QUESTION:

Until what age can a mother breastfeed her child? Are there any exceptions?

ANSWER:

A mother can breastfeed her child until the child reaches the age of 2 years old. The measure of years is LUNAR years (i.e. Islamic years).

It is stated in Holy Qur’ān:

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

“Mothers may breastfeed their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing [period]……..”

[Sūrah al-Baqarah verse 233]

And also in another verse:

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَىٰ وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ

“His mother carried him, in weakness upon weakness, and his period of weaning is two years”

[Sūrah al-Luqmān verse 14]

To breastfeed the child after the age of 2 years old is forbidden (Harām). Nor can a mother breastfeed her child beyond this age for a remedy or cure.

[Bahār-e-Sharī’ah]

However, if a woman breastfed a child before the child reached the age of 2.5 [two and a half] (lunar) years old, then she will be classed as the child’s foster mother and become a Mahram of the child.

[Bahār-e-Sharī’ah, vol, 7 with reference to al-Durr al-Mukhtār and al-Hidāyah]

Breastfeeding after two and a half years will not establish a fostering-relationship.

Allāh ﷻ knows the best.

Answered by Mawlana Mohamed Husein Qadri

Also see:

[Q-ID0602] Can we give formula milk to a child instead of breastfeeding?

[Q-ID0001] Does breastfeeding break a woman’s Wudu?

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