Tafheem ul Quran
Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 233-233
وَالۡوَالِدٰتُ يُرۡضِعۡنَ اَوۡلَادَهُنَّ حَوۡلَيۡنِ كَامِلَيۡنِ لِمَنۡ اَرَادَ اَنۡ يُّتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَةَ ؕ وَعَلَى الۡمَوۡلُوۡدِ لَهٗ رِزۡقُهُنَّ وَكِسۡوَتُهُنَّ بِالۡمَعۡرُوۡفِؕ لَا تُكَلَّفُ نَفۡسٌ اِلَّا وُسۡعَهَا ۚ لَا تُضَآرَّ وَالِدَةٌ ۢ بِوَلَدِهَا وَلَا مَوۡلُوۡدٌ لَّهٗ بِوَلَدِهٖ وَعَلَى الۡوَارِثِ مِثۡلُ ذٰ لِكَ ۚ فَاِنۡ اَرَادَا فِصَالًا عَنۡ تَرَاضٍ مِّنۡهُمَا وَتَشَاوُرٍ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡهِمَا ؕ وَاِنۡ اَرَدْتُّمۡ اَنۡ تَسۡتَرۡضِعُوۡٓا اَوۡلَادَكُمۡ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ اِذَا سَلَّمۡتُمۡ مَّآ اٰتَيۡتُمۡ بِالۡمَعۡرُوۡفِؕ وَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ وَاعۡلَمُوۡٓا اَنَّ اللّٰهَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ بَصِيۡرٌ
﴿2:233﴾
(2:233) If they (i.e. the fathers) wish that the period of suckling for their
children be completed, mothers may suckle their children for two whole years.257
(In such a case) it is incumbent upon him who has begotten the child to provide
them (i.e. divorced women) their sustenance and clothing in a fair manner. But
none shall be burdened with more than he is able to bear; neither shall a mother
suffer because of her child nor shall the father be made to suffer because he
has begotten him. The same duty towards the suckling mother rests upon the heir258
as upon him (i.e. the father). And if both (the parents) decide, by mutual consent
and consultation, to wean the child, there is no blame on them; if you decide
to have other women suckle your children there is no blame upon you, provided
you hand over its compensation in a fair manner. Fear Allah and know well that
Allah sees all that you do.
Notes
257. This injunction applies to the condition where the couple have separated
either because of divorce, or klul' see
(n. 252 above) or ' faskh (annulment)
or tafriq (repudiation as a result of judicial decision) and the woman is nursing
a child.
258. That is, if the father dies, whoever replaces him as the guardian of
the child will be responsible for fulfilling this claim.