Q: I married a second woman and then discovered that she was breastfed by the wife of my first wife's brother. Is it permissible for me to marry both women? It should be noted that we are not sure if the first act of breastfeeding met its conditions set by the Shari`ah (Islamic law) because his mother and the wet-nurse died a long time ago. The act of breastfeeding of my second wife surely met its conditions and occurred six times. Please advise us. May Allah reward you with the best.

A: The breastfeeding that prohibits marriage must occur five times or more during the first two years of the baby's life. Thus, if the wife of your first wife's brother breastfed your second wife in such a manner, the brother of your first wife would become a foster father to your second wife, and your first wife would become a paternal aunt to your second wife because she is considered a foster daughter of her brother. It is not permissible for you to combine in marriage between the first wife and the foster daughter of her brother at the same time. It was authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: A woman should not be married together with her paternal aunt or a woman together with her maternal aunt. Allah (Exalted be He) says: Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: your mothers, your daughters (Part No. 21; Page No. 79) to His saying: ...your foster milk suckling sisters He (Exalted be He) says: The mothers shall give suck to their children for two whole years It was authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Breastfeeding makes unlawful what consanguinity makes unlawful, i.e. in the matters of marriage. It was authentically reported on the authority of `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she 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.When the baby takes the breast and sucks milk from it, it will count as one time of breastfeeding. If he leaves it and returns to it and sucks milk from it, it will be another occurrence of breastfeeding and so on. If breastfeeding occurred less than five times, or was doubted that it occurred five times, there would be no prohibition and marriage would be permissible. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.