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Fatwa CenterMany issues about breastfeeding
Question
What does Islam say about breastfeeding after two years of age? Also does Islam allow a mother to still be breastfeeding her child at a much older age, even after puberty for example at age 14? Can any woman breastfeed any child (under two years of age) she wishes to establish a milk-mother relationship? For example an older sister aged 24 breastfeeding her baby brother younger than 2? Is it also permissible for a woman to breastfeed a child older than the age of 2 who she hasn't established a milk mother relationship with? Could you please also tell me of all which I have mentioned above permissible or non permissible is the woman breastfeeding allowed to give suck directly or does the milk have to be expressed?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Yes, it is permissible to breastfeed a baby after two years of age, this is in principle. However, breastfeeding a baby after two years of age may not be beneficial to him in general, so this should only be done in case of a need, especially if the child is advanced in age as in the example given in the question, which is the age of 14. Breastfeeding a child at this age may have bad consequences on his conduct.
It should be noted that the breastfeeding which makes the breastfeeding mother forbidden for the breastfed child is that which takes place within the age of two years. Any breastfeeding that takes place after the age of two years does not make the breastfeeding mother forbidden for the child according to the most preponderant opinion of the scholars 
. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 99499.
It is permissible to breastfeed a child by other women than his mother provided the two following conditions are met:
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The breastfeeding mother should consent to the matter and her husband should give her permission to this effect.
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The father of the child or his guardian should give permission to this effect.
It is permissible for the breastfeeding to be by the child nursing the breasts or for the milk to be put in a container to be drunk by the child. In both cases the breastfeeding mother becomes forbidden for the child if the conditions are met.
Allaah Knows best.
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