Surah Al-Baqarah (البقرة) • The Cow

Quran 2:233

2:233

۞ وَٱلْوَٰلِدَٰتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَـٰدَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ ۖ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ ٱلرَّضَاعَةَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلْمَوْلُودِ لَهُۥ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ لَا تُكَلَّفُ نَفْسٌ إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَا تُضَآرَّ وَٰلِدَةٌۢ بِوَلَدِهَا وَلَا مَوْلُودٌ لَّهُۥ بِوَلَدِهِۦ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلْوَارِثِ مِثْلُ ذَٰلِكَ ۗ فَإِنْ أَرَادَا فِصَالًا عَن تَرَاضٍ مِّنْهُمَا وَتَشَاوُرٍ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا ۗ وَإِنْ أَرَدتُّمْ أَن تَسْتَرْضِعُوٓا۟ أَوْلَـٰدَكُمْ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذَا سَلَّمْتُم مَّآ ءَاتَيْتُم بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

wal-wālidātu yur'ḍiʿ'na awlādahunna ḥawlayni kāmilayni liman arāda an yutimma l-raḍāʿata waʿalā l-mawlūdi lahu riz'quhunna wakis'watuhunna bil-maʿrūfi lā tukallafu nafsun illā wus'ʿahā lā tuḍārra wālidatun biwaladihā walā mawlūdun lahu biwaladihi waʿalā l-wārithi mith'lu dhālika fa-in arādā fiṣālan ʿan tarāḍin min'humā watashāwurin falā junāḥa ʿalayhimā wa-in aradttum an tastarḍiʿū awlādakum falā junāḥa ʿalaykum idhā sallamtum mā ātaytum bil-maʿrūfi wa-ittaqū l-laha wa-iʿ'lamū anna l-laha bimā taʿmalūna baṣīrun

Mothers may nurse [i.e., breastfeed] their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing [period]. Upon the father is their [i.e., the mothers'] provision and their clothing according to what is acceptable. No person is charged with more than his capacity. No mother should be harmed through her child, and no father through his child. And upon the [father's] heir is [a duty] like that [of the father]. And if they both desire weaning through mutual consent from both of them and consultation, there is no blame upon either of them. And if you wish to have your children nursed by a substitute, there is no blame upon you as long as you give payment according to what is acceptable. And fear Allāh and know that Allāh is Seeing of what you do.

— Saheeh International

Mothers suckle their children for two whole years, if they wish to complete the term, and clothing and maintenance must be borne by the father in a fair manner. No one should be burdened with more than they can bear: no mother shall be made to suffer harm on account of her child, nor any father on account of his. The same duty is incumbent on the father’s heir. If, by mutual consent and consultation, the couple wish to wean [the child], they will not be blamed, nor will there be any blame if you wish to engage a wet nurse, provided you pay as agreed in a fair manner. Be mindful of God, knowing that He sees everything you do.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

The mothers shall give suck to their children for two whole years, (that is) for those (parents) who desire to complete the term of suckling, but the father of the child shall bear the cost of the mother’s food and clothing on a reasonable basis. No person shall have a burden laid on him greater than he can bear. No mother shall be treated unfairly on account of her child, nor father on account of his child. And on the (father’s) heir is incumbent the like of that (which was incumbent on the father). If they both decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no sin on them. And if you decide on a foster suckling-mother for your children, there is no sin on you, provided you pay (the mother) what you agreed (to give her) on reasonable basis. And fear Allâh and know that Allâh is All-Seer of what you do.

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Juz 2Page 37medinan

Word by Word

۞ وَٱلْوَٰلِدَٰتُwal-wālidātuAnd the mothers
يُرْضِعْنَyur'ḍiʿ'nashall suckle
أَوْلَـٰدَهُنَّawlādahunnatheir children
حَوْلَيْنِḥawlayni(for) two years
كَامِلَيْنِۖkāmilaynicomplete
لِمَنْlimanfor whoever
أَرَادَarādawishes
أَنanto
يُتِمَّyutimmacomplete
ٱلرَّضَاعَةَۚl-raḍāʿatathe suckling
وَعَلَىwaʿalāAnd upon
ٱلْمَوْلُودِl-mawlūdithe father
لَهُۥlahu(on) him
رِزْقُهُنَّriz'quhunna(is) their provision
وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّwakis'watuhunnaand their clothing
بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِۚbil-maʿrūfiin a fair manner
لَاlāNot
تُكَلَّفُtukallafuis burdened
نَفْسٌnafsunany soul
إِلَّاillāexcept
وُسْعَهَاۚwus'ʿahāits capacity
لَاlāNot
تُضَآرَّtuḍārramade to suffer
وَٰلِدَةٌۢwālidatun(the) mother
بِوَلَدِهَاbiwaladihābecause of her child
وَلَاwalāand not
مَوْلُودٌۭmawlūdun(the) father
لَّهُۥlahu(be)
بِوَلَدِهِۦۚbiwaladihibecause of his child
وَعَلَىwaʿalāAnd on
ٱلْوَارِثِl-wārithithe (father's) heir
مِثْلُmith'lu(is a duty) like
ذَٰلِكَۗdhālikathat (of the father)
فَإِنْfa-inThen if
أَرَادَاarādāthey both desire
فِصَالًاfiṣālanweaning
عَنʿanthrough
تَرَاضٍۢtarāḍinmutual consent
مِّنْهُمَاmin'humāof both of them
وَتَشَاوُرٍۢwatashāwurinand consultation
فَلَاfalāthen no
جُنَاحَjunāḥablame
عَلَيْهِمَاۗʿalayhimāon both of them
وَإِنْwa-inAnd if
أَرَدتُّمْaradttumyou want
أَنanto
تَسْتَرْضِعُوٓا۟tastarḍiʿūask another women to suckle
أَوْلَـٰدَكُمْawlādakumyour child
فَلَاfalāthen (there is) no
جُنَاحَjunāḥablame
عَلَيْكُمْʿalaykumon you
إِذَاidhāwhen
سَلَّمْتُمsallamtumyou pay
مَّآmāwhat
ءَاتَيْتُمātaytumyou give
بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِۗbil-maʿrūfiin a fair manner
وَٱتَّقُوا۟wa-ittaqūAnd fear
ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟wa-iʿ'lamūand know
أَنَّannathat
ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
بِمَاbimāof what
تَعْمَلُونَtaʿmalūnayou do
بَصِيرٌۭbaṣīrun(is) All-Seer