Q: I have a question about whether it would be allowed for a Muslim to donate breast milk for use by babies. Secondly would it be allowed for a Muslim mom to allow her baby to use donated breast milk on a newborn infant.
Background information: bottle feeding is both expensive +- minus R400 per month and needs to be sterilized. For the poor person who is unable to breast feed, mom who’s dead or too ill this could lead to serious illness in the child. For instance over diluting to save money would lead to malnourishment. Or people without access to electricity may not heat the bottles leading to child getting severe infections.
A:
- Yes, it is permissible to donate breast milk for use by babies.
- Yes, it will be permissible.
( لا ) يستأجر الأب ( أمه لو منكوحة ) ولو من مال الصغير خلافا للذخيرة و المجتبى ( أو معتدة رجعي ) وجاز في البائن في الأصح جوهرة كاستئجار منكوحة لولده من غيرها ( وهي أحق ) بإرضاع ولدها بعد العدة ( إذا لم تطلب زيادة على ما تأخذه الأجنبية ) ولو دون أجر لمثل بل الأجنبية المتبرعة أحق منها زيلعي أي في الإرضاع (الدر المختار 3/619-620)
Answered by:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)