Breastfeeding an adult between Christianity and Islam

The ignorant Christians,
along with some pseudo-scholars of paid Muslims, often brag about what is called the breastfeeding of adults in Islam, and that Islam has reached the level of vulgarity with the fatwa of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, to an adult companion to breastfeed from a foreign woman so that she would be forbidden to him, so that he could live in her house as one of her sons whom she had raised. We often see a Christian rabble-rouser raging and raging and floundering about this issue, even though their books and literature are not without urging the breastfeeding of adults, as we will see.
In fact, the story is different from that..
as it is the result of the effects that resulted from the ruling prohibiting adoption..
(Allah has not made for any man two hearts within him. Nor has He made your wives of whom you declare to be divorced your mothers. Nor has He made your adopted sons your sons. That is what you say with your mouths. And Allah speaks the truth, and He guides to the way. Call them by the names of their fathers; that is more just in the sight of Allah. But if you do not know, then [it is better for you to] be among the righteous.) ( And their fathers, then they are your brothers in religion and your allies. And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only] for what your hearts intended. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.) Al-Ahzab: 4-5
The Qur’anic verse clarifies an inescapable truth, which is that the adopted person is neither a biological son nor a real one; rather, he is only an adopted son. “The adopted son is the plural of the adopted son, which is the one who is claimed to be the son of someone other than his father, or claims someone other than his father. The source is the call with the kasra, so Allah the Most High commanded the adoption of the adopted son to their biological fathers.” [Al-Qurtubi, Al-Jami’ li Ahkam Al-Qur’an, Vol. 14/p. 121].
Adoption does not create a relationship of blood, kinship, marriage or breastfeeding, which play a role in prohibiting some marriages and in the emergence and establishment of some rights.
In addition, adoption distorts and destroys these relationships that are created by the bond of lineage and on the basis of the marriage contract between a man and a woman, as the controls of the marriage contract in Islamic law are the basis for the emergence of bonds of kinship, marriage and breastfeeding, and preserving lineage is the foundation of construction; the family with all its networks and bonds (kinship, marriage and breastfeeding) is built on the basis of the marriage contract, and lineage is raised by it as a complete structure.
In adoption, an element foreign and abnormal to the family structure enters, which is a reason for the demolition of the entire structure, so the bonds of the network dissolve, and the rules regulating marriage collapse (prohibited by lineage, marriage and breastfeeding).
The objectives of the legislation of inheritance are also lost due to the conflict between the intruding element (the pretender) and the real elements of the family; Since the adoption system in the pre-Islamic era did not prevent the adopted from inheriting from his adopter, Islamic law came to prohibit this system, and did not leave inheritance as a vehicle for every rider; rather, it defined its reasons and controlled its obstacles. Allah the Almighty said: (And those who believed afterward and emigrated and fought with you - those are from you. And those of kinship are nearer to one another in the ordinance of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of all things ) [Al-Anfal: 75]. The reasons for inheritance became marriage and kinship.
In the context of prohibiting some marriages, the prohibition of marrying the wife of a biological son came, not an adopted one; In invalidating the adoption system, its provisions were also invalidated, including the prohibition of marriage to the adopted son’s wife. So His Almighty wisdom came to invalidate that and make her his wife. The Lord of Glory said : Forbidden to you are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your paternal aunts, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters, your foster mothers, your foster sisters, your wives' mothers, your stepdaughters under your guardianship born of your wives to whom you have gone in - but if you have not gone in to them, there is no blame upon you. And the wives of your sons (Those of your loins, and that you marry two sisters together, except for what has already occurred . Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful) (An-Nisa: 23).
If we pause and reflect on this point, which is the prohibition of the Arabs in the pre-Islamic era from marrying the wife of an adopted son, we will reach a very dangerous conclusion, which is the great status that the adopted son occupied in the heart of his adopter; this son who did not know his father, and this is the first fact.
