Q: I have a female cousin from a paternal uncle. Her father (my paternal uncle) and a maternal half sister of my wife were breastfed by the mother of my wife. The father of the girl (my paternal uncle) is three years younger than my wife. (Part No. 21; Page No. 80) My question is: Is it permissible for the son of the daughter of my paternal uncle to marry any of my daughters, or is he to be considered their maternal uncle due to the fact that he was breastfed with their (my daughters') maternal aunt who is three years younger than their mother? Appreciate your guidance, may Allah guide you!

A: The breastfeeding that prohibits marriage takes place only if a baby is breastfed five times or more during the first two years. The description of suckling is as follows: a baby holds a breast and sucks milk. If it leaves the breast to take a breath or to be moved to another breast, then this is to be counted as one suckling, and so on until five sucklings are counted. If the number of breastfeeding is less than five, even four, then this breastfeeding does not prohibit marriage. Mentioning Mahrams (spouses or unmarriageable relatives), Allah (Exalted be He) says: ...your foster mothers who gave you suck, your foster milk suckling sisters. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, in an agreed upon Hadith: Milk relationships are equal to blood relationships in rendering marriage unlawful, i.e. whatever is prohibited due to blood relationships is also prohibited by milk relationships. It was related by Muslim that `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: It was among the revelation of the Qur'an that ten known times of breastfeeding make the marriage prohibited, but this was later abrogated and reduced to five. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) died and the ruling remained effective. Thus if your paternal uncle was suckled by the mother of your wife as described above, then he becomes her foster milk suckling son, a foster milk suckling brother to all her sons and daughters, and a maternal uncle to all your sons and daughters (Part No. 21; Page No. 81) of this wife. As for the son of your paternal uncle's daughter, he is permitted to marry any of your daughters. This is because since his paternal grandfather was breastfed by your wife's mother, his relationship to your daughters is that he becomes the son of the daughter of their maternal uncle by suckling. Therefore it is lawful for him to marry your daughter.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet, his family and Companions!