his childhood does not establish any lineage or kinship between him and her. He is a stranger (non-maḥram) to her and to her daughters; therefore she must veil herself from him, and her daughters must also veil themselves from him, because he remains a stranger to them so long as no suckling has taken place. All that has happened is that she reared him and provided for him from a young age. To call this “adoption” (tabannī) is mistaken, for adoption has been forbidden in Islam. The only children one may rightly claim as “one’s own” are biological offspring or those related through suckling. Mere upbringing and feeding do not create kinship or lineage, are not called adoption, and it is impermissible to use that title.

However, if suckling did occur such that she nursed him the requisite number of times—five or more—and that was within the first two years, then he becomes her son through suckling, her daughters become his sisters, and her own maḥrams become his maḥrams. The Prophet ﷺ said, “What becomes unlawful through suckling is the same as what becomes unlawful through blood-ties,” and in another narration, “Suckling makes unlawful what birth makes unlawful.” Thus he is her son only with respect to the maḥram relationship; he does not inherit from her, nor does she inherit from him, because suckling does not establish inheritance. It establishes only the maḥram bond, whereas inheritance is confined to blood relatives. And Allah knows best.

Question: With regard to marriage, if no suckling has taken place, is it permissible for him to marry any of this woman’s daughters?