As for the second fact, which stands opposite to that, and at the same time completely contradicts it, it is the extent of the Arabs’ pride in lineage at that time; between this and that there was a stark contradiction that the pre-Islamic society lived, which suggests the extent of the instability and weakness that characterized the society; Therefore, the adoption system was prohibited for the purpose of restoring cohesion to society, rebuilding ties and strengthening them with controls that cannot be violated because they were legislated by the Almighty, the One Who says: ( And Allah speaks the truth, and He guides to the way ) [Al-Ahzab: 4 ]; because saying that the adopted person is a son is only a word of mouth; as for His statement, the Most High, the Most Great, it is the truth, and anything other than it is false; establishing a relationship of fatherhood or sonship in this way is not possible rationally or legally; it is not easy to establish a relationship based on a word of mouth; rather, these relationships have a solid foundation and solid pillars, and they are not established except on a legal basis, which is the hadith of the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “The child belongs to the bed” [Agreed upon], so the son is the one born from the mixing of the gametes (the man’s semen and the woman’s semen); so His statement, the Most High, the Most Great, is the true statement in abolishing an entire system because it is a system built on deception, falsehood and lies.
The wise Lawgiver is the one who shows the right path in building the family and its various networks, for He (guides the way), and His way is the most deserving of being followed. And He is the one who shows it in the same verse, for the Almighty said: ( Call them by the names of their fathers; that is more just in the sight of Allah. But if you do not know their fathers, then they are your brothers in religion and your allies. ) Al-Ahzab: 4.
The meaning of the verse is clear in His guidance, may He be blessed and exalted, to the believers to attribute the lineage of the adopted child to his father in whose bed he was born, for in preserving his lineage to his father is justice and right; and in preserving lineage in general, the right of the father, the right of the mother, and the right of the son himself are preserved, so it is just to attribute the lineage of the son to his father so that rights are established between them, family rights of all kinds.
If it is not possible to know the father, the adopted child is cared for and provided for as a brother in religion, and we do not leave him alone because this would be a waste of him, and he was called a son, and the call of the wise Lawgiver to adopt him as a brother “is a moral, emotional relationship that does not entail specific obligations such as the obligation of inheritance, mutual support in paying blood money, the obligation of expenses, and the prohibition of forbidden things, because they are obligations of blood relation.” [Qutb, Sayyid: In the Shade of the Qur’an, 11th ed., (Beirut: Dar Al-Shorouk, 1985), vol. 5/p. 2826.]
In abolishing the adoption system, it abolishes its obligations that would arouse the resentment of the rest of the family members towards the intruder; considering him a brother in religion does not raise any suspicion that could shake the bonds and foundations of the family structure. This divine guidance would not have found its way to the hearts of Muslims easily and simply, as embarrassment may occur in the hearts of many, which cannot be removed by the permanent prohibition that did not come in a gradual manner, as human nature may be tainted by some impurities from the sediments of ignorance.
The Holy Quran did not ignore these emotional facts, as the verbal legislation of prohibition was accompanied by practical legislation, “so that there would not remain the slightest trace of embarrassment in the work of the master of all creation, the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, as he is the most capable person to bear this responsibility.” [Ibn Ashur, At-Tahrir wa At-Tanwir, Vol. 22/p. 39; see also: Ar-Razi, Tafsir Al-Fakhr Ar-Razi, Vol. 13/Vol. 25/pp. 193-195].

This Surah Al-Ahzab referred to all the stages that the actual practical legislation of the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, went through; God Almighty said: (Indeed, in the Messenger of God you have a good example to follow for anyone whose hope is in God and the Last Day and who remembers God often.) (Al-Ahzab: 21), and the saying of the Most High: (And when you said to him upon whom Allah had bestowed favor and upon whom you had bestowed favor, “Keep your wife to yourself and fear Allah,” while you concealed within yourself that which Allah would reveal, and you feared the people, while Allah has more right that you should fear Him. So when Zaid had no longer any need for her, We married her to you so that there would be no discomfort upon the believers concerning the wives of their adopted sons when they have no longer any need for them. And the command of Allah is to be done . ( Al-Ahzab: 37)
He also said: { There is no difficulty for the Prophet concerning that which Allah has ordained for him. This is the way of Allah with those who passed on before. And the command of Allah is a decree decreed . ( Al-Ahzab: 38)
And the Lord Almighty said: { Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. And Allah is Knowing of all things. ( Al-Ahzab: 40) [See the details of the marriage of the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to Zaynab. Bint Jahsh, may God be pleased with her, was the wife and adopted concubine (before the prohibition of adoption was revealed) of Zayd ibn Haritha, may God be pleased with him, according to: Al-Razi, Tafsir Al-Razi, Vol. 13/Vol. 25/pp. 213-215; Ibn Al-Arabi, Ahkam Al-Quran, Vol. 3/p. 1492; Ibn Ashur, Al-Tahrir wa Al-Tanwir, Vol. 22/p. 39; Qutb, Fi Zilal Al-Quran, Vol. 5/pp. 2864-2871.].
