Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
A couple after trying for many years, now adopted an infant girl. With the help of hormone therapy, she is able to breastfeed her. Does aḥkām (rulings) of raḍā’ah (breastfeeding) change for her husband because of hormone use?
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathābah Institute.
Induced lactation will not change the rulings of raḍā’ah (breastfeeding). The medication and or treatment with hormones simply elevate and induce the ability to breastfeed. The milk produced is still the natural milk of the adoptive mother who is breastfeeding the adopted child. The husband of the mother breastfeeding will still be considered the adopted child’s foster father and all related rules will apply, such as him being a maḥram for her. – (See: Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyyah, Vol 1, Page 343, Dār Al-Fikr[1])
“You are forbidden to take as wives … your foster mothers.” – (Qur’ān 4:23)[2]
‘Āyesha (may Allāh be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “What is unlawful by lineage also becomes unlawful by breast-feeding.” – (Nasa’īe 3302)[3]
Only Allāh knows best
[1] يُحَرَّمُ عَلَى الرَّضِيعِ أَبَوَاهُ مِنْ الرَّضَاعِ وَأُصُولُهُمَا وَفُرُوعُهُمَا مِنْ النَّسَبِ وَالرَّضَاعِ جَمِيعًا حَتَّى أَنَّ الْمُرْضِعَةَ لَوْ وَلَدَتْ مِنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ قَبْلَ هَذَا الْإِرْضَاعِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ أَوْ أَرْضَعَتْ رَضِيعًا أَوْ وُلِدَ لِهَذَا الرَّجُلِ مِنْ غَيْرِ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةِ قَبْلَ هَذَا الْإِرْضَاعِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ أَوْ أَرْضَعَتْ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ لَبَنِهِ رَضِيعًا فَالْكُلُّ إخْوَةُ الرَّضِيعِ وَأَخَوَاتُهُ وَأَوْلَادُهُمْ أَوْلَادُ إخْوَتِهِ وَأَخَوَاتِهِ وَأَخُو الرَّجُلِ عَمُّهُ وَأُخْتُهُ عَمَّتُهُ وَأَخُو الْمُرْضِعَةِ خَالُهُ وَأُخْتُهَا خَالَتُهُ وَكَذَا فِي الْجَدِّ وَالْجَدَّةِ – كتاب الفتاوى الهندية ج١/ ص٣٤٣ دار الفكر
[2] حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَّهَاتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُكُمْ وَأَخَوَاتُكُمْ وَعَمَّاتُكُمْ وَخَالَاتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُ الْأَخِ وَبَنَاتُ الْأُخْتِ وَأُمَّهَاتُكُمُ اللَّاتِي أَرْضَعْنَكُمْ – سورة النساء ٢٣
[3] عَنْ عَائِشَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ يَحْرُمُ مِنَ الرَّضَاعِ مَا يَحْرُمُ مِنَ النَّسَبِ – رواه النسائي ٣٣٠٢