3,454
edits
Adult Suckling: Difference between revisions
Automated script replacing USC-MSA hadith numbering system for Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud
| [checked revision] | [checked revision] |
No edit summary |
Lightyears (talk | contribs) (Automated script replacing USC-MSA hadith numbering system for Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud) |
||
| (2 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{QualityScore|Lead=4|Structure=4|Content=3|Language=4|References=3}} | {{QualityScore|Lead=4|Structure=4|Content=3|Language=4|References=3}} | ||
'''Adult suckling''' (Arabic: '''رَضَاعَةُ الْكَبِيرِ'''), or the act of breastfeeding a male adult, is mentioned in several relied-upon collections of [[Hadith|hadiths]]. According to five hadiths in [[Sahih Muslim]], [[Muhammad]] once plainly instructed the daughter (or wife -- sources are unclear) of a [[Sahabah|companion]] named Suhail to suckle a "grown-up" freedman named Salim so that Salim would become the daughter's ''mahram'', or a relation whom the daughter could no longer marry, and thus render Salim's cohabitation with the family appropriate and [[Shari'ah (Islamic Law)|legal]].<ref>[https://quranx.com/Hadith/Muslim/Reference/Hadith-1453 Sahih Muslim, hadiths 3424-3428]</ref> Reports in the Muwatta of Imam Malik<ref>{{Muwatta|30|3|17}}</ref> and Sunan | '''Adult suckling''' (Arabic: '''رَضَاعَةُ الْكَبِيرِ'''), or the act of breastfeeding a male adult, is mentioned in several relied-upon collections of [[Hadith|hadiths]]. According to five hadiths in [[Sahih Muslim]], [[Muhammad]] once plainly instructed the daughter (or wife -- sources are unclear) of a [[Sahabah|companion]] named Suhail to suckle a "grown-up" freedman named Salim so that Salim would become the daughter's ''mahram'', or a relation whom the daughter could no longer marry, and thus render Salim's cohabitation with the family appropriate and [[Shari'ah (Islamic Law)|legal]].<ref>[https://quranx.com/Hadith/Muslim/Reference/Hadith-1453 Sahih Muslim, hadiths 3424-3428]</ref> Reports in the Muwatta of Imam Malik<ref>{{Muwatta|30|3|17}}</ref> and Sunan Ibn Majah<ref>{{Ibn Majah|9|3|9|1944}}</ref> add that this instruction was reified by a verse in the [[Qur'an]], Islam's holy scripture, which was still present in the Qur'an after [[Muhammad's Death|Muhammad's death]], indicating that it had not been [[Naskh (Abrogation)|abrogated]] by Muhammad while he was alive. The report in Sunan Abu Dawud continues with [[Aisha]], Muhammad's favorite wife, reporting that while she was "preoccupied with [Muhammad's] death", "a tame sheep came in and ate" the scrap of paper upon which the verse of "breastfeeding an adult" was written. The practice, sanctioned by a number of traditional jurists, is popularly rejected by Islamic scholars today. | ||
Translated literally, "mahram" means "that which is prohibited (haram)", which explains the phrasing used in the hadiths (e.g. "[he] would become unlawful for [her]"). The word mahram is used to refer to relations who one cannot marry. As a result of mahrams not being permitted to conceive of each other as marital/sexual prospects (e.g. a brother and sister), the female does not have to observe all the requirements of hijab and is permitted to be alone with a male. | Translated literally, "mahram" means "that which is prohibited (haram)", which explains the phrasing used in the hadiths (e.g. "[he] would become unlawful for [her]"). The word mahram is used to refer to relations who one cannot marry. As a result of mahrams not being permitted to conceive of each other as marital/sexual prospects (e.g. a brother and sister), the female does not have to observe all the requirements of hijab and is permitted to be alone with a male. | ||
| Line 10: | Line 10: | ||
===In the hadiths=== | ===In the hadiths=== | ||
An entire chapter in Sahih Muslim, containing six hadiths, is dedicated to the topic of "Breastfeeding an adult" (باب رَضَاعَةِ الْكَبِيرِ).<ref>{{Citation|title=Sahih Muslim|chapter=(7) Chapter: Breastfeeding an adult|trans_chapter=باب رَضَاعَةِ الْكَبِيرِ|url=https://sunnah.com/muslim/17|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213071552/https://sunnah.com/muslim/17}}</ref> The hadiths describes how, via suckling, an adult male can become a female's mahram and thus be allowed to accompany her in private. {{Quote|{{Muslim| | An entire chapter in Sahih Muslim, containing six hadiths, is dedicated to the topic of "Breastfeeding an adult" (باب رَضَاعَةِ الْكَبِيرِ).