The Quran

233

Preface

۞ وَالوالِداتُ يُرضِعنَ أَولادَهُنَّ حَولَينِ كامِلَينِ ۖ لِمَن أَرادَ أَن يُتِمَّ الرَّضاعَةَ ۚ وَعَلَى المَولودِ لَهُ رِزقُهُنَّ وَكِسوَتُهُنَّ بِالمَعروفِ ۚ لا تُكَلَّفُ نَفسٌ إِلّا وُسعَها ۚ لا تُضارَّ والِدَةٌ بِوَلَدِها وَلا مَولودٌ لَهُ بِوَلَدِهِ ۚ وَعَلَى الوارِثِ مِثلُ ذٰلِكَ ۗ فَإِن أَرادا فِصالًا عَن تَراضٍ مِنهُما وَتَشاوُرٍ فَلا جُناحَ عَلَيهِما ۗ وَإِن أَرَدتُم أَن تَستَرضِعوا أَولادَكُم فَلا جُناحَ عَلَيكُم إِذا سَلَّمتُم ما آتَيتُم بِالمَعروفِ ۗ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعلَموا أَنَّ اللَّهَ بِما تَعمَلونَ بَصيرٌ

Yusuf Ali

The mothers shall give suck¹ to their offspring for two whole years, if the father desires to complete the term. But he shall bear the cost of their food and clothing266-A on equitable terms. No soul shall have a burden laid on it greater than it can bear. No mother shall be Treated unfairly on account of her child. Nor father on account of his child, an heir shall be chargeable in the same way, If they both decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no blame on them. If ye decide on a foster-mother for your offspring, there is no blame on you, provided ye pay (the mother) what ye offered, on equitable terms. But fear God and know that God sees well what ye do.

As this comes in the midst of regulations on divorce, it applies primarily to cases of divorce, where some definite rule is necessary, as the father and mother would not, on account of the divorce, probably be on good terms, and the interests of the children must be safeguarded. As, however, the wording is perfectly general, it has been held that the principle applies equally to the father and mother in wedlock: each must fulfil his or her part in the fostering of the child. On the other hand, it is provided that the child shall not be used as an excuse for driving a hard bargain on either side. By mutual consent they can agree to some course that is reasonable and equitable, both as regards the period before weaning (the maximum being two years) and the engagement of a wet-nurse, or (by analogy) for artificial feeding. But the mother’s privileges must not be curtailed simply because by mutual consent she does not nurse the baby. In a matter of this kind the ultimate appeal must be to godliness, for all legal remedies are imperfect and may be misused. (Cf. 31:14).