It is narrated from Ḥaḍrat ʿĀʾishah (may Allāh be pleased with her):
عن عائشة أنها قالت كان فيما أنزل من القرآن عشر رضعات معلومات يحرمن ثم نسخن بخمس معلومات فتوفي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهن فيما يقرأ من القرآن
Ḥaḍrat ʿĀʾishah (may Allāh be pleased with her) reported:
“Allāh had initially revealed in the Qur’ān that ten known breastfeedings would establish the prohibition (of marriage due to fosterage). Then, it was abrogated to five known breastfeedings. And when the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ passed away, these verses were still being recited as part of the Qur’ān.”
(Saḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Raḍāʿ, Bāb al-Taḥrīm bi-Khams Riḍāʿāt, Ḥadīth: 3597)
On the basis of this narration, the idea is put forth that the verses regarding five breastfeedings—which continued to be recited until the passing of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ—were not included in the later compiled copies of the Qur’ān.
Certain objectors claim that this suggests there was a deficiency or reduction in the Holy Qur’ān.
Every verse of the Holy Qur’ān has reached us through mutawātir transmission and the consensus of the Ummah.
This particular ḥadīth is khabr-e-wāḥid (a solitary report), and such a report is insufficient to establish or include any verse in the Qur’ān.
Imām Nawawī (may Allāh have mercy upon him) explicitly stated:
“Nothing related to the Qur’ān can be established by a solitary report.”
(Sharḥ al-Nawawī, 183/5)
The words in the narration that draw particular attention are:
”فتوفی رسول اللہ وهن فیما یقرأ من القرآن“
“The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ passed away while these verses were still being recited as part of the Qur’ān.”
These words were transmitted by ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Bakr, but are not found in other narrations.
For example:
✔ al-Qāsim ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr and Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd narrated the same ḥadīth without these words:
(Ibn Mājah, al-Sunan, 1/625/1942; Mushkil al-Āthār, 3/6)
(Saḥīḥ Muslim, 2/513/1452; Mushkil al-Āthār, 3/7; al-Sunan al-Kubrā, 7/454)
Imām Ṭaḥāwī (may Allāh have mercy upon him) stated:
“No one besides ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Bakr transmitted these words. This is purely an error on the part of the narrator.”
(Mushkil al-Āthār, 5/73, Ḥadīth 1740)
Shaykh Ibn ʿArabī (may Allāh have mercy upon him) also regarded it as an assumption of the narrator.
(ʿĀridat al-Aḥwadhī, 5/92)
It is conclusively proven through formal evidence that the verse of five breastfeedings and its ruling were abrogated during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ.
Ḥaḍrat ʿĀʾishah (may Allāh be pleased with her) narrated:
“In the Book of Allāh, there was a mention of ten breastfeedings that established the prohibition of marriage. Then, it was reduced to five, and finally, there remained nothing except that it was abrogated while the Prophet ﷺ was still alive.”
(Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq, Ḥadīth: 13928)
Muftī Taqī ʿUthmānī (may Allāh have mercy upon him) writes:
“This narration indicates that the verse of five breastfeedings had already been abrogated before the Prophet’s ﷺ demise.”
(Takmilah Fatḥ al-Mulhim, 46/1)
Status of Ḥaḍrat ʿĀʾishah (may Allāh be pleased with her)
She was among the greatest scholars of the Qur’ān and ḥadīth.
If this verse had not been abrogated, it would certainly have been included during the compilation of the Qur’ān in the eras of Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakr and Ḥaḍrat ʿUthmān (may Allāh be pleased with them).
Fame of the Qur’ānic Ruling
Since the ruling of breastfeeding impacted the validity of marriage, it was a widely known matter.
Had this verse remained part of the Qur’ān, other companions would also have been aware of it, but no such evidence exists.
➊ Initially, the ruling was that ten breastfeedings would establish the prohibition.
➋ Then, it was changed to five breastfeedings.
➌ Finally, the prohibition was affirmed even by a single breastfeeding.
Ḥaḍrat Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allāh be pleased with him) narrated:
“Previously, people used to say that one or two breastfeedings do not establish the prohibition of marriage, but now a single breastfeeding establishes the prohibition.”
(Aḥkām al-Qur’ān, 224/4)
In the Muṣannaf of ʿAbd al-Razzāq:
“Initially, the prohibition was established through a specific number (five or ten), but later it was affirmed even by a lesser number.”
(Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq, Ḥadīth: 13914)
At that time, in Arab society, it was common for wet nurses to breastfeed children.
Since it had implications for marriage, the ruling was gradually changed to prevent societal disputes and complications.
◈ The aforementioned ḥadīth does not raise any objection against the preservation of the Holy Qur’ān.
◈ The verses of ten and five breastfeedings were abrogated during the blessed life of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ.
◈ The wording in the narration mentioning the recitation of these verses after the Prophet’s ﷺ demise is an error of the narrator.
◈ The Holy Qur’ān remains preserved in its original state, and any claim of deficiency or alteration is baseless.
