Short answer
No. In the Hanafi school, and in all four schools, nursing creates milk kinship only when the child is within the nursing period of infancy. Feeding an adult, or an older child past that age, creates no mahram tie. The case of Salim in the hadith is understood by most scholars as a special permission for that one family.
Milk kinship (rada'ah) is established only by nursing within the first two lunar years, and the fatwa is on this two-year limit. Nursing an adult has no effect on mahram status, and it is not permitted to give human milk to someone past the nursing period without real need.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Milk kinship exists because, in infancy, a woman's milk builds the baby's body as a mother's milk does. The Prophet ﷺ said that the nursing that counts is the one that satisfies hunger, meaning the hunger of an infant whose food is milk. He also said that nursing makes nothing unlawful except what fills the stomach from the breast before weaning. An adult does not live on milk, so feeding him does not make him a son.
The case of Salim. Salim was raised from childhood in the home of Abu Hudhayfah and his wife Sahlah, as a son. When the Quran ended adoption, Sahlah worried about him living in her home as a grown man, and the Prophet ﷺ told her to nurse him so she would become unlawful for him to marry. Aishah acted on this report. The Prophet's other wives refused, saying they saw it as a concession for Salim alone, and the four schools follow that view.
What this means today:
- A woman cannot make a grown stepson, adopted son, brother-in-law or colleague a mahram by giving him her milk, in any form.
- A few scholars, past and present, allowed it for a real need like Salim's. This is a minority view, and Hanafi muftis do not give fatwa on it.
- For an adopted baby, nursing within the first two years does create mahram ties. See is an adopted child mahram.
A husband who tastes his wife's milk does not become her milk son either; see a husband and his wife's milk. The full rules of who becomes related are in milk kinship.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:233
۞ وَٱلْوَٰلِدَٰتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَٰدَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ ۖ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ ٱلرَّضَاعَةَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلْمَوْلُودِ لَهُۥ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ لَا تُكَلَّفُ نَفْسٌ إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَا تُضَآرَّ وَٰلِدَةٌۢ بِوَلَدِهَا وَلَا مَوْلُودٌۭ لَّهُۥ بِوَلَدِهِۦ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلْوَارِثِ مِثْلُ ذَٰلِكَ ۗ فَإِنْ أَرَادَا فِصَالًا عَن تَرَاضٍۢ مِّنْهُمَا وَتَشَاوُرٍۢ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا ۗ وَإِنْ أَرَدتُّمْ أَن تَسْتَرْضِعُوٓا۟ أَوْلَٰدَكُمْ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذَا سَلَّمْتُم مَّآ ءَاتَيْتُم بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌۭ ﴿٢٣٣﴾
Mothers may breastfeed their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing [period]. Upon the father is the mothers' provision and their clothing according to what is acceptable. No person is charged with more than his capacity. No mother should be harmed through her child, and no father through his child. And upon the [father's] heir is [a duty] like that [of the father]. And if they both desire weaning through mutual consent from both of them and consultation, there is no blame upon either of them. And if you wish to have your children nursed by a substitute, there is no blame upon you as long as you give payment according to what is acceptable. And fear Allah and know that Allah is Seeing of what you do.
Sets two years as the full nursing period, after which nursing has no legal effect.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5102
Sahih... فإنما الرضاعة من المجاعة ...
"The nursing that counts is only the one that satisfies hunger."
Milk kinship comes from infant feeding, not from milk given to an adult.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1152
Graded sahih... لا يحرم من الرضاعة إلا ما فتق الأمعاء ...
"Nursing makes nothing unlawful except what fills the stomach from the breast, before weaning."
Ties milk kinship to the nursing period.
Sahih Muslim 1453
Sahih... أرضعيه تحرمي عليه ...
"Nurse him and you will become unlawful for him to marry."
The case of Salim, which most scholars hold was particular to him.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Rada'. The nursing period, and that nursing after it creates no prohibition.
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Kitab al-Rada'. The fatwa is on the two-year period of the two companions of Abu Hanifa.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Rada'. Discusses the hadith of Salim and why the majority restrict it.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.