Verse 233 of Surah Al-Baqarah, like a brilliant gem within the constellation of Quranic verses, elucidates the stages of human life and regulations related to familial relationships. This verse, with unparalleled subtlety, delineates the journey from intrauterine life to the period of nursing and human maturations, offering a comprehensive system for child-rearing and parental responsibilities. From a psychological and biological viewpoint, this verse encompasses not only jurisprudential rulings but also scientific and ethical principles that can serve as a foundation for revisiting educational and social systems. In this treatise, relying on Quranic analyses and scientific perspectives, we undertake a precise examination of this verse and explore its biological, psychological, and social dimensions.
وَالْوَالِدَاتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَةَ ۚ وَعَلَى الْمَوْلُودِ لَهُ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ
Translation: And the mothers shall nurse their children for two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing period. And upon the father is the provision and clothing of the mothers in an appropriate manner.
This verse, by referring to the duties of mothers in nursing and the responsibilities of fathers in provision, sketches the foundations of a balanced family system. The main themes of the verse include the relationships between parent, mother, child, and the rulings of nursing, which will be examined in detail below.
The Holy Quran portrays human life as a multi-stage journey commencing from the conception of the sperm and continuing until intellectual maturity. These stages, like interconnected links of a chain, include the intrauterine life, nursing life, and subsequent maturations. The intrauterine life, from the moment of sperm conception until birth, and the nursing life, from birth until weaning, are two fundamental phases that shape the personality and destiny of the human being.
From the Quranic perspective, birth does not begin at the moment of exiting the womb, but rather from the moment of sperm conception. This view, contrary to the conventional definition which regards birth as entry into the world, emphasises the importance of intrauterine life. The Quran in Surah Al-Muminun (23:14) describes the stages of the transformation of sperm into a leech-like clot, then a chewed-like substance, and finally a fully formed human:
ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا النُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْمُضْغَةَ عِظَامًا فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظَامَ لَحْمًا ثُمَّ أَنْشَأْنَاهُ خَلْقًا آخَرَ
Then We made the sperm into a clot, then We made the clot into a chewed-like substance, then We made the chewed-like substance into bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh; thereafter We produced it as another creation.
These transformations illustrate the profound impact of intrauterine life on human personality and destiny. The conventional definition of birth, due to previous scientific limitations, has neglected intrauterine life and thus is inaccurate.
Astrological calculations based on conventional birth dates lack scientific accuracy because they disregard intrauterine life. For instance, a child born in January may have had their sperm conceived in April. This contradiction indicates the necessity of reconsidering the point of origin of birth.
Self-knowledge, emphasised in the noble hadith "He who knows himself knows his Lord", begins from intrauterine life. Precise understanding of the early stages of life enables the individual to better comprehend their psychological and spiritual dimensions.
Verse 233 of Surah Al-Baqarah stipulates the breastfeeding duration as two complete years; however, this duration is adjusted according to intrauterine life. Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:15) considers the total duration of pregnancy and weaning as thirty months:
وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ إِحْسَانًا ۖ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا ۖ وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَالُهُ ثَلَاثُونَ شَهْرًا
And We have enjoined upon man goodness to parents. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months.
This verse indicates that if the gestation period is six months, breastfeeding lasts twenty-four months; and if it is nine months, breastfeeding lasts twenty-one months. This regulation preserves the biological balance of the child.
The phrase for whoever wishes to complete the nursing period signifies the mothers discretion in determining the breastfeeding duration. This flexibility reveals Divine wisdom in considering the conditions of both mother and child.
The child is nourished in the womb through the mothers blood, equivalent to the white milk post-birth. This biological continuity demonstrates the coordination of creation in different stages of life. The mothers breast prepares for nursing prior to birth, which is a sign of Divine wisdom.
The manner in which an infant accepts milk serves as an indicator of their psychological characteristics. Some infants accept milk sooner or later, and these differences may reflect their talents and personalities.
Laboratory analysis of mothers milk can identify psychological features, talents, and even the fate of the child (happiness or misfortune). This idea presents a novel approach to biological and Islamic psychological sciences, capable of resolving half of childrens psychological and social problems.
If necessary, the child can be entrusted to a wet nurse with better milk quality. This choice, permissible in Islamic jurisprudence, emphasises the importance of milk quality in the childs development.
The Holy Quran introduces three stages of maturity: birth (first maturity), weaning (second maturity), and forty years of age (maturity of intellect). The maturity of intellect, mentioned in Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:15), is the stage when a person attains intellectual perfection and Divine gratitude:
حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ
Until when he reached full strength and reached forty years, he said: My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents.
This maturity highlights the importance of respecting parents even in advanced ages.
Human maturities include maturity of responsibility, marriage, and intellect, each with specific rulings and characteristics. Differentiating these maturities requires scientific explanation in religious sciences and psychology.
Past educational systems, due to lack of attention to physical issues (such as hearing or vision impairment), incorrectly evaluated children. This error resulted in marginalising capable children.
Current systems have improved childrens assessment through medical examinations (such as eye, ear, and jaundice tests). Nonetheless, supplementing these systems with psychological analyses remains essential.
Psychological lectures can modify student behaviour. This approach, by fostering motivation and self-awareness, aids in managing social behaviours.
The father (the one upon whom the child is born) is obliged to provide sustenance and clothing for the mother in a proper manner. The phrase in an appropriate manner indicates the comprehensiveness of life, not merely food and clothing.
Paying wages for nursing is incompatible with the Quranic view that regards the woman as a life partner. This verse emphasises the proper administration of life rather than wage payment for maternal duties.
Some feminist critiques of Islamic rulings stem from misunderstandings of incorrect interpretations. These misunderstandings arise from unscientific readings of jurisprudential rulings.
The breastfeeding duration is calculated lunar year, which due to calendar variability, aligns more harmoniously with the system of creation. The solar year, due to seasonal repetition, holds less attraction.
Diversity is a factor of success in social and religious systems. The modern world has achieved success by utilising product diversity, whereas religion has lost some of its appeal due to repetition.
Islamic worship, such as prayer, is abundant in diversity; however, due to the selection of uniform invocations, it has been limited to repetition. This monotony has reduced the efficacy of religion.
Muslims should produce indigenous knowledge rather than consume Western sciences. Analysis of mothers milk, as an empirical science, can establish the position of Islamic sciences in the world.
Father, mother, and child are the result of a genuine and natural combination. In the future, with advancements in biotechnology, humans may be produced industrially, raising ethical challenges.
Verse 233 of Surah Al-Baqarah, like a clear mirror, outlines human life stages from sperm conception to intellectual maturity. Emphasis on intrauterine life as the origin of birth, adjustment of breastfeeding duration, and parental duties demonstrate the scientific and psychological depth of the Holy Quran. The proposal for a milk laboratory offers a novel approach to Islamic psychology that can identify childrens talents and challenges. Critique of past educational systems, necessity of indigenous knowledge production, and emphasis on diversity in creation and religion reveal the exalted status of the Quran in human guidance. This verse provides a comprehensive model for family and educational systems that, by utilising science and diversity, leads to individual and social felicity.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
