Breast feeding beyond two years
Fatwa No: 82650

Question

Is it ok to breastfeed your own child past two years of age? At what age would it become haram, the age of discretion?

Answer

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
It is permissible to breast feed a child more than two years. The Ayah {His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years} [31:14] puts guidelines but, does not make breast feeding an obligation. Generally, a child needs to be breast fed for two years only; after that period he no longer depends on it. Scholars do not disagree over the issue of breast feeding after two years, but they disagree on whether the rules of breast feeding before two years are the same as those of breast feeding after two years.
Allah knows best.

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