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Islamic Online University

Child Psychology

Lecture 08

Breastfeeding

Francesca Bocca del Monferrato

francesca.bocca@me.com

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Breastfeeding

In this class, we will review the Quranic verses talking about breastfeeding, and the occurrences in the Sunna

of the Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص related to it. We will the analyse the effects of breastfeeding on the mother and on the baby,

both physically and psychologically, as well as the effects on the relationship between the mother and the

child. We will use breastfeeding as a paradigm to discuss the correct relationship between the Sunna and

Science, and the precedence that should be given to the first.

Breastfeeding in Quran

The ruling about breastfeeding in Islam is summarised in Sura al-Baqarah (2:233):

The mothers shall give suck to their children for two whole years, (that is) for those (parents) who

desire to complete the term of suckling, but the father of the child shall bear the cost of the mother's

food and clothing on a reasonable basis. No person shall have a burden laid on him greater than he

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can bear. No mother shall be treated unfairly on account of her child, nor father on account of his

child. And on the (father's) heir is incumbent the like of that (which was incumbent on the father). If

they both decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no sin on them.

And if you decide on a foster suckling-mother for your children, there is no sin on you, provided you

pay (the mother) what you agreed (to give her) on reasonable basis. And fear Allâh and know that

Allâh is All-Seer of what you do.

A woman has the obligation of breast feeding her children for up to two complete years. The appreciation for

the mother’s efforts and hardships during breastfeeding is remarked in Sura Luqman (31:14):

And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in

weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years give thanks to

Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination.

Breastfeeding in the Sunnah

The right to breastfeeding in Islam is very important; even if the mother is to be executed for a crime, the

baby's right comes first. Parents should not feed baby formula (powdered milk, etc.) to a child who has not

yet been weaned as a substitution for breast-milk unless all other viable options are exhausted in an effort to

provide obtaining breast milk (for instance: medical problems, death of the mother and unavailability of a

wet-nurse). Some hadeeth about the topic follow:

Malik related to me from Yaqub ibn Zayd ibn Talha from his father Zayd ibn Talha that Abdullah ibn

Abi Mulayka informed him that a woman came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and

grant him peace, and informed him that she had committed adultery and was pregnant. The

Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to her, "Go away until you give

birth." When she had given birth, she came to him. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and

grant him peace, said to her, "Go away until you have suckled and weaned the baby." When she had

weaned the baby, she came to him. He said, "Go and entrust the baby to someone." She entrusted the

baby to someone and then came to him. He gave the order and she was stoned.1

1 Hadith - Al-Muwatta 41.5

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The reluctancy of the first generations in feeding the baby for more than two years is evident in the following

passage:

We should state that Ibn Jarir has explained this subject in detail in his Tafsir and that he also stated

that suckling the child after the second year might harm the child's body and mind. Sufyan Ath-

Thawri narrated that 'Alqamah asked a woman who was suckling her child after the second year

ended, not to do that.2

However, a woman can forsake breastfeeding under some conditions:

A woman may not forsake this important obligation unless she has an islamically acceptable excuse,

such as a genuine medical problem. Women who deny their children their nursing rights are liable

to punishment in the grave and in the Hereafter.3

The punishment in Hellfire for a woman who doesn’t breastfeed her infant without a valid motive is severe.

Abu Umamah al-Bahili reported that Allah's Messenger (saw) said:

While I was sleeping, two men (angels) came to me, held my upper arms, and took me to a rough

mountain. They said," Climb." I said," I cannot climb it."

They said, " We will make it easy for you."

He continued: " So I ascended until I reached a high place in the mountain. I heard fierce cries and

asked, " What are those cries?" The replied, " That is the howling of the people of the Fire."

He continued: "We moved on until I saw some people who were suspended by their Achilles'

tendons, their cheeks cut and gushing blood. I asked, "Who are those?" The replied, "Those are the

ones who break their fast when it is not permissible."

He continued: "We moved on until I saw people who were awfully swollen, and had the most foul

stench and the most hideous appearance. I asked," Who are those?" He replied,"Those are the dead

of the kuffar (on the battlefield)."

He continued: "We moved on until I saw some people who were awfully swollen, and had the most

foul stench--their stench was like that of gutters. I asked," Who are those?" The replied," Those are

the male and female adulterers."