<ref>{{Citation|title=Sahih Muslim|chapter=(7) Chapter: Breastfeeding an adult|trans_chapter=باب رَضَاعَةِ الْكَبِيرِ|url=https://sunnah.com/muslim/17|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213071552/https://sunnah.com/muslim/17}}</ref> The hadiths describes how, via suckling, an adult male can become a female's mahram and thus be allowed to accompany her in private. {{Quote|{{Muslim||1453b|reference}}|'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hadhaifa, lived with him and his family in their house. She (i. e. the daughter of Suhail came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and said: Salim has attained (puberty) as men attain, and he understands what they understand, and he enters our house freely, I, however, perceive that something (rankles) in the heart of Abu Hudhaifa, whereupon '''Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said to her: Suckle him and you would become unlawful for him''', and (the rankling) which Abu Hudhaifa feels in his heart will disappear. '''She returned and said: So I suckled him, and what (was there) in the heart of Abu Hudhaifa disappeared'''.|}} | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||1453a|reference}}|A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Sahla bint Suhail came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be eupon him) and said: | ||
Messengerof Allah, I see on the face of Abu Hudhaifa (signs of disgust) on entering of Salim (who is an ally) into (our house), whereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Suckle him. '''She said: How can I suckle him as he is a grown-up man? Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) smiled and said: I already know that he is a young man.''' 'Amr has made this addition in his narration: that he [Salim] participated in the Battle of Badr and in the narration of Ibn 'Umar (the words are): Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) laughed.}}{{Quote|{{Muslim| | Messengerof Allah, I see on the face of Abu Hudhaifa (signs of disgust) on entering of Salim (who is an ally) into (our house), whereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Suckle him. '''She said: How can I suckle him as he is a grown-up man? Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) smiled and said: I already know that he is a young man.''' 'Amr has made this addition in his narration: that he [Salim] participated in the Battle of Badr and in the narration of Ibn 'Umar (the words are): Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) laughed.}}{{Quote|{{Muslim||1453c|reference}}|Ibn Abu Mulaika reported that al-Qasim b. Muhammad b. Abu Bakr had narrated to him that 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Sahla bint Suhail b. 'Amr came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and said: | ||
Messenger of Allah, Salim (the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa) is living with us in our house, and he has attained (puberty) as men attain it and has acquired knowledge (of the sex problems) as men acquire, whereupon he said: Suckle him so that he may become unlawful (in regard to marriage) for you He (Ibn Abu Mulaika) said: '''I refrained from (narrating this hadith) for a year or so on account of fear. I then met al-Qasim and said to him: You narrated to me a hadith which I did not narrate (to anyone) afterwards. He said: What is that? I informed him, whereupon he said: Narrate it on my authority that 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) had narrated that to me.'''}} | Messenger of Allah, Salim (the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa) is living with us in our house, and he has attained (puberty) as men attain it and has acquired knowledge (of the sex problems) as men acquire, whereupon he said: Suckle him so that he may become unlawful (in regard to marriage) for you He (Ibn Abu Mulaika) said: '''I refrained from (narrating this hadith) for a year or so on account of fear. I then met al-Qasim and said to him: You narrated to me a hadith which I did not narrate (to anyone) afterwards. He said: What is that? I informed him, whereupon he said: Narrate it on my authority that 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) had narrated that to me.'''}} | ||
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
====Aisha's opinion vs. that of her co-wives==== | ====Aisha's opinion vs. that of her co-wives==== | ||
One of the six hadiths on adult suckling in Sahih Muslim describes Aisha as the individual who instructed Muhammad's companions to implement the practice sanctioned by Muhammad. | One of the six hadiths on adult suckling in Sahih Muslim describes Aisha as the individual who instructed Muhammad's companions to implement the practice sanctioned by Muhammad. | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||1453d|reference}}|Umm Salama said to 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her): | ||
A young boy who is at the threshold of puberty comes to you. '''I, however, do not like that he should come to me, whereupon 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) said: Don't you see in Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) a model for you?''' She also said: The wife of Abu Hudhaifa said: Messenger of Allah, Salim comes to me and now he is a (grown-up) person, and there is something that (rankles) in the mind of Abu Hudhaifa about him, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Suckle him (so that he may become your foster-child), and thus he may be able to come to you (freely).}} | A young boy who is at the threshold of puberty comes to you. '''I, however, do not like that he should come to me, whereupon 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) said: Don't you see in Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) a model for you?''' She also said: The wife of Abu Hudhaifa said: Messenger of Allah, Salim comes to me and now he is a (grown-up) person, and there is something that (rankles) in the mind of Abu Hudhaifa about him, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Suckle him (so that he may become your foster-child), and thus he may be able to come to you (freely).}} | ||
