For how long does the Noble Quran instruct mothers to breastfeed their babies?
ما أكثر مدة الرضاع؟
The Quranic guidelines on breastfeeding balance the nutritional and emotional needs of the infant with the physical capacity of the mother, promoting mutual consultation between parents.
توازن التوجيهات القرآنية حول الرضاعة الطبيعية بين الاحتياجات الغذائية والعاطفية للرضيع والقدرة الجسدية للأم، مما يعزز التشاور المتبادل بين الوالدين.
The Duration of Breastfeeding | مدة الرضاعة
1. The Maximum Duration
The Quran instructs that babies must be breastfed for two years maximum, but it is permissible to shorten that term if both spouses agree.
1. الحد الأقصى للمدة
أكثر مدة الرضاع حولين كاملين. فإن توافق الزوجان على الفطام قبل حولين فذلك جائز.
2. Evidence from Surah Al Baqara
(Divorced mothers will breastfeed their offspring for two whole years, for those who wish to complete the nursing of their child.) Al Baqara 2: 233.
2. دليل سورة البقرة
(وَالْوَالِدَاتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ ۖ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَةَ) البقرة 2: 233.
3. Evidence from Surah Al Ahqaf
(We have commanded people to honour their parents. Their mothers bore them in hardship and delivered them in hardship. Their period of bearing and weaning is thirty months.) Al Ahqaf 46: 15.
3. دليل سورة الأحقاف
(وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ إِحْسَانًا ۖ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا ۖ وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَالُهُ ثَلَاثُونَ شَهْرًا ۚ) الأحقاف 46: 15.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Is it mandatory to breastfeed for exactly two years?
No, two years is the maximum complete period. Parents can mutually agree to wean the baby earlier if it does not harm the child and they both consent.
What is the minimum period of pregnancy according to the Quran?
By subtracting the twenty four months of breastfeeding mentioned in Surah Al Baqara from the thirty months of pregnancy and weaning mentioned in Surah Al Ahqaf, scholars deduced that the minimum viable pregnancy is six months.
Who decides when to stop breastfeeding?
The Quran states that the decision to wean the child early must be made through mutual consultation and consent between both the mother and the father.