Hadith Text & Context

"The Messenger of Allah commanded the wife of Abu Hudhaifah to breast-feed Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifah, so that the protective jealousy of Abu Hudhaifah would be dispelled. She breast-fed him when he was a man." Rabi'ah said: "That was a concession granted to Salim."

Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 3321 | Book: The Book of Marriage

Legal Ruling & Wisdom

This hadith establishes that breastfeeding creates mahram relationships (prohibition in marriage) even when the person breastfed is an adult. The wisdom was to eliminate the protective jealousy (ghayrah) Abu Hudhaifah felt toward Salim, his freed slave, who had become like a son to him.

Through this act, Salim became a mahram to Abu Hudhaifah's wife, allowing him to freely enter their household without restrictions, thus preserving family harmony and modesty.

Scholarly Commentary

Classical scholars explain this as a specific concession (rukhas) for Salim's unique situation, not establishing a general practice of adult breastfeeding. The primary purpose was to resolve a particular household dilemma while maintaining Islamic boundaries.

Imam an-Nawawi comments that this ruling demonstrates the flexibility of Islamic law in addressing genuine human needs while upholding the objectives of Shariah.

The majority of scholars hold that the standard ruling requires breastfeeding to occur during the first two years of infancy to establish mahram relations, making this case exceptional.

Jurisprudential Significance

This hadith is foundational in discussions about rada' (suckling) and its legal effects. It proves that breastfeeding establishes permanent mahram relationships regardless of the recipient's age at the time of feeding.

The ruling highlights the importance of maintaining household harmony and eliminating situations that may lead to temptation or discomfort within family settings.