Sister fostering her brother
Question
Is it permissible for a sister to foster her brother in any circumstances, or only in dire circumstances?
Answer
Fostering one’s brother could be interpreted in one of two ways:
- Nurturing and taking care of one’s brother
- Breastfeeding one’s brother.
If the first meaning is intended, then a sister gets custody of her baby brother (who is under the age of seven) in the absence of the following women, when both parents are divorced or separated:
- Mother
- Maternal grandmother.
- Maternal great-grandmother.
- Paternal grandmother.
- Paternal great-grandmother.
If the second meaning is intended, then it will be permissible for a sister to feed her brother in dire circumstances such as, a child being extremely hungry and there is no one available to feed the child.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
Re: – Fataawa Darul Uloom Zakariyya Vol.4 Pg.347
وَالْوَاجِبُ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ أَنْ لَا يُرْضِعْنَ كُلَّ صَبِيٍّ مِنْ غَيْرِ ضَرُورَةٍ ( الفتوى الهندية 1/345)
Re: – Fataawa Qaasmiyyah Vol.16 Pg.42
- Answered by
- Maulana Abdul Kader Fazlani
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
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