Jami' at-Tirmidhi
The Book on Suckling
كتاب الرضاع
Chapter 1
مَا جَاءَ يُحَرَّمُ مِنَ الرَّضَاعِ مَا يُحَرَّمُ مِنَ النَّسَبِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ahmad ibn Mani narrated to us: Isma'il ibn Ibrahim narrated to us: Ali ibn Zayd narrated to us, from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab, from Ali ibn Abi Talib, who said: The Messenger of Allah said: Allah has forbidden through breastfeeding what He has forbidden through lineage. It is also reported in this chapter from Aishah, Ibn Abbas, and Umm Habibah. Abu Isa said: The hadith of Ali is hasan sahih.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report states the principle that milk kinship creates marriage prohibitions corresponding to those of blood kinship.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Bun dar narrated to us: Yahya ibn Sa'id al-Qattan narrated to us: Malik narrated to us. And Ishaq ibn Musa al-Ansari narrated to us: Ma'n narrated to us: Malik narrated to us, from Abd Allah ibn Dinar, from Sulayman ibn Yasar, from Urwah ibn al-Zubayr, from Aishah, who said: The Messenger of Allah said: Allah has forbidden through nursing what He has forbidden through birth. Abu Isa said: This hadith is hasan sahih. Scholars among the Companions of the Prophet and others acted on this, and we know of no disagreement among them on this matter.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Here nursing refers to milk kinship established through breastfeeding.
Chapter 2
مَا جَاءَ فِي لَبَنِ الْفَحْلِ
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Al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Khallal narrated to us: Ibn Numayr narrated to us, from Hisham ibn Urwah, from his father, from Aishah, who said: My uncle through breastfeeding came asking permission to enter, but I refused to let him in until I consulted the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah said: Let him come in to you, for he is your uncle. She said: The woman breastfed me; the man did not. He said: He is your uncle, so let him come in to you. Abu Isa said: This hadith is hasan sahih. Some scholars among the Companions of the Prophet and others followed this, while others disapproved of milk kinship through the husband; the basis for this is the hadith of Aishah. Some scholars allowed milk kinship through the husband, but the first view is more sound.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Milk kinship through the husband (laban al-fahl) refers to the relationship attributed to the biological father of the breastfed child.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Qutaybah narrated to us: Malik narrated to us. And al-Ansari narrated to us: Ma'n narrated to us: Malik ibn Anas narrated to us, from Ibn Shihab, from Amr ibn al-Sharid, from Ibn Abbas: He was asked about a man with two slave women, one of whom breastfed a girl and the other a boy. May the boy marry the girl? He said: No, the milk is from one source. Abu Isa said: This explains milk kinship through the husband and is the basis in this chapter. This is the view of Ahmad and Ishaq.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic phrase ‘the milk is from one source’ refers to the common father of the two nursing women.
Chapter 3
مَا جَاءَ لاَ تُحَرِّمُ الْمَصَّةُ وَلاَ الْمَصَّتَانِ
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Muhammad ibn Abd al-A'la al-San'ani narrated to us: al-Mu'tamir ibn Sulayman narrated to us: I heard Ayyub narrate, from Abd Allah ibn Abi Mulaykah, from Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, from Aishah, from the Prophet, who said: One or two sucklings do not establish the prohibition of marriage through breastfeeding. It is also reported in this chapter from Umm al-Fadl, Abu Hurairah, al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, and Ibn al-Zubayr. More than one narrator reported this hadith from Hisham ibn Urwah, from his father, from Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, from the Prophet, with the wording: One or two sucklings do not establish the prohibition. Muhammad ibn Dinar reported it from Hisham ibn Urwah, from his father, from Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, from al-Zubayr, from the Prophet. Muhammad ibn Dinar al-Basri added al-Zubayr as a narrator in it, but this addition is not preserved. Hadith scholars consider the sound version to be the report of Ibn Abi Mulaykah, from Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, from Aishah, from the Prophet. Abu Isa said: The hadith of Aishah is hasan sahih. I asked Muhammad about this, and he said: The sound version is from Ibn al-Zubayr, from Aishah; Muhammad ibn Dinar's hadith is mistaken, for Muhammad ibn Dinar erred by adding al-Zubayr. It is only Hisham ibn Urwah, from his father, from al-Zubayr. Some scholars among the Companions of the Prophet and others acted on this. Aishah said: Ten known sucklings were revealed in the Quran; five of these were abrogated, leaving five known sucklings. The Messenger of Allah died while the ruling remained so. Ishaq ibn Musa al-Ansari narrated this to us: Ma'n narrated to us: Malik narrated to us, from Abd Allah ibn Abi Bakr, from Amrah, from Aishah, with this report. Aishah and some of the Prophet's wives issued legal opinions accordingly. This is the view of al-Shafi'i and Ishaq. Ahmad followed the Prophet's hadith: One or two sucklings do not establish the prohibition. He said: If someone follows Aishah's view that five sucklings establish it, that is a strong position; he hesitated to say more about it. Some scholars among the Companions of the Prophet and others held that a small or large amount of breastfeeding establishes the prohibition if it reaches the stomach. This is the view of Sufyan al-Thawri, Malik ibn Anas, al-Awza'i, Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak, Waki, and the scholars of Kufa. Abd Allah ibn Abi Mulaykah is Abd Allah ibn Ubayd Allah ibn Abi Mulaykah; he was known by the kunyah Abu Muhammad. Abd Allah appointed him judge over al-Ta'if. Ibn Jurayj said, from Ibn Abi Mulaykah: I met thirty of the Companions of the Prophet.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The passage discusses differing legal thresholds for breastfeeding that establishes milk kinship. The source reports Aishah's account of the abrogation of ten sucklings to five; it does not specify in this passage whether the final number was later abrogated.
