Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
If a child was breastfed between the age of two and two-and-a-half years, what is the ruling regarding this?
The complete duration of breastfeeding (raḍāʿah) is two years.
If a child consumes breast milk at least five times within this period, then the prohibition of fosterage (ḥurmat al-raḍāʿah) will be established. Otherwise, it will not be established.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿ وَالْوَالِدَاتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَةَ ﴾
[Sūrat al-Baqarah: 233]
“Mothers shall breastfeed their children for two complete years, for those who desire to complete the term of suckling.”
① The Shari'ah-defined period for breastfeeding is two full years.
② If within these two years, a child is breastfed five times or more, it leads to the establishment of maḥram (non-marriageable) relations.
③ Breastfeeding after two years (e.g. at 2.5 years) does not establish such a relationship.
❖ Question:
If a child was breastfed between the age of two and two-and-a-half years, what is the ruling regarding this?
✿ Answer:
The complete duration of breastfeeding (raḍāʿah) is two years.
If a child consumes breast milk at least five times within this period, then the prohibition of fosterage (ḥurmat al-raḍāʿah) will be established. Otherwise, it will not be established.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿ وَالْوَالِدَاتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَةَ ﴾
[Sūrat al-Baqarah: 233]“Mothers shall breastfeed their children for two complete years, for those who desire to complete the term of suckling.”
✔ Summary:
① The Shari'ah-defined period for breastfeeding is two full years.
② If within these two years, a child is breastfed five times or more, it leads to the establishment of maḥram (non-marriageable) relations.
③ Breastfeeding after two years (e.g. at 2.5 years) does not establish such a relationship.
