17/4. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1449c — Fosterage and Marriage Boundaries
The prohibition of marriage to one's stepdaughter and the sister of one's wife
Fosterage in Islam and Marriage Boundaries
Sahih Muslim : 1449c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1449c
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحِ بْنِ الْمُهَاجِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ، أَنَّحَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ حَدَّثَتْهُ أَنَّ أُمَّ حَبِيبَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَدَّثَتْهَا أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ انْكِحْ أُخْتِي عَزَّةَ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَتُحِبِّينَ ذَلِكِ " . فَقَالَتْ نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَسْتُ لَكَ بِمُخْلِيَةٍ وَأَحَبُّ مَنْ شَرِكَنِي فِي خَيْرٍ أُخْتِي . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَإِنَّ ذَلِكِ لاَ يَحِلُّ لِي " . قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّا نَتَحَدَّثُ أَنَّكَ تُرِيدُ أَنْ تَنْكِحَ دُرَّةَ بِنْتَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ . قَالَ " بِنْتَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ " . قَالَتْ نَعَمْ . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَوْ أَنَّهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ رَبِيبَتِي فِي حَجْرِي مَا حَلَّتْ لِي إِنَّهَا ابْنَةُ أَخِي مِنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ أَرْضَعَتْنِي وَأَبَا سَلَمَةَ ثُوَيْبَةُ فَلاَ تَعْرِضْنَ عَلَىَّ بَنَاتِكُنَّ وَلاَ أَخَوَاتِكُنَّ " .
Umm Habibah Narrated from:
Umm Habiba, the wife of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), reported that she said to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ): Messenger of Allah, marry my sister 'Azza, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Do you like it? She said: Yes, Messenger of Allah, I am not the exclusive wife of yours, and I wish that the person who joins me in good should be my sister. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: That is not lawful for me.I said: Messenger of Allah, we discussed that You intend to marry Durrah bint Abu Salama. He (the Holy Prophet) said: You mean the daughter of Abu Salama? She said: Yes, whereupon Allah's Messenger (may. peace be upon him) said: Even if she were not the step-daughter of mine, brought up under my guardianship, she would not have been lawful for me, for she is the daughter of my foster-brother. Thuwaiba gave me suck and to Abu Salama (also), so do not offer to me your daughters and sisters.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1449cIn-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 21USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 8, Hadith 3413
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1449c
This hadith about fosterage in Islam explains clear marriage boundaries. Umm Habiba asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to marry her sister, but he said that was not lawful for him. She also mentioned talk about Durrah bint Abu Salama, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم explained another reason she was not lawful for him: she was connected to him through household care and through fosterage. The hadith shows that marriage is not only about personal wish or family closeness. Some relationships are closed by Islamic limits. The phrase about foster-brotherhood is the main point: breastfeeding can create family ties that affect marriage law.
What we learn from this hadith
- Marriage choices must stay within the limits made lawful in Islam.
- A sister of an existing wife is not treated as an ordinary marriage option in this text.
- Fosterage can create family ties that affect who may be married.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected wrong assumptions with clear and calm guidance.