عن عائشة أنها قالت كان فيما أنزل من القرآن عشر رضعات معلومات يحرمن ثم نسخن بخمس معلومات فتوفي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهن فيما يقرأ من القرآن
Ḥaḍrat ʿĀʾishah (may Allāh be pleased with her) reported:
“Allāh had initially revealed in the Qur’ān that ten known breastfeedings would establish the prohibition (of marriage due to fosterage). Then, it was abrogated to five known breastfeedings. And when the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ passed away, these verses were still being recited as part of the Qur’ān.”
(Saḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Raḍāʿ, Bāb al-Taḥrīm bi-Khams Riḍāʿāt, Ḥadīth: 3597)
On the basis of this narration, the idea is put forth that the verses regarding five breastfeedings—which continued to be recited until the passing of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ—were not included in the later compiled copies of the Qur’ān.
Certain objectors claim that this suggests there was a deficiency or reduction in the Holy Qur’ān.
Every verse of the Holy Qur’ān has reached us through mutawātir transmission and the consensus of the Ummah.
This particular ḥadīth is khabr-e-wāḥid (a solitary report), and such a report is insufficient to establish or include any verse in the Qur’ān.
Imām Nawawī (may Allāh have mercy upon him) explicitly stated:
“Nothing related to the Qur’ān can be established by a solitary report.”
(Sharḥ al-Nawawī, 183/5)
The words in the narration that draw particular attention are:
”فتوفی رسول اللہ وهن فیما یقرأ من القرآن“
“The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ passed away while these verses were still being recited as part of the Qur’ān.”
These words were transmitted by ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Bakr, but are not found in other narrations.
For example:
✔ al-Qāsim ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr and Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd narrated the same ḥadīth without these words:
(Ibn Mājah, al-Sunan, 1/625/1942; Mushkil al-Āthār, 3/6)
(Saḥīḥ Muslim, 2/513/1452; Mushkil al-Āthār, 3/7; al-Sunan al-Kubrā, 7/454)
Imām Ṭaḥāwī (may Allāh have mercy upon him) stated:
“No one besides ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Bakr transmitted these words. This is purely an error on the part of the narrator.”
(Mushkil al-Āthār, 5/73, Ḥadīth 1740)
Shaykh Ibn ʿArabī (may Allāh have mercy upon him) also regarded it as an assumption of the narrator.
(ʿĀridat al-Aḥwadhī, 5/92)
It is conclusively proven through formal evidence that the verse of five breastfeedings and its ruling were abrogated during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ.
Ḥaḍrat ʿĀʾishah (may Allāh be pleased with her) narrated:
“In the Book of Allāh, there was a mention of ten breastfeedings that established the prohibition of marriage. Then, it was reduced to five, and finally, there remained nothing except that it was abrogated while the Prophet ﷺ was still alive.”
(Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq, Ḥadīth: 13928)
Muftī Taqī ʿUthmānī (may Allāh have mercy upon him) writes:
“This narration indicates that the verse of five breastfeedings had already been abrogated before the Prophet’s ﷺ demise.”
(Takmilah Fatḥ al-Mulhim, 46/1)
Status of Ḥaḍrat ʿĀʾishah (may Allāh be pleased with her)
She was among the greatest scholars of the Qur’ān and ḥadīth.
If this verse had not been abrogated, it would certainly have been included during the compilation of the Qur’ān in the eras of Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakr and Ḥaḍrat ʿUthmān (may Allāh be pleased with them).
Fame of the Qur’ānic Ruling
Since the ruling of breastfeeding impacted the validity of marriage, it was a widely known matter.
Had this verse remained part of the Qur’ān, other companions would also have been aware of it, but no such evidence exists.
➊ Initially, the ruling was that ten breastfeedings would establish the prohibition.
➋ Then, it was changed to five breastfeedings.
➌ Finally, the prohibition was affirmed even by a single breastfeeding.
Ḥaḍrat Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allāh be pleased with him) narrated:
“Previously, people used to say that one or two breastfeedings do not establish the prohibition of marriage, but now a single breastfeeding establishes the prohibition.”
(Aḥkām al-Qur’ān, 224/4)
In the Muṣannaf of ʿAbd al-Razzāq:
“Initially, the prohibition was established through a specific number (five or ten), but later it was affirmed even by a lesser number.”
(Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq, Ḥadīth: 13914)
At that time, in Arab society, it was common for wet nurses to breastfeed children.
Since it had implications for marriage, the ruling was gradually changed to prevent societal disputes and complications.
◈ The aforementioned ḥadīth does not raise any objection against the preservation of the Holy Qur’ān.
◈ The verses of ten and five breastfeedings were abrogated during the blessed life of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ.
◈ The wording in the narration mentioning the recitation of these verses after the Prophet’s ﷺ demise is an error of the narrator.
◈ The Holy Qur’ān remains preserved in its original state, and any claim of deficiency or alteration is baseless.