He continued: "We moved on until I saw some women with snakes biting at their breasts. I asked,"

Who are those?" Then replied, " Those are the women who deny their children their milk."

He continued: "We moved on until I saw boys playing between two rivers. I asked," who are those?"

The replied, " Those are the believers' offspring (who die before puberty.)4

2 Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 1 of 10, p. 654, under section "No Darar (Harm) or Dirar (Revenge)": 3 The following excerpt is taken from The Fragile Vessels (Book Three- The Muslim Family) written by Muhammad Al-Jibaly, p.

92-96. 4 Recorded by Ibn Khuzaymah (no.1986), Ibn Hibban and others. Verified to be authentic by Sheikh Albani (Sahih ut-Targhib

no.991)

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Breastfeeding and Science

In science, there is a big amount of studies highlighting the benefits of breastfeeding. This part of the class

will try to review the most significant of them.

The positive aspects of breastfeeding are so many, that WHO and UNICEF now recommend that every

infant should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, with continued breastfeeding for up to

two years or longer. In this review we address the long-term consequences of breastfeeding on adult health

and intellectual development.

Effects of breastfeeding on the mother5

Physical effects

Postpartum weight loss

During pregnancy most women are advised to gain 25 to 30 pounds. This breaks down as follows:

• The baby will weigh approximately 7 to 8 pounds.

• The amniotic fluid in her womb will weight approximately 3-6 pounds.

• At least 10 pounds of the weight gain are fat stores that are laid down to enable a woman to

breastfeed.

Women who choose not to breastfeed will have to diet to lose those ten pounds; and of course they will be

more tired and weak during dieting, impacting on the care of the newborn.. The additional weight of fat is

very useful: the woman will shed them naturally during the first six months of breastfeeding, while eating

normally (even 500 kilocalories more than average) and breastfeeding.

Birth spacing

The relationship between breastfeeding and birth spacing has been known since antiquity, and it has been

used as a contraceptive method for a really long time. In medical term, the method is called Lactational

Amenorrhea Method (LAM) and to be effective it needs:

• Sole breastfeeding in the first six months of an infant's life

• No interval between feedings of more than five hours and

• No supplementation for the infant.

5 More detailed and medically accurate analysis of the studies I will quote below is present on the Internet:

http://www.breastfeedingbasics.org/cgi-bin/deliver.cgi/content/Growth/index.html

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If these conditions are respected, then breastfeeding will be a decently effective contraceptive method. This

is important not only because of the stress level of the mother, which being pregnant immediately after the

birth of the child will be less able to take care of him, but also for her body. There is a physiological amount

of time that is needed for the body of the mother to re-adjust after giving birth, and breastfeeding provides

just that.

Prevention of breast cancer (premenopausal)

Premenopausal breast cancer is a type of breast cancer that hits women before their menses stop.

Breastfeeding mother have a lower probability of developing this illness6. What is interesting, is that the

more the mother breastfed in her life (summing together all the children she breastfed), the less she will be at

risk of breast cancer.

A study7 has shown the size of this effect; the probability of breast cancer gets lower depending on the

number of births the woman gave (the risk decreases 7% for each birth), and depending how many years did

she breastfeed (4.3% less probability for each year).

Uterine involution

Uterine involution is the process by which the uterus is transformed from pregnant to non-pregnant state. It is

a process that occurs after giving birth; it has to be undone since it does not need to house the foetus

anymore. This process is primarily due the hormone oxytocin; and breastfeeding causes the release of

prolactin and oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone that causes uterine contractions. The release of oxytocin

while breastfeeding speeds uterine involution. This may also cause cramps while breastfeeding in the

postpartum period.

