69/16. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5372 — Marriage Limits and Foster Relations
Freed female slaves or any other women can be wet nurses.
Hadith About Unlawful Marriage Relations in Islam
Sahih Bukhari : 5372
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5372
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ، أَنَّ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ أُمَّ حَبِيبَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ انْكِحْ أُخْتِي ابْنَةَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ. قَالَ " وَتُحِبِّينَ ذَلِكَ ". قُلْتُ نَعَمْ لَسْتُ لَكَ بِمُخْلِيَةٍ، وَأَحَبُّ مَنْ شَارَكَنِي فِي الْخَيْرِ أُخْتِي. فَقَالَ " إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لاَ يَحِلُّ لِي ". فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّا نَتَحَدَّثُ أَنَّكَ تُرِيدُ أَنْ تَنْكِحَ دُرَّةَ ابْنَةَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ. فَقَالَ " ابْنَةَ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ ". فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ. قَالَ "فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْ لَمْ تَكُنْ رَبِيبَتِي فِي حَجْرِي مَا حَلَّتْ لِي، إِنَّهَا ابْنَةُ أَخِي مِنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ، أَرْضَعَتْنِي وَأَبَا سَلَمَةَ ثُوَيْبَةُ، فَلاَ تَعْرِضْنَ عَلَىَّ بَنَاتِكُنَّ وَلاَ أَخَوَاتِكُنَّ ". وَقَالَ شُعَيْبٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ عُرْوَةُ ثُوَيْبَةُ أَعْتَقَهَا أَبُو لَهَبٍ.
Um Habiba Narrated from:
I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Will you marry my sister, the daughter of Abu Sufyan." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do you like that?" I said, "Yes, for I am not your only wife, and the person I like most to share the good with me, is my sister." He said, "That is not lawful for me."I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! We have heard that you want to marry Durra, the daughter of Abu Salama." He said, "You mean the daughter of Um Salama?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Even if she were not my stepdaughter, she is unlawful for me, for she is my foster niece. Thuwaiba suckled me and Abu Salama. So you should not present to me your daughters and sisters."Narrated 'Urwa: Thuwaiba had been a slave girl whom Abu Lahab had emancipated.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5372In-book reference : Book 69, Hadith 22USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 64, Hadith 285
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5372
This Hadith records a question from Umm Habiba, who wished the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to marry her sister. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told her that this was not lawful for him. She then mentioned what people were saying about Durra, the daughter of Abu Salama. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم explained that even if she were not his stepdaughter, she would still be unlawful because she was his foster niece. He said Thuwaiba had suckled him and Abu Salama. The Hadith about unlawful marriage relations is focused on clear family limits. It mentions sisters, daughters, stepdaughters, and foster ties. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected the idea and told them not to present their daughters or sisters to him.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم clearly stated that marrying Umm Habiba’s sister was not lawful for him.
- Stepdaughter and foster ties are both mentioned in the Hadith.
- Foster suckling created a marriage barrier in this case.
- Incorrect marriage suggestions were corrected directly.
