Breastfeeding

24th May 2018, 8th Ramadhan 1439H

Breastfeeding

According to Quran, a mother may breastfeed their baby up to 24 months. This is confirmed by World Health Organization (WHO) that exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.

Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow), Chapter 2, Verse 233:

"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." (Quran 2:233)

Surat Luqmān (Luqman), Chapter 31, Verse 14:

"And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination." (Quran 31:14)

Minimum gestation period is 6 months

Gestation period the duration of pregnancy; in the human female, the average length, calculated from the first day of the last normal menstrual period, is 280 days, or 6 lunar months.

Gestation and Weaning period is 30 months,

Weaning period is 24 months,

Gestation period is 6 months (minimum).

Surat Al-'Aĥqāf (The Wind-Curved Sandhills), Chapter 46, Verse 15:

"And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. [He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years, he says, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims." (Quran 46:15)

Malik related to me that he had heard that Uthman ibn Affan was brought a woman who had given birth after six months and he ordered her to be stoned. Ali ibn Abi Talib said to him, "She does not deserve that. Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, says in His Book, 'Their carrying and weaning is thirty months,' (Sura 46 ayat 15) and he said, 'Mothers suckle their children for two full years for whoever wishes to complete the suckling.' (Sura 2 ayat 233) Pregnancy can then be six months, so she does not deserve to be stoned." (Muwatta Malik)

Relationship with the wet nurse

Surat An-Nisā' (The Women), Chapter 4, Verse 23:

"Prohibited to you [for marriage] are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father's sisters, your mother's sisters, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters, your [milk] mothers who nursed you, your sisters through nursing, your wives' mothers, and your step-daughters under your guardianship [born] of your wives unto whom you have gone in. But if you have not gone in unto them, there is no sin upon you. And [also prohibited are] the wives of your sons who are from your [own] loins, and that you take [in marriage] two sisters simultaneously, except for what has already occurred. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful." (Quran 4:23)

Surat Al-Ĥaj (The Pilgrimage), Chapter 22, Verse 2:

"On the Day you see it every nursing mother will be distracted from that [child] she was nursing, and every pregnant woman will abort her pregnancy, and you will see the people [appearing] intoxicated while they are not intoxicated; but the punishment of Allah is severe." (Quran 22:2)

Surat Al-Qaşaş (The Stories), Chapter 28, Verse 12:

"And We had prevented from him [all] wet nurses before, so she said, "Shall I direct you to a household that will be responsible for him for you while they are to him [for his upbringing] sincere?" (Quran 28:12)

References:

1. WHO: Breastfeeding, http://www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en/, viewed 24th May 2018.
2. WHO: 10 facts on breastfeeding, http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/breastfeeding/facts/en/, viewed 24th May 2018.
3. Nursing in Hadith, https://sunnah.com/search/?q=nursing, viewed 24th May 2018.