FatwaFederal TerritoriesMarriage & Family
BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE-70: ISU BERKENAAN IBU SUSUAN & PELBAGAI HUKUM (KAD ATAU SIJIL SUSUAN)
What are the ruling and family-relationship effects of breastfeeding another woman's child?
Short answer
It is permissible for a woman to breastfeed a child who is not her own, and Islam recognises this because of certain needs, such as the mother having died or being ill.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Bayan Linnas
- Topic
- Marriage & Family
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
It is permissible for a woman to breastfeed a child who is not her own, and Islam recognises this because of certain needs, such as the mother having died or being ill. Breastfeeding creates prohibited marriage relationships just as lineage does, and what is lawful among blood relatives, such as seeing one another and travelling together, is also lawful among milk relatives. Looking with desire remains forbidden, and later scholars state that it is disliked to nurse another's child without urgent need and disliked for milk relatives of opposite sex to mix freely.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Penyusuan menjalinkan hubungan kekeluargaan antara anak susuan dan keluarga ibu susuan.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE-70: ISU BERKENAAN IBU SUSUAN & PELBAGAI HUKUM (KAD ATAU SIJIL SUSUAN)”, 30 September 2016. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/bayan-linnas/1138-bayan-linnas-siri-70-isu-berkenaan-ibu-susuan-pelbagai-hukum-kad-atau-sijil-susuan. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-effects-milk-kinship-breastfeeding/