Is a Mother Obliged to Breastfeed Her Baby?
هل يجب على المرأة إرضاع طفلها؟
Is a mother obliged to nurse her baby?
The jurists differ on whether a married mother is obliged to nurse her child. One recognized view requires it, while all schools give priority to the child's safety when nursing is necessary to preserve life. However, if she is divorced, it is not obligatory for her unless the child refuses other milk or would be harmed. The father must cover the financial costs of nursing.
The Quran addresses the rights of the nursing child and the responsibilities of both parents, ensuring the child's well being while protecting both mother and father from undue hardship.
Is a divorced mother required to nurse her child for free?
No. The father is financially responsible for the child. A divorced mother may be entitled to a fair nursing wage from the father for her service, with the details depending on the form of divorce, the waiting period, and the school of law.
Can the parents decide to stop breastfeeding before two years?
Yes. The Quran explicitly states that if both parents agree through mutual consultation and consent, they can wean the child early without committing any sin.
What if the baby refuses to drink milk from anyone except the mother?
In this specific case, to prevent harm or starvation to the baby, it becomes religiously obligatory for the mother to nurse the child, regardless of her marital status.
The Ruling on Breastfeeding
1. The Married Mother
Scholars have different opinions about this matter: the most likely one is that if the mother is still married then she is obliged to nurse her child.
2. The Divorced Mother
However, if she is divorced, then there is no obligation for her to do so, unless the child is harmed by that, then she should nurse him.
3. The Quranic Guidance
(Divorced mothers will breastfeed their offspring for two whole years, for those who wish to complete the nursing of their child. The child’s father will provide reasonable maintenance and clothing for the mother during that period. No one will be charged with more than they can bear. No mother or father should be made to suffer for their child. The father’s heirs are under the same obligation. But if both sides decide after mutual consultation and consent to wean a child, then there is no blame on them. If you decide to have your children nursed by a wet nurse, it is permissible as long as you pay fairly. Be mindful of Allah, and know that Allah is All Seeing of what you do.) Al Baqara 2:233.
Scholarly Insight: In Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh), the father bears the complete financial responsibility for the child. After an irrevocable separation, the mother is entitled to fair compensation for nursing, subject to the applicable school's conditions. During marriage or a revocable waiting period, entitlement differs by school; the father remains responsible for securing suitable nutrition for the child. However, if the mother refuses to breastfeed and the child will not take milk from anyone else or rejects artificial milk, it becomes an absolute religious obligation on the mother to nurse the child to prevent harm. The Quran emphasizes mutual consultation, ensuring neither parent uses the child as a weapon to harm the other.
هل يجب على المرأة إرضاع طفلها؟
اختلف الفقهاء في وجوب إرضاع الأم المتزوجة لطفلها؛ ومن الأقوال المعتبرة وجوبه، ويتعين الإرضاع إذا توقف عليه حفظ الطفل ولم توجد وسيلة آمنة تغنيه. أما إذا كانت مطلقة، فلا يجب عليها ذلك إلا إذا رفض الطفل حليبا آخر أو تعرض للضرر. ويجب على الأب تغطية التكاليف المالية للرضاعة.
يتناول القرآن الكريم حقوق الطفل الرضيع ومسؤوليات كلا الوالدين، مما يضمن رفاهية الطفل مع حماية كل من الأم والأب من المشقة المفرطة.
حكم الرضاعة
1. الأم المتزوجة
في المسألة خلاف بين أهل العلم، الأقرب أن يقال إن المرأة إن كانت زوجة لزمها إرضاع صغيرها.
2. الأم المطلقة
وإن كانت مطلقة لم يلزمها ذلك ما لم يتضرر الطفل.
3. التوجيه القرآني
(وَالْوَالِدَاتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ ۖ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَةَ ۚ وَعَلَى الْمَوْلُودِ لَهُ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ لَا تُكَلَّفُ نَفْسٌ إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَا تُضَارَّ وَالِدَةٌ بِوَلَدِهَا وَلَا مَوْلُودٌ لَّهُ بِوَلَدِهِ ۚ وَعَلَى الْوَارِثِ مِثْلُ ذَٰلِكَ ۗ فَإِنْ أَرَادَا فِصَالًا عَن تَرَاضٍ مِّنْهُمَا وَتَشَاوُرٍ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا ۗ وَإِنْ أَرَدتُّمْ أَن تَسْتَرْضِعُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذَا سَلَّمْتُم مَّا آتَيْتُم بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ۗ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ﴿٢٣٣﴾) البقرة 2: 233.
1. The Quranic Benchmark: Voluntary Perfection of Nursing | حق الرضاعة وسنتان كاملتان لمن أراد التمام
The Quran establishes two complete years as the full nursing term, while permitting earlier weaning by mutual consultation and consent: "Mothers may breastfeed their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing" (2:233). The Hanafi school requires nursing as a religious duty, ordinarily without judicial compulsion; the Maliki school requires it when mothers of her social circumstances customarily nurse. The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools generally require the father to secure nursing rather than compel the mother, except when the child depends on her.
وَالْوَالِدَاتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ (سورة البقرة: 233)
افتتحت آية سورة البقرة بالحث على الرضاع الطبيعي لما فيه من منافع للرضيع: {وَالْوَالِدَاتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ ۖ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَةَ} (سورة البقرة: 233)؛ فبينت أن تمام الرضاع عامان، مع جواز الفطام قبلهما بالتراضي والتشاور. ويوجب الحنفية الرضاع ديانة دون إجبار قضائي في الأصل، ويوجبه المالكية على من جرت عادة مثلها بالإرضاع، ولا يوجبه الشافعية والحنابلة على الأم في الأصل إلا عند تعينه لحفظ الطفل.
2. Financial Responsibility of the Father: Clothing and Sustenance | مسؤولية الأب المالية في النفقة والكسوة
Islamic law ordinarily places the cost of the infant's care and the prescribed support for the nursing mother on the father according to his means: "Upon the father is the mothers' provision and their clothing according to what is acceptable" (2:233). He must nourish and support her decently so that nursing does not cause financial distress.
وَعَلَى الْمَوْلُودِ لَهُ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ لَا تُكَلَّفُ نَفْسٌ إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا (سورة البقرة: 233)
قرر الشرع الحكيم أن نفقة الرضيع وما يجب لوالدته المرضع من دعم تكون على الأب بحسب حاله وقدرته في الأصل: {وَعَلَى الْمَوْلُودِ لَهُ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ} (سورة البقرة: 233)؛ فلا يكلف الأب فوق طاقته، ولا تضار والدة بولدها بنقص النفقة، لضمان استقرار بيئة الطفل ونمائه.
3. Divorced Mothers and the Entitlement to Nursing Wages | استحقاق المطلقة لأجرة الرضاع في سورة الطلاق
An irrevocably divorced mother can receive fair nursing wages under the school's conditions; Surah At-Talaq establishes payment for nursing. The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools also recognize wages during marriage, while the Hanafi and Maliki schools ordinarily treat nursing during marriage and revocable iddah within the existing marital duties and maintenance. Surah At-Talaq explicitly commands: "And if they breastfeed for you, then give them their payment and confer among yourselves in an acceptable way" (65:6). If the mother declines and the child can safely be fed by another, the father must secure suitable nursing or nutrition; necessity may require the mother's own milk.
فَإِنْ أَرْضَعْنَ لَكُمْ فَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ ۖ وَأْتَمِرُوا بَيْنَكُم بِمَعْرُوفٍ (سورة الطلاق: 6)
تستحق المطلقة البائن أجرة الرضاع بشروط المذهب؛ ويثبتها الشافعية والحنابلة أيضا في الزوجية، بينما لا يثبتها الحنفية والمالكية في الأصل مع قيام الزوجية أو العدة الرجعية. وأمر الله بأداء أجرة الرضاع: {فَإِنْ أَرْضَعْنَ لَكُمْ فَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ ۖ وَأْتَمِرُوا بَيْنَكُم بِمَعْرُوفٍ} (سورة الطلاق: 6)؛ فإن أبت الأم أو تعاسرا أمن الأب مرضعة أخرى أو غذاء مناسبا مأمونا، ما لم يتعين لبن الأم لحفظ الطفل.
4. Mutual Agreement on Early Weaning (Fisal) | جواز الفطام قبل العامين بالتراضي والتشاور
While two years represents the full term, early weaning is permissible whenever both parents agree after mutual consultation: "And if they both desire weaning through mutual consent from both of them and consultation, there is no blame upon either of them" (2:233). The child's physical wellness remains paramount.
فَإِنْ أَرَادَا فِصَالًا عَن تَرَاضٍ مِّنْهُمَا وَتَشَاوُرٍ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا (سورة البقرة: 233)
أباح القرآن الكريم فطام الرضيع قبل تمام الحولين بشرطين: التراضي بين الوالدين، والتشاور في مصلحة الصغير الصحية: {فَإِنْ أَرَادَا فِصَالًا عَن تَرَاضٍ مِّنْهُمَا وَتَشَاوُرٍ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا} (سورة البقرة: 233)؛ منعا للاستبداد بالقرار وحفاظا على صحة الرضيع.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Is a married mother legally obligated to breastfeed her baby?
The schools differ on compelling a married mother to nurse. If the infant depends on her milk and has no safe alternative, she must nurse when able.
Is a divorced mother entitled to an allowance for breastfeeding?
Yes, nursing wages are established by Surah At-Talaq (65:6); entitlement during a revocable waiting period varies by school.
Can parents wean their child before the full two-year term?
Yes, if both parents agree through mutual consent and consultation without harming the infant (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:233).
Who bears the financial cost of hiring a wet nurse or baby food?
The father ordinarily bears the cost of suitable nursing and nutrition according to his means. If he cannot provide it, the child's needs follow the applicable rules of family support.