What is the prescribed compensation for the wet nurse if the contracting party (the one hiring the nurse) is affluent?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Leasing

Book 25 · Issue 3 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

If the hiring party is affluent, the prescribed compensation for nursing is the freeing of a slave (male or female), as indicated by the Hadith narrated by Abu Dawud, deemed Hasan Sahih by Al-Tirmidhi, where the Prophet (PBUH) stated, 'What absolves me from the responsibility (dhimmah) of nursing is a slave (ghurrah), male or female.' The rationale for specifying the neck (the slave) as compensation is that the wet nurse's action in nursing and custody is the cause of the child's life and preservation. Thus, the recompense should relate to the preservation of life, similar to how God made the wet nurse a mother (Quran 4:23).

Supporting text

If the wet nurse herself is a slave, freeing her is recommended because it secures the most intimate form of person (the slave) and fulfills the reward specified by the Prophet (PBUH) concerning the father's lineage obligations. Compensation for any excess time beyond the mandated period requires payment of the going rate (ujrat al-mithl).