Sponsoring an orphan is one of the greatest acts of worship, because of the great reward and great recompense that results from it, and because of the mercy, kindness, and care it brings to this orphan.
As for adoption, it is clearly forbidden; Allah the Almighty says: { And He has not made your adopted sons your sons. That is your statement from your mouths, and Allah speaks the truth, and He guides to the way. Call them by the names of their fathers; that is more just in the sight of Allah. But if you do not know their fathers, then they are your brothers in religion and your allies .} Al-Ahzab/4, 5
On the authority of Abu Dharr, may God be pleased with him, that he heard the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, say: “There is no man who knowingly claims a father other than his own, except that he has committed blasphemy. And whoever claims a people to whom he has no lineage, let him take his seat in Hell.” Narrated by al-Bukhari (3317) and Muslim (61).

There are differences between adoption and sponsorship of an orphan .
A- As for adoption: It is when a man takes an orphan and makes him like one of his own sons who are his own and he is called by his name and the mahrams of that man are not permissible for him, so the sons of the adopted are brothers of the orphan and his daughters are his sisters and his sisters are his aunts and the like. This was from the actions of the first ignorance, to the point that these names stuck to some of the companions such as Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad since his father's name was (Amr) but he was called Ibn Al-Aswad by the name of the one who adopted him.
It remained like this in the early days of Islam until Allah forbade it in a famous story where Zaid bin Haritha was called Zaid bin Muhammad, and he was the husband of Zainab bint Jahsh and Zaid divorced her.
B- Allah Almighty forbade adoption because it wastes lineages and we have been commanded to preserve our lineages.
On the authority of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “There is no man who knowingly claims to be his father except that he has committed an act of disbelief. And whoever claims to be a person to whom he has no lineage, let him take his seat in Hellfire.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3317) and Muslim (61).
The meaning of “disbelief” is that he has committed the actions of the disbelievers, not that he has left the religion.
This is because it forbids what Allah has permitted and permits what He has forbidden.
For example, forbidding the daughters of an adopted child to an orphan is forbidding what is permissible that Allah has not forbidden. And permitting inheritance after the death of the adoptive child, for example, is permitting what Allah has forbidden, because inheritance is the right of the children who are his own.
This may cause animosity and hatred between the adopted child and the children of the adoptive child,
because it will cause them to lose some rights that will go to this orphan unjustly, and they know deep down that he is not entitled to them.
As for sponsoring an orphan, it is for a man to keep the orphan in his home or to take care of him in a home other than his own without attributing him to him, and without forbidding him what is permissible or making permissible what is forbidden, as is the case with adoption. Rather, the sponsor is in the capacity of the generous and benevolent after God Almighty. The sponsor of an orphan is not to be compared to the adoptive one due to the difference in similarity between them and because sponsoring an orphan is something that Islam has urged.
Allah the Almighty said: ( And they ask you about orphans. Say, "Improvement for them is best. But if you mix with them - they are your brothers. And Allah knows the corrupter from the reformer. And if Allah had willed, He could have made you suffer. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.) ( Al-Baqarah: 120)
. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made sponsoring an orphan a reason for accompanying him in Paradise. On the authority of Sahl ibn Sa`d, he said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “And I and the one who sponsors an orphan will be in Paradise like this - and he pointed with his index and middle fingers and spread them apart.” There is nothing between them - ". Narrated by Al-Bukhari (4998).
However, it must be noted that when these orphans reach puberty, they must be separated from the wives and daughters of the sponsor, and they must not be reformed on one side and corrupted on the other. It must also be known that the one being sponsored may be an orphan or she may be beautiful and desired before reaching puberty, so the sponsor must monitor his children so that they do not fall into forbidden things with the orphans, because this may happen and be a cause of corruption that may be difficult to reform.
After this introduction...
As a result of this prohibition, problems have appeared... For example:
It happened after the prohibition of adoption that Sahlah bint Suhayl came to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, telling him about her problem with Salim, her adopted son. She had adopted him when he was young to make up for the deprivation of a child, so she was like his mother and her husband Abu Hudhayfah was his father.
However, after the revelation of the verses of prohibition, she saw the distress on Abu Hudhayfah’s face when he entered and left with his wife Sahlah (Sahlah bint Suhayl came to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and said, “O Messenger of God, I see on Abu Hudhayfah’s face when Salim enters and he is…” His ally, so the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “Breastfeed him.” She said: “How can I breastfeed him when he is an old man?” The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, smiled and said: “I know that he is an old man.”