| Line 33: | Line 33: | ||
Similar sentiments from Muhammad's other wives are expressed in a hadith in Sahih Muslim. | Similar sentiments from Muhammad's other wives are expressed in a hadith in Sahih Muslim. | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim| | {{Quote|{{Muslim||1454|reference}}|Umm Salama, the wife of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), used to say that all wives of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) disclaimed the idea that one with this type of fosterage (having been suckled after the proper period) should come to them. and said to 'A'isha: By Allah, we do not find this but a sort of concession given by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) only for Salim, and no one was ging to be allowed to enter (our houses) with this type of fosterage and we do not subscribe to this view.}} | ||
===In the Qur'an=== | ===In the Qur'an=== | ||
| Line 47: | Line 47: | ||
“Once of the things that Allah revealed in the the Qur'an and then abrogated [the word translated as "abrogated" is سقط, which means "dropped"<ref>[http://ejtaal.net/aa/#hw4=h496,ll=1426,ls=h5,la=h2037,sg=h517,ha=h337,br=h466,pr=h78,aan=h272,mgf=h431,vi=h193,kz=h1116,mr=h316,mn=h640,uqw=h781,umr=h509,ums=h430,umj=h372,ulq=h938,uqa=h200,uqq=h155,bdw=h435,amr=h309,asb=h460,auh=h756,dhq=h262,mht=h420,msb=h113,tla=h57,amj=h360,ens=h191,mis=h1035 Lane's Lexicon سقط]</ref>, and not نسخ, which is the word used to refer to legal [[Abrogation|abrogation]]<ref>[http://ejtaal.net/aa/#hw4=h1141,ll=2886,ls=h54,la=h4406,sg=h1135,ha=h777,br=h958,pr=h155,aan=h662,mgf=h807,vi=h370,kz=h2649,mr=h721,mn=h1412,uqw=h1643,umr=h1073,ums=h905,umj=h842,ulq=h1662,uqa=h417,uqq=h393,bdw=h878,amr=h631,asb=h985,auh=h1607,dhq=h562,mht=h895,msb=h237,tla=h95,amj=h826,ens=h191,mis=h2189 Lane's Lexicon نسخ]</ref>. This is also the usage found in the Qur'an itself<ref>{{quran|2|106}}</ref>] was that '''nothing makes marriage prohibited except ten breastfeedings or five well-known (breastfeedings''').” (Sahih)}} | “Once of the things that Allah revealed in the the Qur'an and then abrogated [the word translated as "abrogated" is سقط, which means "dropped"<ref>[http://ejtaal.net/aa/#hw4=h496,ll=1426,ls=h5,la=h2037,sg=h517,ha=h337,br=h466,pr=h78,aan=h272,mgf=h431,vi=h193,kz=h1116,mr=h316,mn=h640,uqw=h781,umr=h509,ums=h430,umj=h372,ulq=h938,uqa=h200,uqq=h155,bdw=h435,amr=h309,asb=h460,auh=h756,dhq=h262,mht=h420,msb=h113,tla=h57,amj=h360,ens=h191,mis=h1035 Lane's Lexicon سقط]</ref>, and not نسخ, which is the word used to refer to legal [[Abrogation|abrogation]]<ref>[http://ejtaal.net/aa/#hw4=h1141,ll=2886,ls=h54,la=h4406,sg=h1135,ha=h777,br=h958,pr=h155,aan=h662,mgf=h807,vi=h370,kz=h2649,mr=h721,mn=h1412,uqw=h1643,umr=h1073,ums=h905,umj=h842,ulq=h1662,uqa=h417,uqq=h393,bdw=h878,amr=h631,asb=h985,auh=h1607,dhq=h562,mht=h895,msb=h237,tla=h95,amj=h826,ens=h191,mis=h2189 Lane's Lexicon نسخ]</ref>. This is also the usage found in the Qur'an itself<ref>{{quran|2|106}}</ref>] was that '''nothing makes marriage prohibited except ten breastfeedings or five well-known (breastfeedings''').” (Sahih)}} | ||
Both the element of the suckling tradition involving a lost Quranic verse and the version in which a sheep ate the verses of suckling and stoning are doubtful according to an analysis by Seyfedden Kara in his open access book on the topic.<ref>Seyfedden Kara (2024) ''[https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3366/jj.15478459 The Integrity of the Qur'an: Sunni and Shi‘i Historical Narratives]'', Edinburgh University Press</ref> | |||
According to Kara's analysis using the modern technique of isnad-cum-matn analysis, he finds that one of the several hadith clusters containing the suckling traditions (the one which goes through Amra, as well as one variant of the cluster through Nafi) mentions the original presence of a sucklings verse in the Quran which was then changed (or "abrogated", as Malik glosses it). Only one of the Amra cluster's variants in turn includes the sheep story. Kara argues that the lost verse element is unlikely to be true as the inconsistent versions of that tradition seem to indicate uncertainty on the number of sucklings required, which he thinks should have been clear had there originally been a verse. He also argues that the lack of the sheep element in any other version does not allow that element to be dated with any certainty before the 3rd century when it appears in Sunan Ibn Majah.<ref>Ibid. Chapter 1.</ref> | |||
==2007 Azhar fatwas== | ==2007 Azhar fatwas== | ||