your breast in my mouth to drink milk — I did it at your request."
These words were spoken two months ago.
Now kindly inform me:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
The answer given by the late Muftī Sayyid Aḥmad Shāh رحمه الله is absolutely correct:
✦ This action has no bearing on the validity of the marriage (nikāḥ).
✿ Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله, in his commentary on Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (Kitāb al-Raḍāʿah), clarifies:
If a husband places his wife’s breast in his mouth during intimacy, even if a drop of milk enters his mouth, it does not invalidate the marriage.
Thus, although the act is disliked (makrūh) and improper, it does not impact the marital contract, which remains valid.
It is essential to understand that fosterage (the milk relationship) is established only if both of the following conditions are met:
➊ The one suckling the milk must be less than two years old,
➋ The child’s primary nourishment must be milk at the time.
This is a consensus-based ruling among the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah.
From Muwaṭṭa Imām Muḥammad:
أخبرنا مالك، أخبرنا نافع، أن عبد الله بن عمر كان يقول: لا رضاعة إلا لمن أرضع في الصغر
“ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه said: Fosterage (raḍāʿah) is only valid when the child is breastfed in infancy.”
(Muwaṭṭa Imām Muḥammad, Bāb al-Raḍāʿah, p. 270–274)
✿ From the above Hadith and scholarly consensus, it is clear that if a mature man consumes a woman’s milk, he does not become her milk-son, nor is a foster relationship established.
✿ Therefore, your belief that your husband became your milk-son is incorrect.
✿ This doubt is a baseless whisper (waswasah) from Shayṭān, and it is essential to guard against it.
✿ Your marriage remains valid and intact in every respect.
Do not allow Shayṭān to disturb the peace of your home.
However, you should kindly encourage your husband to avoid such acts in the future out of respect and religious propriety.
هَذَا مَا عِندِي، وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
This is what I hold to be correct, and Allah knows best.
❖ Question:
For two years, my husband would put my breast in his mouth. Later, realizing his mistake, he consulted Mawlānā Sayyid Aḥmad Shāh (رحمه الله) of Gujarat, who provided a written fatwa stating:
“In the mentioned case, if a man puts his wife’s breast in his mouth, it is a disliked (makrūh) act, but it does not affect the validity of the marriage.”
However, I did not feel satisfied with this answer and continued living with my husband. After ten years, I began insisting again that our nikāḥ is not valid. My husband repeatedly reassured me that our marriage is valid. Finally, in frustration, he angrily said to clarify:
"I did not put your breast in my mouth to drink milk — I did it at your request."
These words were spoken two months ago.
Now kindly inform me:
- What is the religious ruling on my husband’s action?
- Am I guilty of anything?
- Is our marriage valid or has it ended?
❖ Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
The answer given by the late Muftī Sayyid Aḥmad Shāh رحمه الله is absolutely correct:
✦ This action has no bearing on the validity of the marriage (nikāḥ).
❖ Evidence:
✿ Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله, in his commentary on Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (Kitāb al-Raḍāʿah), clarifies:
If a husband places his wife’s breast in his mouth during intimacy, even if a drop of milk enters his mouth, it does not invalidate the marriage.
Thus, although the act is disliked (makrūh) and improper, it does not impact the marital contract, which remains valid.
❖ Legal Conditions for Fosterage (Raḍāʿah):
It is essential to understand that fosterage (the milk relationship) is established only if both of the following conditions are met:
➊ The one suckling the milk must be less than two years old,
➋ The child’s primary nourishment must be milk at the time.
This is a consensus-based ruling among the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah.
❖ Supporting Narration:
From Muwaṭṭa Imām Muḥammad:
أخبرنا مالك، أخبرنا نافع، أن عبد الله بن عمر كان يقول: لا رضاعة إلا لمن أرضع في الصغر
“ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه said: Fosterage (raḍāʿah) is only valid when the child is breastfed in infancy.”
(Muwaṭṭa Imām Muḥammad, Bāb al-Raḍāʿah, p. 270–274)
Final Ruling:
✿ From the above Hadith and scholarly consensus, it is clear that if a mature man consumes a woman’s milk, he does not become her milk-son, nor is a foster relationship established.
✿ Therefore, your belief that your husband became your milk-son is incorrect.
✿ This doubt is a baseless whisper (waswasah) from Shayṭān, and it is essential to guard against it.
✿ Your marriage remains valid and intact in every respect.
Do not allow Shayṭān to disturb the peace of your home.
However, you should kindly encourage your husband to avoid such acts in the future out of respect and religious propriety.
هَذَا مَا عِندِي، وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
This is what I hold to be correct, and Allah knows best.
