17/4. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1449a — Sisters and Foster Kinship Limits
The prohibition of marriage to one's stepdaughter and the sister of one's wife
Marriage Limits Hadith on Sisters and Foster Kinship
Sahih Muslim : 1449a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1449a
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أُمِّ حَبِيبَةَ بِنْتِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، قَالَتْ دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ لَهُ هَلْ لَكَ فِي أُخْتِي بِنْتِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ فَقَالَ " أَفْعَلُ مَاذَا " . قُلْتُ تَنْكِحُهَا . قَالَ " أَوَتُحِبِّينَ ذَلِكَ " . قُلْتُ لَسْتُ لَكَ بِمُخْلِيَةٍ وَأَحَبُّ مَنْ شَرِكَنِي فِي الْخَيْرِ أُخْتِي . قَالَ " فَإِنَّهَا لاَ تَحِلُّ لِي " . قُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أُخْبِرْتُ أَنَّكَ تَخْطُبُ دُرَّةَ بِنْتَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ . قَالَ " بِنْتَ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ " . قُلْتُ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " لَوْ أَنَّهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ رَبِيبَتِي فِي حَجْرِي مَا حَلَّتْ لِي إِنَّهَا ابْنَةُ أَخِي مِنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ أَرْضَعَتْنِي وَأَبَاهَا ثُوَيْبَةُ فَلاَ تَعْرِضْنَ عَلَىَّ بَنَاتِكُنَّ وَلاَ أَخَوَاتِكُنَّ " .
Umm Habibah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to me and I said to him: Have you any inclination towards my the daughter of Abu Sufyan? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Then what should I do? I said: Marry her. He said: Do you like that? I said: I am not the exclusive (wife) of yours; I, therefore, wish to join my sister in good. He, said: She is not lawful for me.I said: I have been informed that you have given the proposal of marriage to Durrah daughter of Abu Salama He said: You mean the daughter of Umm Salama? I said: Yes. He said: Even if she had not been my step-daughter brought up under my guardianship, she would not have been lawful for me, for she is the daughter of my foster-brother (Hamza), for Thuwaiba had suckled me and her father. So do not give me the proposal of the marriage of your daughters and sisters.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1449aIn-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 19USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 8, Hadith 3412
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1449a
This marriage limits hadith contains two connected proposals and clear answers. Umm Habiba offered her sister in marriage to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, saying she wished to share good with her sister. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said her sister was not lawful for him. She then mentioned that she had heard he proposed to Durrah, daughter of Abu Salama. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم clarified that even if Durrah had not been his stepdaughter under his care, she would still not be lawful because she was the daughter of his foster brother. He added that Thuwaiba had suckled him and her father. The hadith teaches that marriage suggestions must respect both close family ties and foster kinship limits.
What we learn from this hadith
- A sister of an existing wife was not lawful in this proposal.
- Durrah was also excluded due to the foster brother relationship mentioned in the hadith.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected reports and proposals with clear reasons.
