Chapter on Breastfeeding

Sa'd ibn Sa'd asked Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام about whether a child can be breastfed for more than two years. Imam عليه السلام replied: "Two years." I asked: "If it exceeds two years, is there any obligation upon the parents because of that?" Imam عليه السلام said: "No."

Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said: "There is no milk with greater blessing for a child to be nursed with than the milk of his mother."

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام looked at Umm Ishaq bint Sulayman while she was breastfeeding one of her two sons, either Muhammad or Ishaq, and Imam عليه السلام said: "O Umm Ishaq, do not nurse him from only one breast; rather, nurse him from both. One will serve as food and the other as drink."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Hisham ibn Salim from Burayd al-Ijli who said: I asked Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام: "What is the meaning of the saying of the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) - 'What is unlawful through lineage is also unlawful through breastfeeding'? Explain it to me." Imam عليه السلام replied: "Every woman who nurses, with the milk of her husband, the child of another woman, whether the child is male or female, that is the breastfeeding (ridha') referred to by the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى (may Allah bless him and his family). But any woman who nurses, with the milk of two different husbands (one after the other), the child of another woman, whether male or female, this is breastfeeding that does not fall under the ruling of the statement of the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى 'What is prohibited through breastfeeding is the same as what is prohibited through lineage.'"

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: "There is no breastfeeding after weaning."

Dawud ibn Al-Husayn narrated from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام who said: "Breastfeeding within two years, before the child is weaned, establishes prohibition."

It was narrated from Ayyub ibn Nuh who said: Ali ibn Shu'ayb wrote to Abu al-Hasan عليه السلام asking: "A woman breastfed one of my children. Is it permissible for me to marry one of her children?" Imam عليه السلام wrote in response, "That is not permissible because her children have become like your own children."

Abdullah ibn Ja'far al-Himyari wrote to Abu Muhammad Al-Hasan ibn Ali Al-Askari عليه السلام asking about a woman who breastfed a man's child. He asked: "Is it permissible for that man to marry the daughter of this wet nurse or not?" Imam عليه السلام responded, "It is not permissible for him."

Al-Alaa narrated from Muhammad ibn Muslim from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام who said: "If a man marries a young girl (jariyah) who is still nursing, and his wife then breastfeeds her, the marriage becomes invalid."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Malik ibn Atiyyah from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام regarding a man who marries a woman, and she gives birth to his child. Then she breastfeeds a bondwoman with her milk. Imam عليه السلام was asked: "Is it permissible for his child from another woman to marry that bondwoman whom she breastfed?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "No, she is like a sister through breastfeeding because the milk comes from the same father."

Hariz narrated from Al-Fudayl ibn Yasar from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام who said: "Breastfeeding does not create a prohibition except when it is continuous and intentional." I asked: "What is meant by continuous and intentional?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "It is when a mother raises the child, a wet nurse is hired, or a bondwoman is purchased for breastfeeding."

Al-Alaa ibn Razin narrated from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام who said: "Breastfeeding does not create a prohibition except when a child nurses from one breast for a full year."

Ubayd ibn Zurarah narrated from Zurarah from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام who said: I asked him about breastfeeding, and Imam عليه السلام said: "Breastfeeding does not create a prohibition except when a child nurses from one breast for two complete years."

Abdullah ibn Zurarah narrated from Al-Halabi from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام who said: "Breastfeeding does not create a prohibition except when it is for two complete years."

In the narration of Al-Sakooni, it is reported that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام used to say, "Prevent your women from breastfeeding here and there (to various children), for they may forget."

Fudayl narrated from Zurarah from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام who said: "Choose healthy wet nurses, for milk can transmit illness."

Ali ibn Ja'far asked his brother Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim عليه السلام about a woman who committed adultery - whether she is suitable to be taken as a wet nurse. He عليه السلام replied: "She is not suitable, nor is the milk of her daughter who was born from adultery."

Muhammad ibn Qays narrated from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام who said that the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: "Do not choose a foolish woman as a wet nurse, for milk can transmit traits. A child is influenced by the milk, meaning by the wet nurse, in foolishness and ignorance."

Ibn Muskan narrated from Al-Halabi who said: I asked him about a man who gives his child to a Jewish, Christian, or Magian (Zoroastrian) wet nurse to breastfeed him either in her house or in his house. Imam عليه السلام said: "A Jewish or Christian woman may breastfeed your child, but you must prevent her from drinking alcohol and consuming what is unlawful, such as pork. Do not let them take your child to their homes. A woman who is an adulteress must not breastfeed your child, for it is not permissible for you. A Magian woman must not breastfeed your child unless you are compelled to it."

Hariz narrated from Muhammad ibn Muslim from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام who said: "The milk of a Jewish, Christian, or Magian woman is more beloved to me than the milk of a child born from adultery. However, he saw no harm in the milk of a child born from adultery if the master of the bondwoman, with whom the immoral act was committed, pardons it."

Muhammad ibn Abi Umayr narrated from Yunus ibn Yaqub from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام who said: I asked Imam عليه السلام about a woman whose milk flowed without childbirth, and she breastfed a girl and a boy with that milk. Does this milk create the same prohibitions as regular breastfeeding? Imam عليه السلام replied: "No."

Abu Abdullah عليه السلام said: "The sucking of milk by a child is equivalent to breastfeeding."

Imam Abu Abdullah عليه السلام said: "A free woman cannot be forced to breastfeed a child, but but a bondwoman (umm al-walad) can be compelled to do so."

The Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام, ruled regarding a man who passed away and left behind a child who needed to be breastfed: "The payment for the child's breastfeeding should be taken from what the child inherits from his father and mother."

In the narration of Al-Sakooni from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام, it is reported that a man came to Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام and said: "My bondwoman has breastfed my child, and I want to sell her." Imam عليه السلام replied: "Take her by the hand and say, 'Who will buy from me the mother of my child?'"