to my momin and muslim brothers and sisters
A few points worth noticing…
**Umm Salama, the wife of Allah’s Apostle, used to say that all wives of Allah’s Apostle disclaimed the idea that one with this type of fosterage (having been suckled after the proper period) should come to them… and no one was going to be allowed to enter (our house) with this type of fosterage and we do not subscribe to this view. **
Sunni reference: Sahih Muslim, English version, v2, Chapter DLXVI, titled: Suckling a Young boy, Tradition #3429.
Aisha herself testified that:
Aisha reported: Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) visited me when a man was sitting near me, and he seemed to disapprove of that. And I saw signs of anger on his face and I said: Messenger of Allah, he is my brother by fosterage, whereupon he said: Consider who your brothers are because of fosterage since fosterage is through hunger (i.e. in infancy).
Sunni reference: Sahih Muslim, English version, v2, Chapter DLXVI, titled: Suckling a Young boy, Tradition #3430.
Also al-Bukhari narrated:
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 3.815
Narrated Aisha:
Once the Prophet came to me while a man was in my house. He said, “O Aisha! Who is this (man)?” I replied, “My foster brothers” He said, “O Aisha! Be sure about your foster brothers, as fostership is only valid if it takes place in the suckling period (before two years of age).”
Regarding the scandal of the above traditions, the translator of Sahih Muslim (Abdul Hamid Siddiqui, Saudi Arabia) wrote in the footnote of the above traditions that:
[INDENT]This Chapter (i.e., suckling a young boy) is one of the most difficult chapters of this book. Fosterage which makes marriage unlawful is only that which has been referred to in the Holy Quran: “And the (divorced) mothers may nurse their children for two whole years if they wish to complete the period of nursing.” (2:233) It implies that the fosterage within two years of the child’s birth is effective in determining the nature of relationship, and that of the subsequent period, and specially in a grown-up age, is NOT effective. This view is held by Imam Shafi’i, Imam Ahmad, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Muhammad, and is supported on the authority of Ibn Mas’ud, Abu Huraira, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar.
Sunni reference: Footnote of Sahih Muslim, English version, by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui, v2, p43
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