Unmarriageability does not occur...

Unmarriageability does not occur except with five feedings or more Q. I suckled from a woman three times, every day one feeding on three separate occasions, am I a brother of this woman’s son? Please enlighten us, may Allaah reward you.

A. Unmarriageability does not occur with these three feedings rather unmarriageability is reached with five feedings or more due to the saying of the Prophet (saw): “One or two feedings do not make marriage forbidden.”

Also due to that affirmed from ‘Aaisha (ra) that she said: “There was from that revealed of the Qur’aan: (Ten accounted feedings make forbidden). Then it was abrogated to five accounted feedings. So the Prophet (saw) passed away whilst the matter is upon this.”

Authenticated by Imaam Ahmed in his Saheeh and by Tirmidthee in his Jaame’ and the wording is his. A feeding is the latching onto the breast and swallowing of milk even if the infant is not satisfied or sucks for a long time. If he releases the breast from his mouth then this is one feeding. If he returns, latches onto the breast and suckles milk from it then this is the second feeding and so forth, with the condition that the infant is younger than two years old for the saying of the Prophet (saw): “There is no suckling that forbids marriage except for the suckling of one younger than two.”

Also his (saw) saying: “Verily the suckling that forbids marriage is the one that nourishes the infant.”

Success is with Allaah.

Sheikh Ibn Baaz [Fataawa Islaamiyyah: 3/326]