We have some observations on this specific incident:
1- If we examine this incident carefully, we find that Sahla should have denounced her exposure in front of Salem, but she did not ask about this, rather she was surprised by the breastfeeding itself, given that he was an adult, so she said, “How can I breastfeed him when he is an adult man?” because she was well aware that breastfeeding is a garment for a young child, which is what is considered legally, and the hadiths that restrict it to what was in the two years or famine are more famous than for us to collect and list them here.
2- Likewise, Salem himself, why did he not find it strange that he touched the body of a foreign woman in a way that is not usually apparent to foreigners, and who is this Salem? He is one of the people who guided the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, to the Companions to learn the Qur’an from him when he said: “Learn the Qur’an from four from Banu Umm Abd, and he began with him, Mu’adh ibn Jabal, Ubayy ibn Ka’b, and Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah.” Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2464. He was the one who led the first immigrants in prayer in the Quba Mosque because he had memorized the most Qur’an among them, and other than that, there are many, many of his great deeds, in addition to what is known about the Companions, may God be pleased with them, of caution and wariness, to the point that they would rush to ask about what was permissible and what was forbidden and would hasten to legislate what they were in doubt about, as happened in the story of the prohibition of alcohol, when Umar and some of the Companions said: O God, make clear to us regarding alcohol clearly and conclusively, in a story with known details until the command to prohibit it was revealed, and the Companions said: We have finished.
3 - The evidence is that they, may Allah be pleased with them, did not enjoy sins and seek concessions for them as we do these days, but rather they asked and inquired, and the verses “They ask you about” in the Holy Quran bear witness to that, and the reports also bear witness to the interest of the Companions in inquiring about Allah’s ruling regarding what befell them, more than can be counted and more difficult than can be investigated. So how can it be permissible to say with that that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then the heroes of the breastfeeding story and the community of the Companions accepted this idea that is promoted by the doubters?
4 - Is this ruling specific to Salim or is it ongoing and linked to its cause ?
The majority of scholars have held that this ruling is specific to Salim and does not extend to others, and this in itself raises a problem that is indicated by this question:
Why is there a specificity, and is there a specificity in legislation? And why does the ruling not continue linked to its cause, in existence and nonexistence, so that it exists where it exists and disappears where it disappears?
I say: The specificity here is justified by the fact that it is the only case that arose from the ruling on adoption that the Qur’an decided to prohibit, as this case was existing and occurring, so the prohibition was revealed as an emergency. Then what happened after that happened to Abu Hudhayfah from jealousy over Salim entering his house after he had become a stranger to him, and to Abu Hudhayfah’s wife from grief over Salim’s separation from her adopted son. As for the others, it is inconceivable why? Because by the decision to prohibit adoption, the door was closed from the beginning, so it is inconceivable for a woman to be attached to a stranger, as Abu Hudhayfah’s wife was attached to Salim, due to the lack of approval of the reason that produced this type of relationship, which is the system of adoption.
The wives of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, refused to accept this hadith as a concession to be granted. In Sahih Muslim, on the authority of Zainab bint Abi Salamah, her mother Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, used to say: “The rest of the wives of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, refused to allow anyone to enter upon them through that breastfeeding, and they said to Aisha, ‘By God, we do not see this as anything but a concession granted by the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, specifically for Salim, for no one has entered upon us through this breastfeeding, nor has he seen us.’”
So this is a situation that will not be repeated because its cause, which is adoption, has not been acknowledged, or to put it more professionally, it will not require a ruling because the cause for the prohibition of adoption has not occurred .

Christians and breastfeeding an adult
and it is very strange when Christian websites address this topic to defame the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and their books and literature are filled with more than this..
and they forgot the teachings of Jesus Christ in his saying:
(41 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye,
but do not notice the beam that is in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the beam that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye. (Luke 6:41-42)
We, in turn, make them see with the plank in their eyes so that they may see and not look down on others, for they are worthy of that.
We remember them as we see in their literature a picture of the Virgin Mary breastfeeding her child, the Lord Jesus, feeding Him with her left breast while she breastfeeds Saint Bernard of Clairvaux with her right breast,

and it is written under it: “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed .” (Luke 11:27)
We will discuss this topic in detail shortly, God willing.