Chapter 4
مَا جَاءَ فِي شَهَادَةِ الْمَرْأَةِ الْوَاحِدَةِ فِي الرَّضَاعِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ali ibn Hujr narrated to us: Isma'il ibn Ibrahim narrated to us, from Ayyub, from Abd Allah ibn Abi Mulaykah, who said: Ubayd ibn Abi Maryam narrated to me, from Uqbah ibn al-Harith. I also heard it from Uqbah, but I remember Ubayd's version better. Uqbah said: I married a woman, and a dark-skinned woman came to us and said: I breastfed both of you. I went to the Prophet and said: I married so-and-so, daughter of so-and-so, and a dark-skinned woman came to us and said she had breastfed both of us, though she was lying. He turned away from me. I came around to face him, but he turned his face away. I said: She is lying. He said: How can you remain with her when the woman claims that she breastfed you both? Leave her. It is also reported in this chapter from Ibn Umar. Abu Isa said: The hadith of Uqbah ibn al-Harith is hasan sahih. More than one narrator reported it from Ibn Abi Mulaykah, from Uqbah ibn al-Harith, without mentioning Ubayd ibn Abi Maryam or the words “Leave her.” Some scholars among the Companions of the Prophet and others accepted the testimony of one woman concerning breastfeeding. Ibn Abbas said that one woman's testimony is accepted in this matter, provided she is asked to swear an oath; this is also the view of Ahmad and Ishaq. Other scholars said that one woman's testimony is insufficient unless there are more witnesses; this is the view of al-Shafi'i. Al-Jarud said: I heard Waki say that one woman's testimony is not sufficient for a judicial ruling, though one may separate from his wife out of personal scrupulousness.
Chapter 5
مَا جَاءَ مَا ذُكِرَ أَنَّ الرَّضَاعَةَ لاَ تُحَرِّمُ إِلاَّ فِي الصِّغَرِ دُونَ الْحَوْلَيْنِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Qutaybah narrated to us: Abu Awanah narrated to us, from Hisham ibn Urwah, from Fatimah bint al-Mundhir, from Umm Salamah, who said: The Messenger of Allah said: Breastfeeding establishes no prohibition unless it nourishes the intestines while the child is at the breast and before weaning. Abu Isa said: This hadith is hasan sahih. Most scholars among the Companions of the Prophet and others held that breastfeeding establishes prohibition only when it occurs before the age of two; breastfeeding after two full years establishes no prohibition. Fatimah bint al-Mundhir ibn al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam was the wife of Hisham ibn Urwah.
