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Is it permissible to prevent a baby girl from breastfeeding before the age of two, given that her father does not provide for her?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Allah Almighty commanded mothers to breastfeed their children for two full years for whoever desires to complete the suckling. This command is a recommendation, not an obligation, as long as it does not harm the infant. The father must financially support the divorced mother who breastfeeds and nurtures his child, and she is entitled to payment for breastfeeding and nurturing if he has the means. She has a greater right to custody as long as she does not remarry. It is preferable to breastfeed the daughter for two years if it does not cause hardship for the mother, and she may be weaned before that if it does not harm the girl. The mother has the right to demand financial support from the father, and if he does not respond, she may refer the matter to the judge.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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