Today’s feature in “Wait… That’s Really a Hadith?” comes from Sahih Muslim 1453a:
“Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa, used to stay with Abu Hudhaifa and his wife in their house. She came to the Prophet and said, ‘Salim is like our family, but I feel awkward around him.’ The Prophet said, ‘Breastfeed him.’ So she did—and the awkwardness was solved.”
Yes, that’s right.
The Prophet Muhammad advised an adult woman to breastfeed a grown man—not because he was starving, but so they could vibe in the same room without hijab violations or fear of adultery ( O, my )
HR Policy or Holy Revelation?
This wasn’t a one-off opinion. This was canonized. It sits in Sahih Muslim, one of Islam’s most trusted collections. Generations of scholars debated whether this ruling was specific to Salim or a precedent for adult “milk kinship.”
Imagine asking your HR department:
“Hey, is there any way I can work closely with this male coworker without violating modesty laws?”
And HR responds:
“Just breastfeed him a few times and you’re good.”
Welcome to 7th-century corporate compliance.
Islamic Scholars: Confused But Committed
Many scholars tried to patch this awkward theological hole:
– Some said it was only allowed with actual suckling (yes, that’s what it sounds like, Ewww brother, Ewwwww).
– Others said it could be done by expressing the milk into a cup (as if that fixes the weirdness).
But they all agreed—it’s real.
The hadith stands. The ruling exists. The awkwardness remains.
Final Thoughts
For a religion often criticized for rigid gender roles, this hadith reads like divine satire. Somewhere in the heavenly scrolls is a breastfeeding loophole that lets strangers hang out.
And here you thought modern HR policies were absurd.