the father of the breastfed infant, nor his brother, nor his paternal uncle, nor his maternal uncle. Nor is it prohibited for her husband to marry the mother of the breastfed infant, nor her sister, nor her paternal aunt, nor her maternal aunt. There is no harm in the children of the nursing woman and the children of her husband marrying the brothers and sisters of the breastfed infant. Ahmad said: There is no harm in a man marrying his brother’s sister through breastfeeding; there is neither breastfeeding nor lineage between them, rather the breastfeeding is only between the girl and his brother (14). Once this is established, one of the conditions for the prohibition of breastfeeding is that it occurs within the first two years. This is the opinion of the majority of scholars. Something to this effect was narrated from Umar, Ali (15), Ibn Umar, Ibn Mas’ud, Ibn Abbas, Abu Hurayra, and the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) except for Aisha. The same view was held by al-Sha’bi, Ibn Shubruma, al-Awza’i, al-Shafi’i, Ishaq, Abu Yusuf, Muhammad, and Abu Thawr, as well as one narration from Malik; and it was narrated from him that if it exceeds by a month, it is permissible, and it was narrated two months. Abu Hanifa said: Breastfeeding prohibits within thirty months, due to His saying (the Almighty): "And his gestation and weaning is thirty months" (16). He did not mean by 'gestation', the gestation of the womb, because that is (usually) two years, so it was known that he meant the gestation within the weaning period. Zufar said: The duration of breastfeeding is three years. Aisha held the view that the breastfeeding of an adult prohibits. This is also narrated from ‘Ata, al-Layth, and Dawud, because it was narrated that Sahlah bint Suhayl said: O Messenger of Allah, we used to consider Salim a son, and he would stay with me and Abu Hudhayfa in one house, and he would see me in my casual wear (17), and Allah has revealed what you know regarding them. So what is your view on him? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Breastfeed him." So she breastfed him five sucklings, and he became like her son. Based on this, Aisha used to adopt this practice, commanding the daughters of her sisters and the daughters of her brothers to breastfeed whoever Aisha wished to see her and enter upon her, even if he were an adult, five sucklings. Umm Salama and the rest of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) refused this, that anyone should enter upon them through that breastfeeding, unless he breastfed in...
(13) In [A], [B], and [M]: "ukhtihi" (his sister). (14) In [A], [B], and [M]: "wa-ukhtihi" (and his sister). (15) Omitted from: [M]. (16) Surah al-Ahqaf, 15. (17) Meaning: unveiled, in her housework garments.