Is the step-in-law a mahram for a child’s spouse?

From: Ummu Fariq, in Salatiga.

Answer:

Bismillah wassholaatuwassalam ála Rasulillah, waba’du.

Because there are three mahram:

Relational / Nasab relationship
Milk
Marriage relationship (Mushaharah).
Relative relations, such as father, grandfather; and so on upwards, then Mother, grandmother; and so on, children, grandchildren; and so on down, mother’s father (uncle and aunt), then our sibling / i; either mother, mother or sister (niece).

Allah does not say,

حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَّهَاتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُكُمْ وَأَخَوَاتُكُمْ وَعَمَّاتُكُمْ وَخَالَاتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُ الْأَخِ وَبَنَاتُ الْأُخْتِ

“Forbidden for you to marry your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your paternal aunts, your maternal aunts, daughters of your brothers ( nephew), and daughters of your sister (niece) … “(QS. An Nisà ‘: 23)

Breeding, for example, nursing mothers and relatives, as well as mahram relationships because of nasab.

The word is the word of God zza azza wajalla,

وَأُمَّهَاتُكُمُ اللَّاتِي أَرْضَعْنَكُمْ وَأَخَوَاتُكُم مِّنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ

(Then include mahram as well) mothers who breastfeed you, as well as sisters who are fussy … “(QS An-Nisa ‘: 23)

The Prophet sallallaahu’alaihiwasallam said,

يحرم من الرضاع ما يحرم من النسب

“Forbidden from anything that is prohibited from nasab.” (Muttafaqun’alaih).

It’s just that there is an important note here that, the relatives of the breastmilk, are not a mahram for the relatives of their children. For example, a mother’s daughter is a nurse, with a younger sibling of her child, this isn’t a mahram. Or uncle of a breastfeeding child, with a sister’s sister. Because there is no relationship.

Imam Al-Qurtubi -rahimahullah– explained,

ولا يتعدى التحريم إلى أحد من قرابة الرضيع. فليست أخته من الرضاعة أختا لأخيه ، ولا بنتا لأبيه إذ لا رضاع بينهم

Harmony (because of breastfeeding) does not continue to one of the relatives of the breastfed child. Therefore, a sister’s sister did not become a mahram for a suckling boy’s brother, nor did he become a daughter to his father. Because there is no relationship between them. (Quoted from Tuhfatul Ahwadzi, 4/302).

Mahram because of marriage, such as mother-in-law, daughter of wife (stepchild), daughter-in-law, and wives of father (stepmother).

Basically, the word of Allah ta’ala is still in the An-Nisa verse 23, about who is called a mahram,

وأمهات نسائكم وربائبكم اللاتي في حجوركم من نسائكم اللاتي دخلتم بهن فإن لم تكونوا دخلتم بهن فلا جناح عليكم وحلائل أبنائكم الذين من أصلابكم

(Then your mahram is next) Your mother-in-law, your stepchildren who are under your care, whose mothers you have gathered. If you have not met the mothers of your stepchildren, then you divorce, then you are not guilty of marrying your stepchildren. It is also forbidden for you to marry your daughter-in-law … (QS An-Nisa ‘: 23)

The examples of mahram above are included in the verse, using the male side as an example object. If you are a woman, then just leave it alone.

Then the Stepfather-in-law Is Mahram?
The picture of our wife’s father has two wives (polygamy). Well … is the stepmother’s wife; namely, suppose that your second wife is father-in-law, mahram for us as husband of his stepson?

Of the three reasons for the mahram above, it turns out that there is no single cause that characterizes step-in-law as a mahram. Not nasab, relationship, marriage or not. This shows that stepparents are not included as mahram. So there are no mahram laws for stepparents.

Shaykh Abdulaziz bin Baz –rahimahullah– was once asked about stepparents whether it was a mahram. He answered,

زوجة الأب لا تكون محرما لزوج ابنته من غيرها, وإنما المحرمية تكون لأم الزوجة بالنسبة إلى زوج ابنتها; لقول الله عز وجل في بيان المحرمات من النساء (وأمهات نسائكم)

The wife of the father (stepmother) is not a mahram for the husband of a daughter of another wife (husband of a stepdaughter). The one who became a mahram for her daughter’s husband was his wife’s biological mother. Based on the word of God zza azza wa jalla when explaining about female mahram, “Then your mothers-in-law …” (Majmu ‘Fatawa Ibn Baz 21/15-16)

Wallahua’lam bus showab.