What is the consequence if three older wives and one young wife are involved, and the older wives contribute to invalidating the young wife's marriage through suckling?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Fosterage (Breastfeeding)
Primary text
If three older wives each suckle a young wife four times, and then the milk is mixed and the young wife is suckled from it, the older wives become forbidden (as they are now co-mothers through shared suckling milk or the young wife becomes related through the husband's mother's milk). Their marriages are invalidated. If consummation had not occurred with the older wives, the marriage of the young wife remains valid according to one narration. In this case, each older wife is owed one-third of the young wife's *mahr*, which she claims back from the other two senior wives. This is because the invalidation of the young wife's marriage occurred through the action of the older wives and the husband, thus the portion corresponding to the young wife's action (one-sixth of the *mahr*) is dropped, leaving one-third to be reclaimed. If their *mahr* payments were equal, no recovery occurs because what she is owed by the husband is offset by what she owes them for causing the invalidation.
Supporting text
If the *mahr* amounts were unequal but of the same type (e.g., money), they offset the lesser amount, and the remainder goes to the party owed. If the *mahr* involves different types of assets, the right of recourse is established as previously detailed.