Is this Hadith reliable?
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “While I was sleeping two men (Angels) came to me, held my upper arms, and took me to a rocky mountain. They said, ‘Climb.’I said, I am unable to climb, they said, we will make it easy for you. So I ascended until I reached a high place in the mountain. I heard fierce cries and enquired what those cries were? They answered, that is the loud cry of the people of the fire… We moved on until I saw women with snakes biting their breasts. I asked ‘What is the matter with these?’ They answered, these are the women who deprive their children of their breast milk…”
Answer:
Imams Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban and Hakim (rahimahumullah) have declared the Hadith authentic. ‘Allamah Dhahabi has concurred with Imam Hakim.
(Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Hadith: 1986, Sahih Ibn Hibban; Al Ihsan, Hadith: 7491, Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 2 pg. 210. Also see: Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 1 pg. 430, Targhib, vol. 3 pg. 273 and Majma’uz Zawaid, vol. 1 pg. 76/77)
The Hadith seems to be referring to those women who allow their children to starve and die out of hunger. They don’t breastfeed their children nor do they hire a wet nurse to do so.
(Refer: Marginal notes on Targhib, vol. 3 pg. 273)
Kindly refer to a Mufti/Darul Ifta for further clarification on this issue.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar