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Drinking the Wife’s Milk and the Status of Marriage

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Mathabah.org

Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt

Question:

Is it permissible for a man to drink the breast milk of his wife and does it nullify the marriage?

Answer:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathābah Institute.

It is the consensus of mainstream Islamic jurists that it is islamicaly disliked and impermissible for a man to drink his wife’s breast milk. The milk produced in the breasts of a woman is for infants. It is islamicaly unlawful for an adult to consume such milk unless in extreme dire situations such as for medical reasons. The marriage relation will not be nullified if the wife’s milk is consumed. The rules of breastfeeding and foster relations are applicable only if the milk has been suckled in infancy, not as an adult.” – (See: Rad Al-Muḥtār, Vol 3, Page 225, Dār Al-Fikr[1], Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindīyyah Vol 5, Page 355, Dār Al-Fikr[2])

“Mothers may breastfeed their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing [period].” – (Qur’ān: 233)[3]

“No prohibition results from suckling except for what penetrates the intestines while on the breast before [the period of] weaning.” – (Tirmidhī 1152)[4]

“There is no kinship by suckling except for a person who is nursed when they are infants. There is no kinship by suckling over the age of two years.” – (Muwaṭṭa Mālik 1280)[5]

Only Allāh knows best.


[1] مَصَّ رَجُلٌ ثَدْيَ زَوْجَتِهِ لَمْ تَحْرُمْ – كتاب الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ج ٣/ ص ٢٢٥ دار الفكر

[2] وَلَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يُسْعَطَ الرَّجُلُ بِلَبَنِ الْمَرْأَةِ وَيَشْرَبَهُ لِلدَّوَاءِ وَفِي شُرْبِ لَبَنِ الْمَرْأَةِ لِلْبَالِغِ مِنْ غَيْرِ ضَرُورَةٍ اخْتِلَافُ الْمُتَأَخِّرِينَ – كتاب الفتاوى الهندية ج ٥/ ص ٣٥٥ دار الفكر

[3] وَالوَالدَاتُ يُرضِعْنَ أوْلَادَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَة – سورة البقرة ٢٣٣

[4] لا يُحِّرم من الرضاعة إلا ما فتق الأمعاء وكان قبل الفطام – رواه الترمذي ١١٥٢

[5] لا رضاعة إلا لمن أُرضع في الصغر ولا رضاعة لكبير – اخرجه مالك في الموطأ ١٢٨٠

This answer was collected from Mathabah.org. It’s an Islamic educational institute based in Canada. The questions are generally answered by Sheikh Yusuf Badat and Sheikh Omar Subedar.