Psychological effects

Economics

This is not a primarily psychological factor, but economical status of the family has a great impact on

women’s psychology, and stress levels. The fact is that in all countries of the world it is cheaper to breast

feed a baby than to feed the baby formula. In the United States, one day's supply of a cow's milk based

formula costs approximately $2.50. Women who are breastfeeding need about 500 extra kilocalories per day

in their diet, the purchase of which is significantly lower in price. The difference is even bigger in poorer

countries, where the price of formula is the same, but the salary is significantly lower, to the point that the

6 Newcombe PA, Storer BE, Longnecker MP, Mittendorf R, Greenberg ER, Clapp RW, Burke KP, Willett WC, and MacMahon B.

Lactation and a reduced risk of premenopausal breast cancer. NEJM. 1994: 330(2): 81-87. 7 Beral V, Bull D, Doll R, Peto R, and Reeves G, and the Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer. Breast cancer

and breastfeeding: collaborative reanalysis of individual data from 47 epidemiological studies in 30 countries, including 50,302

women with breast cancer and 96,973 women without the disease. Lancet. 2002: 360: 187-195

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price of formula arrives to 40% of the family income.In a study from Scotland and the United States, infants

who were exclusively breastfed for the first three months of life are estimated to save $330 to $475 in health

care costs during the first year of life8.

Stress level and postpartum depression

Through a recent review, it has been shown that both women who didn’t breastfeed and those who breastfed

for only a short amount of time, had higher probability of developing postpartum depression.

The mood of women changes during breastfeeding, through the release of positive hormones like oxytocin,

to the level that women report being very relaxed while breast-feeding.

Findings from short-term outcome studies suggest that breastfeeding may have some benefits for both

mother and infant, as well as for their developing relationship. Specifically, mothers who breastfeed have

been found to report lower levels of perceived stress and negative mood, higher levels of maternal

attachment, and tend to perceive their infants as more reinforcing than mothers who formula-feed. There is

evidence to suggest that breastfeeding mothers may hold their babies for longer and feel more confident as

parents. After breastfeeding, mothers also report reductions in negative mood compared to mood levels

prior to breastfeeding9.

Effects of breastfeeding on the Baby

Physical effects

Before going into details about the physical effects that breastfeeding has on the baby, I would like to

highlight the significance of such an analysis in a course of Child Psychology in Islam. The motives are two:

first, the physical conditions of the baby impact heavily on the relationship between mother and child. A sick

child will be harder to deal with, and will burden the mother. Secondly, the benefits of breastfeeding are so

many and so big, that reviewing them briefly will make us appreciate even more the command of God to

breastfeed babies, and ultimately, increase our faith.

Infant mortality & Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

One large study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences showed that children who are

breastfed have a 20 percent lower risk of dying between the ages of 28 days and 1 year than children who

weren't breastfed, with longer breastfeeding associated with lower risk.

8 Ball TM and Wright AL. Health care costs of formula feeding in the first year of life. Paediatrics. 1999: 103(4) Supplement: 870-

876. 9 “Breastfeeding and Child Psychosocial Development”, in the Encyclopaedia on Early Childhood Development, by Woodward and

Liberty, 2005

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The motivation of this is really amazing: the first milk the mother ever produced, which is called colostrum,

is rich in a substance that will coat the baby’s intestine, nose and throat protecting him from germs. Breast

milk is specifically tailored to the baby, and when the mother’s body will respond to some virus or bacteria

through her immune system, her milk will also contain those same responses.

It has also been observed that breastfeeding can reduce to 50% the probability of Sudden Infant Death

Syndrome (another factor decreasing it is sleeping on the side, another Sunnah of the Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص.)

The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends breastfeeding for as long as

possible to reduce the risk of SIDS.

Childhood cancers

Breastfeeding's protection against illness lasts beyond your baby's breastfeeding stage, too. Studies have

shown that breastfeeding can reduce a child's risk of developing certain childhood cancers. Scientists don't

know exactly how breast milk reduces the risk, but they think antibodies in breast milk may give a baby's

immune system a boost.

Diabetes

Breastfeeding may also help children avoid a host of diseases that strike later in life, such as type 1 and type

2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and inflammatory bowel disease. In fact, preemies given breast milk as babies

are less likely to have high blood pressure by the time they're teenagers.

Allergies

Babies who are fed a formula based on cow's milk or soy tend to have more allergic reactions than breastfed

babies. Scientists think that immune factors only available in breast milk help prevent allergic reactions to

food by providing a layer of protection to a baby's intestinal tract. Without this protection, inflammation can

develop and the wall of the intestine can become "leaky." This allows undigested proteins to cross the gut

where they can cause an allergic reaction and other health problems.