Chapter 6
مَا جَاءَ مَا يُذْهِبُ مَذَمَّةَ الرَّضَاعِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Qutaybah narrated to us: Hatim ibn Isma'il narrated to us, from Hisham ibn Urwah, from his father, from Hajjaj ibn Hajjaj al-Aslami, from his father, who asked the Prophet: O Messenger of Allah, what will discharge the obligation I owe for breastfeeding? He said: A male or female slave. Abu Isa said: This hadith is hasan sahih. The phrase “what will discharge my obligation for breastfeeding” means the due and right owed for nursing. If you give the nursing woman a male or female slave, you have discharged what you owe her. Abu al-Tufayl reported: I was sitting with the Prophet when a woman approached. The Prophet spread his cloak for her to sit on. When she left, someone said: She was the woman who had breastfed the Prophet. Yahya ibn Sa'id al-Qattan, Hatim ibn Isma'il, and more than one other narrator reported this from Hisham ibn Urwah, from his father, from Hajjaj ibn Hajjaj, from his father, from the Prophet. Sufyan ibn Uyaynah reported it from Hisham ibn Urwah, from his father, from Hajjaj ibn Abi Hajjaj, from his father, from the Prophet. Ibn Uyaynah's version is not preserved; the sound version is the one these narrators reported from Hisham ibn Urwah, from his father. Hisham ibn Urwah was known by the kunyah Abu al-Mundhir and met Jabir ibn Abd Allah and Ibn Umar.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report uses ‘a male or female slave’ as the compensation for the nursing woman's due; the source does not specify a monetary equivalent.
Chapter 7
مَا جَاءَ فِي الْمَرْأَةِ تُعْتَقُ وَلَهَا زَوْجٌ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ali ibn Hujr narrated to us: Jarir ibn Abd al-Hamid informed us, from Hisham ibn Urwah, from his father, from Aishah, who said: Barirah's husband was a slave. The Messenger of Allah gave her the choice, and she chose herself. Had he been a free man, she would not have been given the choice.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Barirah was formerly enslaved and was given the option to remain married or separate after being freed.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Hannad narrated to us: Abu Muawiyah narrated to us, from al-A'mash, from Ibrahim, from al-Aswad, from Aishah, who said: Barirah's husband was a free man, and the Messenger of Allah gave her the choice. Abu Isa said: The hadith of Aishah is hasan sahih. Hisham narrated it from his father, from Aishah, saying that Barirah's husband was a slave. Ikrimah reported from Ibn Abbas: I saw Barirah's husband, who was a slave named Mughith. The same has been reported from Ibn Umar. Some scholars acted on this report and said that if an enslaved woman is married to a free man and is then freed, she has no choice; she only has the choice when she is freed while married to a slave. This is the view of al-Shafi'i, Ahmad, and Ishaq. Al-A'mash reported from Ibrahim, from al-Aswad, from Aishah, that Barirah's husband was free and the Messenger of Allah gave her the choice. Abu Awanah also reported this hadith from al-A'mash, from Ibrahim, from al-Aswad, from Aishah, concerning Barirah's story; al-Aswad said her husband was free. Some Successors and those after them acted on this; this is the view of Sufyan al-Thawri and the scholars of Kufa.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source preserves conflicting reports about whether Barirah's husband was enslaved or free; both variants are translated as transmitted.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Hannad narrated to us: Abdah narrated to us, from Sa'id ibn Abi Arubah, from Ayyub and Qatadah, from Ikrimah, from Ibn Abbas: When Barirah was freed, her husband was a dark-skinned slave belonging to the Banu al-Mughirah. By Allah, I can almost see him in the streets and outskirts of Madinah, tears flowing down his beard as he pleaded with her to choose him, but she did not. Abu Isa said: This hadith is hasan sahih. Sa'id ibn Abi Arubah is Sa'id ibn Mihran, and his kunyah is Abu al-Nadr.
Chapter 8
مَا جَاءَ أَنَّ الْوَلَدَ لِلْفِرَاشِ
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Ahmad ibn Mani narrated to us: Sufyan narrated to us, from al-Zuhri, from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab, from Abu Hurairah, who said: The Messenger of Allah said: The child belongs to the marital bed, and the adulterer gets nothing. It is also reported in this chapter from Umar, Uthman, Aishah, Abu Umamah, Amr ibn Kharijah, Abd Allah ibn Amr, al-Bara ibn Azib, and Zayd ibn Arqam. Abu Isa said: The hadith of Abu Hurairah is hasan sahih, and scholars act on it. Al-Zuhri also reported it from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab and Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurairah.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The phrase ‘the child belongs to the marital bed’ assigns lineage to the legally recognized marital relationship; ‘the adulterer gets nothing’ denies the adulterer a claim to the child.
Chapter 9
مَا جَاءَ فِي الرَّجُلِ يَرَى الْمَرْأَةَ تُعْجِبُهُ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to us: Abd al-A'la narrated to us: Hisham ibn Abi Abd Allah, known as al-Dastawa'i, narrated to us from Abu al-Zubayr, from Jabir ibn Abd Allah: The Prophet saw a woman, then went in to Zaynab and fulfilled his need. He came out and said: When a woman approaches, she approaches in the form of a devil. If one of you sees a woman and is attracted to her, let him go to his wife, for she has the same as what that woman has. It is also reported in this chapter from Ibn Masud. Abu Isa said: The hadith of Jabir is hasan sahih gharib. Hisham al-Dastawa'i is Hisham ibn Sanbar.
