الحلبي

"Breastfeeding does not create a prohibition except when it is for two complete years."

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Breastfeeding after weaning is not effective/”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a woman who has given birth because of fornication; if I can hire her for breastfeeding. He (the Imam) said, ‘Do not hire her for breastfeeding as well as her daughter.”’

Abu Abdullah (as) was asked about a man who hired a wet nurse and entrusted his child to her. She disappeared with the child for several years and then returned with the child. The mother claimed that she did not recognize the child. Imam (as) said: "They do not have the right to reject him; they must accept him, for the wet nurse is trusted."

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the mother of the child of a man who has breastfed a child and he had a daughter from another woman; if the girl is lawful for that child. He (the Imam) said, ‘I do not like the marriage of the daughter of a man to one who is breastfed from the milk of his children.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once a man came to ’Amir al-Mu’minin, and said, ‘O ’Amir al-Mu’minin, my wife drained her milk in a bowl and made my slave-girl to drink it.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Make your woman suffer (judicially applicable punishment) and keep your slave- girl’. This is how it is in the judgment of Ali (a.s.).”’

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who is breastfed when a child by a woman; if it is lawful for him to marry her sister because of breastfeeding from her mother’s side. He (the Imam) said, ‘If the two women are breastfed by one woman from the milk of one “impregnating agent” (husband), then it is unlawful but if the two women are breastfed by one woman with milk of two “impregnating agents” (husbands), then it is not unlawful.’”

I asked Imam (as) about a man who hired a wet nurse and gave her his child. While the child was with her, the wet nurse went and hired another wet nurse. The second wet nurse disappeared with the child, and it was unknown what happened to the child, and the original wet nurse could not be held accountable. Imam (as) said: "The full blood money (diyyah) is due."

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘In the case of a daughter of a brother because of breastfeeding I do not command anyone or prohibit. I only refrain myself and my sons.’ He (’Amir al-Mu’minin) said, ‘The daughter of Hamzah was proposed to the Messenger of Allah for marriage and he (the Messenger of Allah), (saww) refused and said, “She is a daughter of my brother because of breastfeeding.'"

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 (as) 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."

“A pregnant divorcee must receive her maintenance until childbirth, and she has the priority to breastfeed the child for wages equal to what another woman asks. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has said, ‘A mother must not be harmed because of her child or the father because of the child and the heirs also bear such responsibility.’ (2:232) He (the Imam) said, ‘A woman (from us) would raise her hand before her husband, when he wanted to go to bed with her, and say, ‘I do not want to allow you because I fear of becoming pregnant with my child.’ The man would say, ‘I do not want to go to bed with you for my fear of suspending you, thus killing my child.’ Allah prohibited a woman’s harming a man or a man’s harming a woman’ and His words ‘. . . the heirs also bear the same responsibility’ is a prohibition against harming the child or his mother in breastfeeding. She must not charge for breastfeeding for more than two complete years. If they with mutual agreement wean the child before such time, it is fine.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘. . . a mother must not be harmed because of her child nor must a father be harmed because of his child.’ (2:232) He (the Imam) said, ‘This is a reference to the case of breastfeeding woman when man persued her for going to bed with her she refused saying, “I cannot allow you to go to bed with me because I may become pregnant and kill my child.’” It also refers to the case of the woman who asked a man for going to bed with her but he refused saying, “I am afraid that after going to bed with you then I will kill my child”; so he would not go to bed with her. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, prohibited man’s harming the woman or woman’s harming the man.’” Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has narrated a similar Hadith with this addition: “About His words, . . an heir has similar responsibilities . . (2:232), he (the Imam) said, ‘An heir must not harm the child or his mother during breastfeeding and she also must not take more than two complete years for breastfeeding the child. If they decide to wean the child by mutual agreement and consent before two years it is fine and separation is weaning.’”