Babies who are fed formula rather than breast milk don't get this layer of protection, so they're more

vulnerable to inflammation, allergies, and other eventual health issues.

Obesity

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The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends breastfeeding as a way to help reduce your child's risk

of becoming overweight or obese. The risk of becoming obese is 600% more for babies who are not

breastfed. Some of the possible reasons of this are:

• Breastfed babies are better at eating until their hunger is satisfied, leading to healthier eating

patterns as they grow.

• Breast milk contains less insulin than formula. (Insulin stimulates the creation of fat.)

• Breastfed babies have more leptin in their system, a hormone that researchers believe plays a

role in regulating appetite and fat.

Compared with breastfed babies, formula-fed infants gain weight more rapidly in the first weeks of life. This

rapid weight gain is associated with later obesity.

Others

Numerous studies from around the world have shown that stomach viruses, lower respiratory illnesses, ear

infections, and meningitis occur less often in breastfed babies and are less severe when they do happen.

Exclusive breastfeeding (meaning no solid food, formula, or water) for at least six months seems to offer the

most protection.

Psychological effects

Only recently have scientists tarted to study the effects that breast-feeding has on the psyche of the baby.

Once again, we will discover how breastfeeding is indeed a great blessing from God.

Early Behaviour

From scientific studies, there is some suggestion that in the first few weeks of life breastfed babies may be

characterised by improved alertness and other aspects of neurobehavioural functioning. For example, Hart

et al. found that one-week-old breastfed infants obtained significantly higher scores on the orientation and

motor scales on the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioural Assessment Scale.

In addition, they also tended have better self-regulation, fewer abnormal reflexes and fewer signs of with-

drawal than formula-fed infants. Additional support for the possible self-regulatory benefits associated with

breastfeeding is also provided by a short-term follow-up study of 158 infants. This study found that between

the ages of 13 and 52 weeks, breastfed babies consistently cried for shorter periods of time than formula-fed

babies

IQ test results

Various researchers have found a connection between breastfeeding and cognitive development. In a study

of more than 17,000 infants followed from birth to 6 1/2 years, researchers concluded from IQ scores and

other intelligence tests that prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding significantly improves cognitive

development.

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The figure below shows the IQ development at 12 and 24 months of babies who weren’t breastfed, compared

to short and long breastfeeding10

. It would actually have been very interesting to compare the “long” breast-

feeding children in this study with children that have been breastfed for the whole time that the Quran com-

mands, that is two whole years.

The difference is also there for premature babies; if they are given breast milk they improve much faster than

bottle fed babies, and they have lower probability of being hospitalised again.

This advantage of breast-fed children continues later in life: a recent study has found an effect of

breastfeeding on children’s educational test scores at nine years of age11

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Experts say that the emotional bonding that takes place during breastfeeding probably contributes to some of

the brainpower benefits, but that the fatty acids in breast milk may play the biggest role.

Effects of Breastfeeding on the mother-baby relationship12

Only a small number of studies have examined the effects of breastfeeding on the development of the

mother-infant relationship. One study has shown that although breast- and formula-feeding mothers spend

similar amounts of time involved in care-taking activities with their infant, breastfeeding mother-infant

dyads spent more time engaged in playful and positive interactions than formula-feeding dyads, with this

time difference increasing from 3.2 hours per month at six weeks to 19.4 hours per month at weeks.

Importantly, this difference persisted after statistical control for the effects of maternal employment and

socioeconomic status.

10 The bars at 12 months are higher because the average IQ at that age is higher. The important point to make here is that breastfed

babies have always higher IQ that bottle fed ones. 11 The effect of breastfeeding on children’s educational test scores at nine years of age: Results of an Irish cohort study

Cathal McCrory, , Richard Layte The Economic and Social Research Institute, National Longitudinal Study of Children in Ireland,

Whitaker Square, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland 12 Adapted by “Evidence on the long term effects of breastfeeding” World Health Organization

