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How To Dispose Of Breast-Milk

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Darulifta Azaadville

Question:

If a breastfeeding mother has to express breastmilk, how should she dispose of the milk if it is not given to the child to drink?

Is it permissible to discard the expressed milk?

Answer:

Allah Ta’ala has made the human body sacred. Allah Ta’ala says:

The habitual practice of the Sahaba (RadiyAllahu Anhum) was to bury even their clipped hair and nails. Evidence of this act is found in a number of Ahadith:

Al-Israa70

We have honoured the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of our 

Waail ibn Hajar (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) ordered hair and nails to be buried.” (Al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer Juz: 22/Pg. 32)

Ibn Umar (RadiyAllahu Anhu) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: Bury nails, hair, and blood.” (Sunan al-Kubra Al-Bayhaqee Juz. 35/Pg. 76)

Allah Ta’ala has bestowed honour on the human beings over other creation. Therefore, the human body and any parts of it must be respected properly and not tampered with. Just as a dead body must be buried according to Shari’ah, anything of one’s body must be disposed of in a respectful way and benefit may not be derived from it except where shari’ah has permitted. Burying such things is considered an appropriate method of disposal.  

If this is not possible then the milk should not be fed to anyone else unless they are one’s child or a child who is being breast fed by the woman to whom the milk belongs to. It must be noted that any other child that is fed this milk will now become the milk-child of the woman, consequently the laws pertaining to wet-nursing will apply. 

Checked and Approved By:

Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.

ولأنه يحرمالانتفاع بشعر الآدمي وسائر أجزائه لكرامته؛ بل يدفن شعره وظفره وسائر أجزائه )التوضيح لشرح الجامع الصحيح (Pg:373/Vol:23

احادیث اور آثار سے معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ بالاور ناخن کو دفن کرنا مستحب ہے اور اسکی حکمت یہ بیان کی گئی ہے کہ ساحرینان کو کھلونا نہ بنائیں، نیز انسان بجمیع اجزاء مکرم و محترم ہے اس وجہ سے گندگیوغیرہ میں پھینکنا اورجلانا درست نہیں ہیں)…فتاوی دار العلوم زکریا  (Pg:370/Vol:2

This answer was collected from the official Ifta website of Darul Uloom Azaadville, South Africa. Most of the answers are checked and approved by Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.

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