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2. Also. Islam has forbidden a man's getting married to a woman if
that woman was breast fed by his mother. as the Qurlan implied that:
"Foster mothers (who gave you suck) foster sisters. " 1
In the tradition, wilsha (the wife of the Prophet) narrated that
while Allah's apostle was with her. she heard a voice of a man asking
permission to enter the house of Hafsa. 'Wisha added, I said, 10' Allah's
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Apostlel This man is asking permission to enter your house. " The
Prophet said "I think he is so and so. naming the foster-uncle of
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Hafsa. Aisha said, "if so and so. " naming her foster uncle, were living,
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could he enter upon me ? The Prophet said. "Yes, for foster' relations
make all those things (lawful and)'unlawful which are I (lawful and)
unlawful through corresponding birth (blood) relation. " 2
Ibn Abbas also narrated it was said to the'Prophet, "Won't you
marry the daughter of Hamza ? 11 He said, "she is my foster niece
(foster brother's daughter).
3 Some scholars are of the opinion
that three meals (breast feeding a baby three times) are enough
to forbid marriage; others think that five meals are enough. In the
tradition, Aisha narrated that the Prophet entered upon her while a man
was sitting with her. Signs of anger seemed to appear on his face as
if he disliked that. She said. "Here is my foster "brother. " He said,
"Be sure as to who is your foster brother, for foster-relationship
is 'established' only when milk is the only food of the child. " 4
It'is very important to mention here that suckling which brings about
foster-relationship is that which is done when the baby is under two
years of age. 5
The reason behind the prohibition of marriage by
breast feeding is that when a woman breast feeds a baby. she participates
Q. 4.23
2,, ' 1 See Sahih al. Bukhari. Vol. 7, op. cit., P, 24 and 25
3. Ibid
4. " For more details. see Ibn Kathir, op. cit., Vol. 1. P. 371
5., Ibid and Sahih al. -Bukhari,
Vol. 7. op. cit., P. 27
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