Fatwa No : 90203
The Ruling on Marriage with a Foster Brother

The Ruling on Marriage with a Foster Brother

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah! What do the esteemed Muftis say regarding the following issue: My son was breastfed by his maternal aunt (khala). Now that same aunt is asking for my daughter’s hand in marriage for her son. Please clarify whether this marriage is permissible in Islam or not. Also, please explain what kind of relationship is established between my other sons and daughters and the children of that aunt, and what is the Islamic ruling regarding marriage between them. May Allah reward you all with goodness.

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

If one of the questioner’s sons drank his maternal aunt’s milk during the period of breastfeeding (rada‘ah), then that son has become the foster (milk) son of his maternal aunt. Therefore, it is not permissible for that son to marry any of his maternal aunt’s daughters. However, apart from this, it is Islamically permissible for the rest of the questioner’s children to marry the children of that maternal aunt, provided that there is no other reason for prohibition. Hence, if there is no other cause of prohibition between the questioner’s daughter and the maternal aunt’s son, then merely because her brother drank the maternal aunt’s milk, her marriage does not become unlawful. Rather, the marriage between the two is valid and permissible according to Shariah.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما فی الدر المختار: (وتحل أخت أخیہ رضاعاً) یصح إتصالہ بالمضاف کأن یکون لہ أخ نسبی لہ أخت رضاعیۃ، و بالمضاف الیہ کأن یکون لأخیہ رضاعًا أخت نسباً و بھما و ھو ظاھر الخ۔ (باب الرضاع، ج: 3، ص: 217،ط: سعید)۔
و فی الھندیۃ: وتحل أخت أخیہ رضاعاً کما تحل نسباً مثل الأخ لأب إذا کانت لہ أخت من أمہ یحل لأخیہ من أبیہ أن یتزجھا کذا فی الکافی الخ۔ (کتاب الرضاع، ج: 1، ص: 343، ط: ماجدیہ)۔