What is the required number of female witnesses for establishing suckling (Rada'ah)?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Testimonies
Primary text
In cases where the testimony of individual women is accepted, the testimony of a single woman is accepted for establishing suckling. This is based on the narration of 'Uqbah ibn al-Harith concerning the suckling incident, and the narration of Hudhayfah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) accepted the testimony of the midwife. Furthermore, the narration attributed to Ibn 'Umar states that the testimony of one woman suffices for suckling. Since it is a matter established by the saying of individual women, numerical qualification like that required for other testimonies is not obligatory, similar to the acceptance of individual testimony in narrations and religious reports.
Supporting text
There is an opposing narration from Ahmad, adopted by al-Hakam and Ibn Abi Layla, and Ibn Shubrumah, as well as Malik and al-Thawrī, stating that two women are required because any right established by a general testimony requires two witnesses, whether male or female, and since men require two, women also require two. 'Uthman al-Battī held that three are sufficient because all instances where female testimony is accepted necessitate three witnesses, even if a man is present with them. Abu Hanifa accepted the testimony of one woman only for the birth of wives, not for the divorced woman's child. Al-Shāfi'ī, 'Aṭā', al-Sha'bī, Qatādah, and Abū Thawr stipulated four witnesses because the testimony requires the witness to be free, precluding one witness, citing the Hadith, 'The testimony of two women equals the testimony of one man.'