Breastfeeding and weaning

In his commentary on al-Baqara 2:233, Sha'rawi treats the period of suckling, the child's claim on both parents, and the father's duty of maintenance, and reads weaning as a matter for mutual consent and consultation. ¹

Sha'rawi notes that the verse opens with mothers suckling their children for two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the suckling, and that it states this in the declarative form rather than as a command, presenting it as a natural fact. ^{1 2}

Maintenance and clothing fall on the one to whom the child is born, because the child is attributed to the father. The mother should keep to what is reasonable, and the father should not harm her by withholding maintenance. ^{2 3}

If the father dies, the same duty falls on his heir, so that the child's right is secured both while the father lives and after his death. ³

Weaning before two years is for the parents to decide together by mutual consent and consultation, and the child's shared concern remains after divorce. ⁴

If the mother cannot nurse, the father may bring a wet-nurse, and should give her what makes her willing to nurse faithfully. Sha'rawi warns against showing off such arrangements, since one deals with God and not with society. ⁵