No Legal Effect of Breastfeeding After Two Years – Sharʿī Ruling
Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Vol. 1, Pg. 734
What is the ruling from the scholars of Islam regarding a case where a child older than two years drinks a woman’s milk repeatedly—
Does this establish the prohibition of breastfeeding (ḥurmat al-riḍāʿah)? Please issue a fatwa based on Islamic law.
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
The maximum time limit for establishing legal prohibition through breastfeeding (ḥurmat al-riḍāʿah) is two years only.
Therefore, if a child consumes breast milk after the age of two, it does not result in any legal prohibition.
﴿وَالْوَالِدَاتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ﴾
“Mothers shall breastfeed their children for two full years…”
(Surah al-Baqarah: 233)
This verse establishes two complete years as the Sharʿī limit for valid breastfeeding.
➊ Ḥadīth of ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها:
The Prophet ﷺ once entered upon ʿĀʾishah while a man was present. His expression changed as if he disliked it.
ʿĀʾishah said: “He is my milk-brother.”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
"Be careful when claiming milk-relations. Breastfeeding only establishes prohibition when it satisfies hunger in infancy.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book: Whoever Says There is No Riḍāʿah After Two Years; Vol. 2, Pg. 464)
—
➋ Ḥadīth of Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“No breastfeeding causes prohibition except that which opens the intestines (i.e., nourishes the child) and occurs before weaning.”
(Tuhfat al-Aḥwadhī, Chapter: Breastfeeding Causes Prohibition Only in Infancy; Pg. 201)
Imām al-Tirmidhī remarked:
“This ḥadīth is ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ. Most scholars from among the Ṣaḥābah, Tābiʿīn, and others agree that riḍāʿah only causes prohibition if done within the first two years.”
➤ If a child drinks breast milk after completing two years of age, no prohibition (ḥurmah) of breastfeeding is established.
➤ Therefore, in the case in question:
If the child was older than two years, then no familial ties through breastfeeding are established, and marriage remains permissible.
وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Vol. 1, Pg. 734❖ Question:
What is the ruling from the scholars of Islam regarding a case where a child older than two years drinks a woman’s milk repeatedly—
Does this establish the prohibition of breastfeeding (ḥurmat al-riḍāʿah)? Please issue a fatwa based on Islamic law.
❖ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
The maximum time limit for establishing legal prohibition through breastfeeding (ḥurmat al-riḍāʿah) is two years only.
Therefore, if a child consumes breast milk after the age of two, it does not result in any legal prohibition.
❖ Qur’anic Evidence:
﴿وَالْوَالِدَاتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ﴾
“Mothers shall breastfeed their children for two full years…”
(Surah al-Baqarah: 233)This verse establishes two complete years as the Sharʿī limit for valid breastfeeding.
❖ Prophetic Evidences:
➊ Ḥadīth of ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها:
The Prophet ﷺ once entered upon ʿĀʾishah while a man was present. His expression changed as if he disliked it.
ʿĀʾishah said: “He is my milk-brother.”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
"Be careful when claiming milk-relations. Breastfeeding only establishes prohibition when it satisfies hunger in infancy.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book: Whoever Says There is No Riḍāʿah After Two Years; Vol. 2, Pg. 464)—
➋ Ḥadīth of Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“No breastfeeding causes prohibition except that which opens the intestines (i.e., nourishes the child) and occurs before weaning.”
(Tuhfat al-Aḥwadhī, Chapter: Breastfeeding Causes Prohibition Only in Infancy; Pg. 201)Imām al-Tirmidhī remarked:
“This ḥadīth is ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ. Most scholars from among the Ṣaḥābah, Tābiʿīn, and others agree that riḍāʿah only causes prohibition if done within the first two years.”
Conclusion:
➤ If a child drinks breast milk after completing two years of age, no prohibition (ḥurmah) of breastfeeding is established.
➤ Therefore, in the case in question:
If the child was older than two years, then no familial ties through breastfeeding are established, and marriage remains permissible.
وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
