Darul Ifta Ibn Masood

Sister fostering her brother

· 7 Safar 1445 AH1 min readEnglish

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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Questions about this ruling, answered only from the archive with sources.

Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.

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Source: Darul Ifta Ibn Masood — https://fataawa.co.za/sister-fostering-her-brother/
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/ibnmasood-26405

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