Breastfeeding from Milk Banks According to Islamic Law

Abstract

Islamic law is based on the principle of achieving benefits and avoiding harm. The establishment of milk banks serves the interests of children whose mothers cannot breastfeed them for health reasons or who have lost their mothers. It also helps to avoid the harm caused by the use of artificial milk. The research question is whether non-breastfeeding can be considered breastfeeding. This is because breastfeeding is prohibited in Islam if it leads to a prohibited marriage between the child and the wet nurse's child. However, the Quran and Sunnah do not explicitly define what constitutes breastfeeding.The research found that milk can be mixed with many solid and liquid substances. This raises the question of whether the mixing of milk with water, medicine, or other milk would also be considered breastfeeding. The research concluded that the prohibition of breastfeeding is based on two factors: nutrition and suckling. Nutrition is the most important factor, but suckling is also necessary. Therefore, the mixing of milk with water or other substances would not be considered breastfeeding, unless the child actually suckled from the wet nurse's breast.