International Science Community Association International Research Journal of Social Sciences 2319 - 3565 2 6 2013 June 14 Exploring gender: Islamic Perspectives on Breastfeeding 30 34 EN Gupta ManojKumar 1 Department of Statistics, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan INDIA Prasad Jagdish 2 Department of Computer Science and Statistics, Laxmibai National University of Physical Education, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh INDIA Verma J.P. 3 Mustari Sohela 1 Department of Sociology and Anthropology, International Islamic University MALAYSIA Manjunatha S. 1 Dos in Sociology, University of Mysore, Mysore, INDIA Muhammad Zubair 1 Department of Law, at Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, K.PK, PAKISTAN Bhuyan Mayurakshi 1 Department of Geography, North-Eastern Hill University, Umshing, Mawlai, Mawkynroh Shillong, Meghalaya, INDIA Husain Zahid 2 Shivram Balkrishan 1 Govt. College, Shimla-6, HP, INDIA > Research Paper 2013 5 4 2013 June 14 The tradition of infant fosterage, rid’a or, “milk kinship” seemingly esoteric and intricate topic although receives extensive treatment in the Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) of the classical jurists (faqih)—hitherto lingered a virtually unknown ethnographic fact. The description “milk kinship” itself is persuasive. Major focus of the present study lies in its stress on the feminine substance of milk which does introduce a gender balance in the kinship system whose idiom is cast in patrilineal terms by which genealogical links are agnatic and agnatic ties are bound by nerve. Copyright@ International Science Community Association