Excerpt from the book “Wālidayn aur Aulād ke Ḥuqūq” by Shaykh Jāwēd Iqbāl Sīālkōṭī
❖ Topic:
Permissibility of Breastfeeding by a Woman Other Than the Mother
✿ Quranic Verse:
﴿وَإِنْ أَرَدتُّمْ أَن تَسْتَرْضِعُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ﴾
“And if you wish to have your children breastfed by another woman, there is no sin upon you.”
📖 Surah al-Baqarah (2:233)
✅ Key Guidance:
✔ This verse clearly establishes the Sharʿī permissibility of delegating breastfeeding to another woman besides the mother, when necessary or preferred.
✔ There is no blame or sin in doing so, provided:
- The child is properly cared for,
- Rights and responsibilities are maintained,
- The woman who breastfeeds is halal for such a role (i.e., not leading to unlawful mixing or harm).
❖ Practical Applications:
- In cases of medical need, maternal unavailability, or insufficient milk, it is permissible and encouraged to find a suitable wet-nurse.
- This verse also forms the basis of rulings related to milk kinship (raḍāʿah) in Islamic jurisprudence.