Chapter 10
مَا جَاءَ فِي حَقِّ الزَّوْجِ عَلَى الْمَرْأَةِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Mahmud ibn Ghaylan narrated to us: al-Nadr ibn Shumayl informed us: Muhammad ibn Amr narrated to us, from Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurairah, from the Prophet, who said: If I were to command anyone to prostrate to another, I would command a wife to prostrate to her husband. It is also reported in this chapter from Muadh ibn Jabal, Suraqah ibn Malik ibn Ju'shum, Aishah, Ibn Abbas, Abd Allah ibn Abi Awfa, Talq ibn Ali, Umm Salamah, Anas, and Ibn Umar. Abu Isa said: The hadith of Abu Hurairah is hasan gharib through this route, from Muhammad ibn Amr, from Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurairah.
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Hannad narrated to us: Mulazim ibn Amr said: Abd Allah ibn Badr narrated to me, from Qays ibn Talq, from his father, Talq ibn Ali, who said: The Messenger of Allah said: When a man calls his wife to fulfill his need, let her come to him, even if she is at the oven. Abu Isa said: This hadith is hasan gharib.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Was il ibn Abd al-A'la al-Kufi narrated to us: Muhammad ibn Fudayl narrated to us, from Abd Allah ibn Abd al-Rahman Abu Nasr, from Musawir al-Himyari, from his mother, from Umm Salamah, who said: The Messenger of Allah said: Any woman whose husband dies while pleased with her will enter Paradise. Abu Isa said: This hadith is hasan gharib.
Chapter 11
مَا جَاءَ فِي حَقِّ الْمَرْأَةِ عَلَى زَوْجِهَا
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Kurayb Muhammad ibn al-Ala narrated to us: Abdah ibn Sulayman narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn Amr, who narrated to us, from Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurairah, who said: The Messenger of Allah said: The believers most complete in faith are those best in character, and the best of you are those best in character toward their wives. It is also reported in this chapter from Aishah and Ibn Abbas. Abu Isa said: This hadith of Abu Hurairah is hasan sahih.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Khallal narrated to us: al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Ju'fi narrated to us, from Za'idah, from Shabib ibn Gharqadah, from Sulayman ibn Amr ibn al-Ahwas, who said: My father told me that he attended the Farewell Pilgrimage with the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet praised and glorified Allah, reminded the people, and admonished them. He then said as part of the report: Take good care of women, for they are like captives in your keeping, and you have no authority over them beyond that, except if they commit a manifest indecency. If they do so, then leave them in their beds and strike them without causing injury. If they obey you, do not seek a way against them. You have rights over your wives, and your wives have rights over you. Your right over them is that they do not allow anyone you dislike to share your beds or enter your homes. Their right over you is that you treat them well in clothing and food. Abu Isa said: This hadith is hasan sahih. The phrase “like captives in your keeping” means that they are held in your hands.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report's wording concerning physical discipline is rendered as stated in the source, including its express limitation against causing injury.
Chapter 12
مَا جَاءَ فِي كَرَاهِيَةِ إِتْيَانِ النِّسَاءِ فِي أَدْبَارِهِنَّ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ahmad ibn Mani and Hannad narrated to us: Abu Muawiyah narrated to us, from Asim al-Ahwal, from Isa ibn Hittan, from Muslim ibn Sallam, from Ali ibn Talq, who said: A Bedouin came to the Prophet and said: O Messenger of Allah, one of us may be in the open country, pass wind, and have little water available. The Messenger of Allah said: If one of you passes wind, let him perform ablution, and do not approach women in their rear passages; Allah is not shy about the truth. It is also reported in this chapter from Umar, Khuzaymah ibn Thabit, Ibn Abbas, and Abu Hurairah. Abu Isa said: The hadith of Ali ibn Talq is hasan. I heard Muhammad say: I know only this one hadith of Ali ibn Talq from the Prophet, and I do not know this hadith from Talq ibn Ali al-Suhaymi. It seems he considered this to be another man among the Companions of the Prophet.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj narrated to us: Abu Khalid al-Ahmar narrated to us, from al-Dahhak ibn Uthman, from Makhramah ibn Sulayman, from Kurayb, from Ibn Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah said: Allah will not look at a man who has intercourse with a man or a woman in the anus. Abu Isa said: This hadith is hasan gharib. Waki also reported this hadith.