What is the legal ruling if the three older wives suckle the young wife from the husband's milk?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Fosterage (Breastfeeding)

Book 45 · Issue 4 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

If the three older wives suckle the young wife from the husband's milk, and each provides two sucklings, the young wife becomes the husband's daughter, which invalidates her marriage according to the sound opinion. Half of her *mahr* is reclaimed from the suckling nurses in proportion to their contribution: four-fifths of the liability is shared between the first two nurses, and one-fifth by the third. This is because the first suckling completed the five required for prohibition, while the second suckling has no effect on the prohibition, so no liability is incurred for it. The marriages of the older wives are not invalidated because they did not become the young wife's mothers.