❖ Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Volume 1, Page 692
What do the respected scholars say regarding the following matter:
Due to my wife’s illness, my son was breastfed by my mother when he was around 2 or 3 months old, and this continued until he was about 10 months old.
Now the question is:
❖ Can my son marry the daughter of my sister (i.e., his paternal cousin)?
Please explain in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
Based on the situation mentioned in the question, this marriage is not permissible in Sharīʿah.
The reason is that the boy has become a milk-uncle (رضاعی ماموں) to the girl — that is, he is her uncle through breastfeeding.
Suppose:
If ʿAtīq was breastfed by his grandmother Rafīʿah due to his mother’s illness, he becomes:
Therefore, ʿAtīq becomes a milk-uncle (رضاعی ماموں) to Shafīqah’s daughter.
Allah says:
Just as marriage to a niece through lineage is forbidden, likewise marriage to a milk-niece (رضاعی بھانجی) is also forbidden.
Narrated from ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها:
This means the rules of kinship through breastfeeding are the same as those through blood relations.
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, when someone suggested that the Prophet ﷺ marry the daughter of Ḥamzah رضي الله عنه (his uncle and martyr), the Prophet ﷺ replied:
This clearly shows that the Prophet ﷺ prohibited marrying a milk-niece just as a biological niece is prohibited.
✔ In this specific case, the boy drank his grandmother’s milk, thus becoming a milk-brother to his aunt.
✔ As a result, he is considered a milk-uncle to her daughter,
✔ And, as per the Qur’an and Sunnah, an uncle (by blood or breastfeeding) cannot marry his niece.
❖ Question:
What do the respected scholars say regarding the following matter:
Due to my wife’s illness, my son was breastfed by my mother when he was around 2 or 3 months old, and this continued until he was about 10 months old.
Now the question is:
❖ Can my son marry the daughter of my sister (i.e., his paternal cousin)?
Please explain in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
❖ Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
Based on the situation mentioned in the question, this marriage is not permissible in Sharīʿah.
The reason is that the boy has become a milk-uncle (رضاعی ماموں) to the girl — that is, he is her uncle through breastfeeding.
✦ Explanation with Example:
Suppose:
- The grandmother's name is Rafīʿah.
- Her son (the father of the boy) is Shafīq.
- Rafīʿah’s daughter (the boy's aunt) is Shafīqah.
- Shafīq’s son is ʿAtīq (the boy in question).
If ʿAtīq was breastfed by his grandmother Rafīʿah due to his mother’s illness, he becomes:
- A milk-brother (رضاعی بھائی) of his father Shafīq, and
- A milk-brother of his paternal aunt Shafīqah,
Therefore, ʿAtīq becomes a milk-uncle (رضاعی ماموں) to Shafīqah’s daughter.
✦ Qur’anic Ruling:
Allah says:
Just as marriage to a niece through lineage is forbidden, likewise marriage to a milk-niece (رضاعی بھانجی) is also forbidden.✦ Ḥadīth Evidence:
Narrated from ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها:
This means the rules of kinship through breastfeeding are the same as those through blood relations.
✦ Supporting Example from Ḥadīth:
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, when someone suggested that the Prophet ﷺ marry the daughter of Ḥamzah رضي الله عنه (his uncle and martyr), the Prophet ﷺ replied:
This clearly shows that the Prophet ﷺ prohibited marrying a milk-niece just as a biological niece is prohibited.
Conclusion:
✔ In this specific case, the boy drank his grandmother’s milk, thus becoming a milk-brother to his aunt.
✔ As a result, he is considered a milk-uncle to her daughter,
✔ And, as per the Qur’an and Sunnah, an uncle (by blood or breastfeeding) cannot marry his niece.
