Date : 13-12-2009

Question :

Twenty years ago, I breastfed my sister`s son, but can`t remember how many times. After he had grown up, he proposed to my daughter and the marriage contract was concluded although I warned them not to do so. Fortunately, the marriage hasn`t been consummated. What is the legal ruling on this?

The Answer :

Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.


 


If the situation is as described in your question, then your sister`s son has become your son through breastfeeding and your daughter has become his sister through breastfeeding. Therefore, it is unlawful for him to marry her and you must inform the Sharia court in your country to annul their contract of marriage. According to the Jordanian Personal Status Law, whoever is breastfed by a woman one time, before the age of two years, becomes her child through breastfeeding and she becomes his mother, as stipulated by the Hanafi Madhab. Since you remember having breastfed him more than one time, then you must fear Allah and adhere to the ruling of Sharia. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.