Excerpt from the book "Wālidayn aur Aulād ke Ḥuqūq" by Shaykh Jāwēd Iqbāl Sīālkōṭī
Weaning Without the Husband’s Consent Is Sinful in Islam
◈ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ:
«فَإِذَا أَنَا بِنِسَاءٍ تَنْهَشُ نُدِيَّهُنَّ الْحَيَّاتُ. قُلْتُ: مَا بَالُ هَؤُلَاءِ؟ قَالَ: هَؤُلَاءِ الَّتِي يَمْنَعْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ اللَّبَنَ»
(السنن الكبرى للنسائي: 1867؛ المستدرك: 2837، وصححه الحاكم ووافقه الذهبي؛ السلسلة الصحيحة: 3951)
Translation:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“I saw women whose breasts were being bitten and torn by snakes. I asked, ‘Who are these women?’ It was said, ‘These are those who withheld milk from their children.’”
✔ This ḥadīth strongly warns against mothers who unjustly wean their children early — particularly without the father's consent — just to preserve physical appearance or for selfish reasons.
✔ Such action is sinful and results in severe punishment in the Hereafter, as shown in the Prophet’s ﷺ vision.
✔ Breastfeeding and weaning decisions must involve both parents, based on consultation and the child’s best interest.
✔ Self-centered decisions, such as stopping breastfeeding to maintain physical beauty without the husband's agreement, are Islamically impermissible.
Islam has given specific rulings for infant urine:
◈ حديث:
عَنْ أُمِّ قَيْسٍ بِنْتِ مِحْصَنٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا:
“She brought her unweaned son to the Prophet ﷺ, who placed him in his lap. The child urinated, so he ﷺ sprinkled water on the spot but did not wash it.”
(صحيح البخاري: 223؛ صحيح مسلم: 665)
Ruling: Sprinkling water is sufficient on the spot if the baby boy hasn’t started solid food.
◈ Hadith:
«يُنْضَحُ بَوْلُ الْغُلَامِ، وَيُغْسَلُ بَوْلُ الْجَارِيَةِ»
“Urine of a boy is sprinkled with water, but the urine of a girl must be washed.”
(أبوداود: 377؛ الترمذي: 71؛ المستدرك: 604)
✔ If the baby girl urinates on a cloth, that area must be washed.
❖ Topic:
Weaning Without the Husband’s Consent Is Sinful in Islam
✿ Warning from a Prophetic Vision:
◈ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ:
«فَإِذَا أَنَا بِنِسَاءٍ تَنْهَشُ نُدِيَّهُنَّ الْحَيَّاتُ. قُلْتُ: مَا بَالُ هَؤُلَاءِ؟ قَالَ: هَؤُلَاءِ الَّتِي يَمْنَعْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ اللَّبَنَ»
(السنن الكبرى للنسائي: 1867؛ المستدرك: 2837، وصححه الحاكم ووافقه الذهبي؛ السلسلة الصحيحة: 3951)
Translation:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“I saw women whose breasts were being bitten and torn by snakes. I asked, ‘Who are these women?’ It was said, ‘These are those who withheld milk from their children.’”
Practical Instruction:
✔ This ḥadīth strongly warns against mothers who unjustly wean their children early — particularly without the father's consent — just to preserve physical appearance or for selfish reasons.
✔ Such action is sinful and results in severe punishment in the Hereafter, as shown in the Prophet’s ﷺ vision.
❖ Practical Instruction:
✔ Breastfeeding and weaning decisions must involve both parents, based on consultation and the child’s best interest.
✔ Self-centered decisions, such as stopping breastfeeding to maintain physical beauty without the husband's agreement, are Islamically impermissible.
✿ Fiqhi Ruling: Baby’s Urine — Purity Guidelines:
Islam has given specific rulings for infant urine:
For Male Infants (Who Haven’t Eaten Food Yet):
◈ حديث:
عَنْ أُمِّ قَيْسٍ بِنْتِ مِحْصَنٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا:
“She brought her unweaned son to the Prophet ﷺ, who placed him in his lap. The child urinated, so he ﷺ sprinkled water on the spot but did not wash it.”
(صحيح البخاري: 223؛ صحيح مسلم: 665)
Ruling: Sprinkling water is sufficient on the spot if the baby boy hasn’t started solid food. For Female Infants:
◈ Hadith:
«يُنْضَحُ بَوْلُ الْغُلَامِ، وَيُغْسَلُ بَوْلُ الْجَارِيَةِ»
“Urine of a boy is sprinkled with water, but the urine of a girl must be washed.”
(أبوداود: 377؛ الترمذي: 71؛ المستدرك: 604)
✔ If the baby girl urinates on a cloth, that area must be washed.
Companion Reports:
- Ali رضي الله عنه:
“Boy’s urine is sprinkled as long as he doesn’t eat; girl’s urine is to be washed.”
(أبوداود: 377) - Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها:
“She sprinkled water on a boy’s urine until he started eating; then she would wash it.”
(أبوداود: 379) - Qatādah رحمه الله:
“Sprinkling is permitted until the child begins eating; after that, both boy and girl’s urine must be washed.”
(الترمذي: 71) - Abū al-Samḥ رضي الله عنه:
“One of Ḥasan or Ḥusayn urinated on the Prophet’s ﷺ chest. The companions wanted to wash it, but he said:
‘Just sprinkle water. Girl’s urine is washed, and boy’s urine is sprinkled.’”
(أبوداود: 376؛ ابن ماجه: 526؛ الحاكم: 604)
