“Mothers shall breastfeed their children for two full years—for those who wish to complete the nursing. The father shall provide for them and clothe them in a fair manner. No soul is burdened beyond its capacity. Neither mother nor father shall be harmed through their child, and the heir bears the same responsibility. If the two wish to wean the child by mutual consent and consultation, there is no blame upon them. And if you wish to have your children nursed by another, there is no blame upon you, provided that you pay in a fair manner what you have agreed to give. Be mindful of Allah, and know that Allah sees all that you do.” (233)

Regarding His saying, “Mothers shall breastfeed their children”: this refers to divorced women who have children from their husbands. “They shall breastfeed” is a statement intended as a command, but it is a command of recommendation, not obligation. They are not required to nurse the child if someone can be found to nurse it, for Allah says in Sūrat al-Ṭalāq: “If they nurse your children for you, then give them their payment” (al-Ṭalāq 65:6). If the mother wishes to nurse the child, she has more right to do so than anyone else.

“Two full years”: that is, two years. The word “full” is mentioned for emphasis, as in His saying: “Those are ten complete days” (al-Baqarah 2:196). It was also said that He said “full” because the Arabs may call part of a year a year, and part of a month a month. Thus Allah says, “The pilgrimage is in well-known months” (al-Baqarah 2:197), though it is only two months and part of a third. He also says, “Whoever hastens in two days incurs no sin” (al-Baqarah 2:203), though one actually hastens in one day and part of another. Likewise, one may say, “So-and-so remained in such-and-such a place for two years,” when he remained there for only one year and part of another. Thus Allah clarified that they are two complete years: twenty-four months.

The scholars differed concerning this limit. Some said that it applies to certain newborns. ‘Ikrimah narrated from Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) that if a woman gives birth after six months, she nurses the child for two full years; if she gives birth after seven months, she nurses him for twenty-three months; if she gives birth after nine months, she nurses him for twenty-one months; and if she gives birth after ten months, she nurses him for twenty months. All of this completes thirty months, in accordance with His saying: “His gestation and weaning are thirty months” (al-Aḥqāf 46:15).

Others said that it is a limit for every newborn, regardless of when he is born: his nursing is not to be reduced below two years except by the agreement of both parents. Thus, if either of them wishes to wean the child before the completion of the two years, he or she may not do so unless they both agree to it, according to His saying: “If the two wish to wean the child by mutual consent and consultation.” This was the view of Ibn Jurayj and al-Thawrī, and it is the narration of al-Wālibī from Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him).

It was also said that the verse means to clarify that the nursing which establishes a prohibition on marriage is that which occurs within the two years; nursing after the two years establishes no such prohibition. Qatādah said: Allah imposed upon mothers the nursing of their children for two full years, then revealed a concession, saying, “For those who wish to complete the nursing.” That is, this is the utmost limit of nursing; below it, there is no fixed limit. Rather, it depends on what is best for the child and what will sustain him.

“And the father shall provide for them”: that is, their food. “And clothe them”: that is, their clothing. “In a fair manner”: according to his means. “No soul is burdened beyond its capacity”: that is, beyond its ability. “Neither mother shall be harmed through her child”: Ibn Kathīr recited it, along with