Should I Be Breastfeeding My Baby for Two Years?

Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas

Question: Assalam aleykum

When should solid baby food be introduced to infants?

Is milk supposed to be their primary food until age two per the sunnah?

Answer: assalamu alaykum

Breastfeeding for two years is not necessary. The Qur’anic command simply gives a mother the right to breastfeed for this period if she wishes: “Mothers may breastfeed their children for two complete years for whosoever wishes to complete the the nursing period.” (2:233)

The verse continues by giving the option to wean children when the parents agree to do so. It states, “If they desire to wean by agreement between them and mutual counsel, then there is no blame in doing so.” (2:233) As Ibn Abbas and others state, this applies to the period before two years or after. [al-Tabari, al-Jami al-bayan; al-Qurutbi, al-Jami li-ahkam al-qur’an]

Therefore, there is no specific time period that the religion stipulates for when a child should be introduced solid foods and weaned. Rather, this decision returns to the parents based on what they see is in their best interests and the best interests of their child. In making such a decision, parents may seek advice from professionals and read the literature present on this subject. It should also be noted that one can introduce solids in a manner that allows a child to still continue being breastfed.

[Ustadh] Salman Younas

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Salman Younas graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Political Science and Religious Studies. After studying the Islamic sciences online and with local scholars in New York, Ustadh Salman moved to Amman. There he studies Islamic law, legal methodology, belief, hadith methodology, logic, Arabic, and tafsir.