Suckling Duration

LESSON # 278 FROM HOLY QUR’AN

Suckling Duration

BAQARAH – 2 (The Cow)

Verse – 233a    of  286, Section – 30 (Part - 2)

Mothers shall suckle their children for two whole years; (that is) for those who wish to complete the suckling. The duty of feeding and clothing nursing mothers in a seemly manner is upon the father of the child. No one should be compelled beyond his capacity. A mother should not be made to suffer because of her child, nor should he to whom the child is born (be made to suffer) because of his child.

Wal-waalidaatu  yurzi’-na  ‘awlaada-hunna  haw-layni  kaa-milayni  liman  ‘araada  ‘any-yutimmar-razaa-‘ah.  Wa  ‘alal-mawluudi  lahuu  rizquhunna  wa  kiswatuhunna  bil-ma’-ruuf.  Laa  tukallafu  nafsun  ‘illaa  wus-‘ahaa.  Laa  tuzaaarra  waalidatum-bi-waladihaa  wa  laa mawluudul-lahuu  bi-waladihii;

Lesson

razaa-‘ah – (length of time for suckling), in the Divine Law of Islam natural length of time for suckling has been fixed two complete years. More duration or less has been left upon mutual willingness between husband and wife. Detail of these orders will be discussed in this and coming lessons.

‘al-waalidaatu – (women having child), it aims the mothers of the children. Either they are in marriage or have been divorced.

It has been narrated in this verse that the mother should suckle the child for two years and this length of time is for those mothers and fathers who wish to complete the duration of suckling. Otherwise it is lawful also to lessen this period, as it will come at the end of the verse. Those mothers come in this instruction too, whose marriage still stands and those who either have been divorced or their term has passed. Difference will be only that the feeding and clothing of the wife is compulsory upon the husband in each condition.

It has been known from this verse that length of time for the mother who will suckle the child or the father who has to pay the charges of suckling to the mother of his child is complete two years. Then it has also been disclosed that the father will have to provide feeding and clothing to the mother of the child in each condition. In the first form she is in his marriage and in the second he has to pay remuneration of suckling the child, and the parents of the child should not anyhow vex each other, for example; either the mother should not refuse to suckle the child without any reason or the father should not get suckled his child separating him from his mother without reason or he should not narrow in paying her feeding and clothing.     

Transliteration in Roman Script & English Translation of Holy Qur’an written by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore and Paraphrase collected from Dars e Qur’an published By Idara Islah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated by Muhammad Sharif)