Quran 2:233 — Al-Baqara, verse 233
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
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.
وَالْوَالِدَاتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ ۖ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَةَ ۚ وَعَلَى الْمَوْلُودِ لَهُ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ لَا تُكَلَّفُ نَفْسٌ إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَا تُضَارَّ وَالِدَةٌ بِوَلَدِهَا وَلَا مَوْلُودٌ لَهُ بِوَلَدِهِ ۚ وَعَلَى الْوَارِثِ مِثْلُ ذَٰلِكَ ۗ فَإِنْ أَرَادَا فِصَالًا عَنْ تَرَاضٍ مِنْهُمَا وَتَشَاوُرٍ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا ۗ وَإِنْ أَرَدْتُمْ أَنْ تَسْتَرْضِعُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذَا سَلَّمْتُمْ مَا آتَيْتُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ۗ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ 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
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- Mothers shall suckle their children two years completely, for such as desire to fulfil the suckling. It is for the father to provide them and clothe them honourably. No soul is charged save to its capacity; a mother shall not be pressed for her child, neither a father for his child. The heir has a like duty. But if the couple desire by mutual consent and consultation to wean, then it is no fault in them. And if you desire to seek nursing for your children, it is no fault in you provide you hand over what you have given honourably; and fear God, and know that God sees the things you do.
- Muhammad Asad
- And the [divorced] mothers may nurse their children for two whole years, if they wish to complete the period of nursing; and it is incumbent upon him who has begotten the child to provide in a fair manner for their sustenance and clothing. No human being shall be burdened with more than he is well able to bear: neither shall a mother be made to suffer because of her child, nor, because of his child, he who has begotten it. And the same duty rests upon the [father's] heir. And if both [parents] decide, by mutual consent and counsel, upon separation [of mother and child], they will incur no sin [thereby]; and if you decide to entrust your children to foster-mothers, you will incur no sin provided you ensure, in a fair manner, the safety of the child which you are handing over. But remain conscious of God, and know that God sees all that you do.
- Sahih International
- 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.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ۞ وَٱلْوَٰلِدَٰتُwal-wālidātu | And the mothers | ولد |
| 2 | يُرْضِعْنَyur'ḍiʿ'na | shall suckle | رضع |
| 3 | أَوْلَـٰدَهُنَّawlādahunna | their children | ولد |
| 4 | حَوْلَيْنِḥawlayni | (for) two years | حول |
| 5 | كَامِلَيْنِ ۖkāmilayni | complete | كمل |
| 6 | لِمَنْliman | for whoever | — |
| 7 | أَرَادَarāda | wishes | رود |
| 8 | أَنan | to | — |
| 9 | يُتِمَّyutimma | complete | تمم |
| 10 | ٱلرَّضَاعَةَ ۚl-raḍāʿata | the suckling | رضع |
| 11 | وَعَلَىwaʿalā | And upon | — |
| 12 | ٱلْمَوْلُودِl-mawlūdi | the father | ولد |
| 13 | لَهُۥlahu | (on) him | — |
| 14 | رِزْقُهُنَّriz'quhunna | (is) their provision | رزق |
| 15 | وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّwakis'watuhunna | and their clothing | كسو |
| 16 | بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚbil-maʿrūfi | in a fair manner | عرف |
| 17 | لَاlā | Not | — |
| 18 | تُكَلَّفُtukallafu | is burdened | كلف |
| 19 | نَفْسٌnafsun | any soul | نفس |
| 20 | إِلَّاillā | except | — |
| 21 | وُسْعَهَا ۚwus'ʿahā | its capacity | وسع |
| 22 | لَاlā | Not | — |
| 23 | تُضَآرَّtuḍārra | made to suffer | ضرر |
| 24 | وَٰلِدَةٌۢwālidatun | (the) mother | ولد |
| 25 | بِوَلَدِهَاbiwaladihā | because of her child | ولد |
| 26 | وَلَاwalā | and not | — |
| 27 | مَوْلُودٌۭmawlūdun | (the) father | ولد |
| 28 | لَّهُۥlahu | (be) | — |
| 29 | بِوَلَدِهِۦ ۚbiwaladihi | because of his child | ولد |
| 30 | وَعَلَىwaʿalā | And on | — |
| 31 | ٱلْوَارِثِl-wārithi | the (father's) heir | ورث |
| 32 | مِثْلُmith'lu | (is a duty) like | مثل |
| 33 | ذَٰلِكَ ۗdhālika | that (of the father) | — |
| 34 | فَإِنْfa-in | Then if | — |
| 35 | أَرَادَاarādā | they both desire | رود |
| 36 | فِصَالًاfiṣālan | weaning | فصل |
| 37 | عَنʿan | through | — |
| 38 | تَرَاضٍۢtarāḍin | mutual consent | رضو |
| 39 | مِّنْهُمَاmin'humā | of both of them | — |
| 40 | وَتَشَاوُرٍۢwatashāwurin | and consultation | شور |
| 41 | فَلَاfalā | then no | — |
| 42 | جُنَاحَjunāḥa | blame | جنح |
| 43 | عَلَيْهِمَا ۗʿalayhimā | on both of them | — |
| 44 | وَإِنْwa-in | And if | — |
| 45 | أَرَدتُّمْaradttum | you want | رود |
| 46 | أَنan | to | — |
| 47 | تَسْتَرْضِعُوٓا۟tastarḍiʿū | ask another women to suckle | رضع |
| 48 | أَوْلَـٰدَكُمْawlādakum | your child | ولد |
| 49 | فَلَاfalā | then (there is) no | — |
| 50 | جُنَاحَjunāḥa | blame | جنح |
| 51 | عَلَيْكُمْʿalaykum | on you | — |
| 52 | إِذَاidhā | when | — |
| 53 | سَلَّمْتُمsallamtum | you pay | سلم |
| 54 | مَّآmā | what | — |
| 55 | ءَاتَيْتُمātaytum | you give | أتي |
| 56 | بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۗbil-maʿrūfi | in a fair manner | عرف |
| 57 | وَٱتَّقُوا۟wa-ittaqū | And fear | وقي |
| 58 | ٱللَّهَl-laha | Allah | أله |
| 59 | وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟wa-iʿ'lamū | and know | علم |
| 60 | أَنَّanna | that | — |
| 61 | ٱللَّهَl-laha | Allah | أله |
| 62 | بِمَاbimā | of what | — |
| 63 | تَعْمَلُونَtaʿmalūna | you do | عمل |
| 64 | بَصِيرٌۭbaṣīrun | (is) All-Seer | بصر |