982 – ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “Among what was revealed in the Quran were the words: ‘Ten well-known sucklings render (a woman) unlawful (for marriage).’ These were later abrogated by ‘five well-known sucklings.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away while this (passage) was still being recited as part of the Quran.” Narrated by Muslim (1).

Glossary of the ḥadith
• nusiḵna (were abrogated): linguistically, nasḵ means removal or transfer; technically, it is the repeal of a legal ruling—or of its wording—by proof from the Quran or the Sunnah.
• maʿlūmāt (well-known): definite and firmly established.

Points derived from the two ḥadiths

1. It is obligatory to verify that the nursing in question is the kind that establishes the prohibition of marriage. The Prophet ﷺ, in effect, said: “O ʿĀʾishah, look carefully and ascertain the suckling, for some sucklings do not create the maḥram (unmarriageable-kin) bond. There must be suckling through which flesh grows and bone becomes strong—suckling that takes place in a time of hunger, when the infant needs milk and has no other food. At such a time he becomes, as it were, a part of the wet-nurse, like one of her own children, and the maḥram bond is established.”
2. A righteous woman should be cautious about appearing before non-maḥrams until she is certain of their legitimate maḥram relationship to her.
3. The Prophet ﷺ neither blamed nor censured ʿĀʾishah for her diligence and caution, indicating that such prudence is required.
4. The suckling must occur while the child is still in need of nourishment, for suckling from