Adoption and Breastfeeding in Islam: Establishing Mahram Relationships

Understanding the Islamic Ruling on Breastfeeding and Adoption

Question: If someone adopts a child, will the child become a sibling and mahram (non-marriageable kin) through breastfeeding? And if the child is adopted when they are older and not breastfed, will they remain non-mahram?

Answer: If a child is adopted and the woman breastfeeds the child five times within the first two years, the breastfeeding relationship (raḍāʿa) will be established. This means the child will become a milk-son to the woman and a milk-sibling to all her children. Consequently, the child will be a mahram to the woman and her daughters.

However, if the child is adopted after the age of two, the child cannot become a milk-son, and will remain non-mahram to the woman because the breastfeeding relationship is only established within the first two years.

Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullah

 ❪Jeddah Dawah Center, Hayy Al-Salamah – Saudi Arabia❫