Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
➊ Breastfeeding Must Occur Before the Age of Two Years
As stated in the Qur’an regarding the duration of breastfeeding:
حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ
[Al-Baqarah: 233]
"Complete two years."
This implies that breastfeeding beyond the age of two does not establish any legal prohibition (ḥurmah).
➋ The Child Must Be Breastfed Five Separate Times
As narrated by ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها:
"A ruling was revealed in the Qur’an that ten breastfeeding sessions establish prohibition, but that was later abrogated to five. Thus, only five separate breastfeeding sessions establish ḥurmah, and this remained the case until the Prophet ﷺ passed away."
[Muslim: 2635, Book of Riḍāʿah: Chapter – Prohibition Through Five Breastfeedings]
✔ Imām Aḥmad رحمه الله and Imām al-Shāfiʿī رحمه الله hold this opinion.
Imām Abū Ḥanīfah رحمه الله:
He is of the view that the duration of breastfeeding is two and a half (2.5) years, based on the verse:
وَحَـمْلُـهٝ وَفِصَالُـهٝ ثَلَاثُوْنَ شَهْرًا
[Al-Aḥqāf: 15]
"His bearing and weaning are thirty months."
He also holds that even a single instance of breastfeeding, whether less or more, is sufficient to establish prohibition, relying on the generality of the verse:
وَأُمَّهَاتُكُمُ اللَّاتِي أَرْضَعْنَكُم
[An-Nisā’: 23]
"And your mothers who breastfed you."
[References: Nayl al-Awṭār: 4/418; Tafsīr al-Lubāb fī ʿUlūm al-Kitāb: 6/290; Al-Umm: 5/39; Al-Mabsūṭ: 5/135; Bidāyat al-Mujtahid: 2/36]
The first view is the stronger (rājiḥ) and more authentic:
✓ Breastfeeding must occur before the age of two years
✓ Must occur five separate times
[Al-Mughnī: 11/319]
❖ Two Conditions for the Establishment of Ḥurmah (Prohibition) Due to
➊ Breastfeeding Must Occur Before the Age of Two Years
As stated in the Qur’an regarding the duration of breastfeeding:
حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ
[Al-Baqarah: 233]
"Complete two years."
This implies that breastfeeding beyond the age of two does not establish any legal prohibition (ḥurmah).
➋ The Child Must Be Breastfed Five Separate Times
As narrated by ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها:
"A ruling was revealed in the Qur’an that ten breastfeeding sessions establish prohibition, but that was later abrogated to five. Thus, only five separate breastfeeding sessions establish ḥurmah, and this remained the case until the Prophet ﷺ passed away."
[Muslim: 2635, Book of Riḍāʿah: Chapter – Prohibition Through Five Breastfeedings]
✔ Imām Aḥmad رحمه الله and Imām al-Shāfiʿī رحمه الله hold this opinion.
❖ Differing Opinion:
Imām Abū Ḥanīfah رحمه الله:
He is of the view that the duration of breastfeeding is two and a half (2.5) years, based on the verse:
وَحَـمْلُـهٝ وَفِصَالُـهٝ ثَلَاثُوْنَ شَهْرًا
[Al-Aḥqāf: 15]
"His bearing and weaning are thirty months."
He also holds that even a single instance of breastfeeding, whether less or more, is sufficient to establish prohibition, relying on the generality of the verse:
وَأُمَّهَاتُكُمُ اللَّاتِي أَرْضَعْنَكُم
[An-Nisā’: 23]
"And your mothers who breastfed you."
[References: Nayl al-Awṭār: 4/418; Tafsīr al-Lubāb fī ʿUlūm al-Kitāb: 6/290; Al-Umm: 5/39; Al-Mabsūṭ: 5/135; Bidāyat al-Mujtahid: 2/36]
Preferred Opinion (Rājiḥ):
The first view is the stronger (rājiḥ) and more authentic:
✓ Breastfeeding must occur before the age of two years
✓ Must occur five separate times
[Al-Mughnī: 11/319]