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A similar, but less well controlled study by Else-Quest et al. also suggests some linkages between

breastfeeding and improved mother and infant psychosocial functioning. They compared two groups of

mothers and infants at ages four and 12 months: those who breastfed their infants during the first week and

those who did not. At four months, mothers in the breastfeeding group reported higher levels of attachment

to their infant and increased infant reinforcement. However, these differences were no longer evident at 12

months. At the 12-month assessment, breastfeeding mothers reported lower levels of negative mood,

behaved less intrusively with their infants, and their infants obtained lower scores on a measure of

dysregulation (anxiety, self-regulation, frequency of mood changes and organisation). The authors concluded

that although breastfeeding was associated with some relationship and infant advantages, formula-fed dyads

did not have poor quality relationships. The findings from this study are limited by a lack of control for

confounding factors and also by the fact that by four months, 50% of the breastfeeding mothers had weaned

their babies. Finally, a study of 915 infants found that both exclusively and non-exclusively breastfed infants

obtained higher scores on the social personal sub-scale of the Griffith Scales of Mental Development at 18

months.

There are even fewer studies examining the longer-term psychosocial effects of breastfeeding. At present,

findings are mixed, with some studies suggesting some limited psychosocial benefits and others not. No

clear evidence has emerged to suggest that breastfed babies are at lower risk of developing behaviour or

mental health problems in later life.

However, one study has shown a small but significant association between breastfeeding duration and

adolescents' perceptions of maternal care, with a longer duration of breastfeeding being associated with

increased adolescent perceptions of maternal nurturance. This association persisted after statistical control

for a wide range of the selection factors noted above.

Bonding is the emotional tie from parent to infant. It begins during pregnancy and increases with birth. This

attachment enables parents to make sacrifices for their infant. Many women maintain that their breastfeeding

experience was a very special time during their life and they valued this closeness to their infant. If a woman

is unable to breastfeed her infant she needs to be reassured that she will still be able to bond with her infant.

A recent small study in Boston evaluated the behavioural effects of a heel prick procedure (for drawing

newborn genetic screening) when mothers were breastfeeding their infants compared to a control group of

infants who were swaddled in a bassinet. All infants in the experimental group were latched onto their

mother's breast lying skin to skin before the heel prick. Video monitoring of both groups revealed the the

infants breastfed during the procedure had crying and grimacing reduced by 91% and 84% respectively

compared to the infants who underwent the procedure in their bassinet. Breastfeeding also prevented the

tachycardia associated with the procedure in the control group13

.

The importance of breastfeeding full term

13 Gray L, Miller LW, Philipp BL, and Blass EM. Breastfeeding is analgesic in healthy newborns. Pediatrics. 2002: 109(4): 590-593

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Going back to the Quran, the verse 2:233 verse implies that it is the moral and religious responsibility of the

mother that she breastfeeds her child…and indicates that breastfeeding for two years is the child’s right on

his/her mother.

Despite Allah’s recommendation to breastfeed for two years, many mothers wean early assuming breast milk

has no benefits for the child beyond one year of age. This is partly due to the fact that the American

Academy of Pediatrics only recommends breastfeeding “for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as

mutually desired.” However, Allah’s (swt) infinite wisdom prevails, as there are many physical, spiritual and

emotional benefits of breastfeeding toddlers up to two years.

The following picture shows the importance of breastfeeding the baby until two years, and the advantages to

his health and psyche.

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Forsaking the Sunnah for Science?

Until now, we have been analysing the advantages that science has proven for human breastfeeding, and this

is in line with Islamic teachings.

What if, instead, science seems to suggest that some behaviours found in the authentic sunnah are

detrimental? We will now start analysing this possibility from some real life examples; when I was born in

the late eighties, in Europe, there was a campaign encouraging mothers to bottle-feed their infants,

suggesting that bottled milk might be “cleaner” and “healthier”. People were easily convinced and stopped

breastfeeding their babies and, of course, as in these times too frequently happens, the Muslim countries just

followed this new trend blindly.

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Let us understand the damage that this behaviour provoked, analysing a true story, that comes from a report

of UNICEF, concerning the risks of bottle-feeding.

