Mahram by breastfeeding

Conditions for Establishing Mahram by Breastfeeding

For a breastfeeding relationship to establish Mahram status, there are precise conditions that must be fulfilled:

• Age of the Child: The act of breastfeeding must occur when the child is under the age of two years, with the most accepted view being within the first two years of life, as this is the critical period recognized in Islamic jurisprudence.
• Amount of Milk: The child must be provided with a sufficient quantity of milk, typically considered to be five times, to create the Mahram relationship. The interpretation of “sufficient” may vary, but consensus exists around the five instances as a base guideline.
• Direct Breastfeeding: The child must suckle directly from the woman. Use of expressed milk, while permissible in some contexts, complicates the establishment of formal Mahram relationships.

These parameters are crucial to ensuring that the relationships established through breastfeeding are recognized legally and socially within Shia communities.