26/44. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3284 — Forbidden Marriage Relations
A Stepdaughter Who Is In One's Care Is Forbidden For Marriage
Hadith About Forbidden Marriage Through Family and Breastfeeding
Sunan an-Nasai : 3284
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3284
أَخْبَرَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ بَكَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي الزُّهْرِيُّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ، أَنَّ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، - وَأُمُّهَا أُمُّ سَلَمَةَ زَوْجُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم - أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ أُمَّ حَبِيبَةَ بِنْتَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ أَخْبَرَتْهَا أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْكِحْ أُخْتِي بِنْتَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ . قَالَتْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَوَتُحِبِّينَ ذَلِكِ " . فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ لَسْتُ لَكَ بِمُخْلِيَةٍ وَأَحَبُّ مَنْ يُشَارِكُنِي فِي خَيْرٍ أُخْتِي . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ أُخْتَكِ لاَ تَحِلُّ لِي " . فَقُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا لَنَتَحَدَّثُ أَنَّكَ تُرِيدُ أَنْ تَنْكِحَ دُرَّةَ بِنْتَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ . فَقَالَ " بِنْتُ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ " . فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ . فَقَالَ " وَاللَّهِ لَوْلاَ أَنَّهَا رَبِيبَتِي فِي حَجْرِي مَا حَلَّتْ لِي إِنَّهَا لاَبْنَةُ أَخِي مِنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ أَرْضَعَتْنِي وَأَبَا سَلَمَةَ ثُوَيْبَةُ فَلاَ تَعْرِضْنَ عَلَىَّ بَنَاتِكُنَّ وَلاَ أَخَوَاتِكُنَّ " .
Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan Narrated from:
O Messenger of Allah, marry my sister, the daughter of Abu Sufyan. She said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Would you like that?' I said: 'Yes; I do not have you all to myself and I would like to share this goodness with my sister.' The Prophet said: 'Your sister is not permissible for me (to marry).'I said: 'By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, we have been saying that you want to marry Durrah bint Abi Salamah.' He said: 'The daughter of Umm Salamah?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'By Allah, even if she were not my stepdaughter who is in my care, she would not be permissible for me (to marry), because she is the daughter of my brother through breast-feeding. Thuwaibah breastfed Abu Salamah and I. So do not offer your daughters or sisters to me in marriage.'"
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3284In-book reference : Book 26, Hadith 89English translation : Vol. 4, Book 26, Hadith 3286
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3284
This hadith explains forbidden marriage relations in Islam through a direct conversation with Umm Habibah. She offered her sister in marriage to the Messenger of Allah, but he said her sister was not permissible for him. She then mentioned what people had been saying about Durrah bint Abi Salamah. The Prophet explained that Durrah would not be permissible, even apart from being his stepdaughter in his care, because she was the daughter of his brother through breast-feeding. This hadith about breastfeeding marriage rules in Islam shows that family links and nursing links affect marriage permission. The Prophet also clearly told them not to offer their daughters or sisters to him in marriage.
What we learn from this hadith
- Certain family relations make marriage impermissible.
- Breast-feeding can create marriage barriers mentioned in the hadith.
- The Prophet corrected a misunderstanding with a clear answer.
- Marriage proposals should respect lawful and unlawful relations.
