In the Name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.

The Doubt:

Lady Umm Salama (peace be upon her) allegedly expressed disapproval towards Lady Aisha (peace be upon her) for allowing young men, who had been breastfed as part of the practice of “adult breastfeeding,” to enter her home. As narrated by Muslim in his Sahih (Volume 4, Page 169), Zainab bint Umm Salama said that Umm Salama told Aisha: “A young lad, whom I would not prefer to enter my house, enters upon you.” Aisha responded: “Don’t you have an example in the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)?” Umm Salama said, “The wife of Abu Hudhayfa said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, Salim enters upon me, and there is something in the heart of Abu Hudhayfa about him.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘Breastfeed him so that he may enter upon you.'”

Some use this narration to accuse Aisha of allowing young men to enter her home inappropriately, which is a serious accusation that I am unwilling to repeat.

The Response:

This doubt is dismissed for several reasons:

1. First: Umm Salama merely said, “I do not prefer that he enters upon me.” Is this the kind of language one would use to accuse someone of immorality? If such an accusation were true, would she have only said, “I do not prefer this”?She did not declare it forbidden, nor did she condemn it harshly.
2. Second: What does the term ayfa’ mean in Arabic?Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad Al-Farahidi said: “The term ayfa’ or yafa’ refers to someone who has matured but has not yet reached puberty.” [Al-Ayn (2/261)]

   Ibn Qutaybah said: “When a child matures but has not reached puberty, he is referred to as yaafi’ or yafi’a.” [Al-Jarathim (1/145)]

   Al-Asma’i also said: “Ayfa’ refers to a boy who has grown but has not reached puberty.” [Gharib Al-Hadith – Al-Khattabi (1/440)]

   How can it be rational to accuse someone of inappropriate behavior with someone who has not even reached puberty?

3. Third: In another narration of the same story, Umm Salama said to Aisha: “By Allah, I do not feel comfortable with a young man who has ceased needing breastfeeding seeing me.”This further proves that the discussion was about a young boy who was not yet mature.
4. Fourth: If the accusations were true, where is the condemnation from the Prophet’s family or her in-laws? Would they allow the defiling of the Prophet’s household and remain silent?

And Allah is the source of help.