"Use my picture if it will help14

" said this mother. The children are twins, the bottle-fed child is a girl who

died the day after this photograph was taken by UNICEF in Islamabad, Pakistan. Her brother was breastfed

and thrived. The mother was incorrectly told she could not breastfeed both children. This horrific picture

demonstrates the risk of artificial infant feeding,

particularly where water supplies are unsafe. The

expense of formula can lead to parents over-diluting it

to make it last longer or using unsuitable milk powders

or animal milks. In all countries breastfeeding provides

immunity against infections. Despite these risks the

baby food industry aggressively markets breast milk

substitutes encouraging mothers and health workers to

favour artificial infant feeding over breastfeeding.

Such tactics break marketing standards adopted by the

World Health Assembly. Nestlé, the world's largest

food company, is found to be responsible for more

violations than any other company and is the target of

an international boycott.

This picture tells two stories: most obviously, about the

often fatal consequences of bottle-feeding; more

profoundly, about the age-old bias in favour of the

male. The child with the bottle is a girl - she died the

next day. Her twin brother was breastfed. This woman

was told that she didn't have enough milk for both her

children, and so she should breastfeed the boy. But

almost certainly she could have fed both her children

herself, because the process of suckling induces the

production of milk. However, even if she found that she could not produce sufficient milk - unlikely as that

would be - a much better alternative to bottle-feeding would have been to find a wet-nurse. Ironically, this

role has sometimes been taken by the grandmother. In most cultures, before the advent of bottle-feeding,

wet-nursing was common practice.

The photograph is really horrifying and shows how many babies die unnecessarily. The department of child

development, Government of India, with assistance from UNICEF, has produced a compelling account of

the plight of the 'Lesser child'. I invite you to read it, if you are interested in the dangers of following cultural

practices instead of the Sunnah.

An important topic to discuss concerning breastfeeding is the one of the relationship between the Sunnah and

Science. A reminder, that some us might not know, is the fact that the so called “scientific results” are

14 Story from http://www.whale.to/w/baby_milk2.html

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something very objectionable. Statistical manipulation of the data, as well as wrong interpretation and plain

forgery, are something sadly present when scientists are paid by companies to show a particular result.

While doing some research online, I stumbled upon an interesting book review by Hannah Katsman from

GreenProphet.com. The book entitled “A Fading Art: Understanding Breastfeeding in the Middle East,”

writen by Dr. Modia Batterjee, attributes the high infant mortality rate amongst Muslim countries to the lack

of breastfeeding. “According to a 2005 UNICEF report: 60% of Muslim children die before their first

birthday, 4.3 million Muslim children die before turning 5 each year, and 1/3 suffer from persistent

malnutrition.”

She blames formula companies for heavily marketing their products to mothers and healthcare professionals

in these countries. Consequently, bottle-feeding with formula is highly practiced in predominantly Muslim

countries such as Pakistan where “the number of feeding bottles sold annually, if placed end to end, would

reach Mt. Everest.” The book focuses a lot on Dr. Batterjee’s study of Saudi women who often do not

breastfeed for the following reasons:

• Working outside the home

• Due to lack of breastfeeding women in extended family, women have not observed any relative

breastfeeding women

• Traditional, extended family structure is less prominent

• Healthcare workers do not know much about breastfeeding

• Formula companies heavily promote bottle-feeding

• Older generation of women, who did not breastfeed, have influence on younger women

So, as we might have learned from the last few slides, it can be very detrimental when Muslims decide to

follow the Sunnah of the Kuffar rather than the Sunnah of the Prophet.

The last topic I would like to mention before concluding, is an often neglected Sunnah, the Black seed,

which has a lot of english names, so for those of you who don’t know it, you can just look for the scientific

name, and find out how it is called in your region.

This black seed is mentioned in the Sunnah, in the translation of Al-Bukhari, hadith 5364:

Narrated from Abu Hurayrah states that the Prophet (saws) said: “In the black seed is healing for

every disease except death”.

The black seed is beneficial for breastfeeding women; it can increases milk supply and strengthen the

immune system; it provides a very important aid to nutrition, as it contains minerals, carbohydrates, fatty

acids and proteins.

Conclusion

Breastfeeding is designed by Allah to provide the mother and the baby with well-being and health; It is

important to follow the commandments of Allah of breastfeeding the baby until a proper weaning age; it is

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great ignorance to follow the Sunnah of the Kuffar over the Sunnah of Allah. This wrong behaviour has

caused even babies’ deaths.