Food for the Newborn Child

Alla-h (swt) has placed food and water for the child in the body of the mother, and has created an amazing system of feeding the newborn child in a manner which is perfect and most beneficial.

It is narrated from Ima-m as-Sa-diq (as): “Oh Mother of Isha-q, don’t feed the child from just one breast, but feed from both, as one is the substitute for food, and the other is a substitute for water.” 219

In another tradition, it is narrated from the Prophet (s): “Alla-h (swt) has placed the sustenance (rizq) of the child in the two breasts of the mother, in one is his water, and in the other his food.” 220

As we are now on the subject of directly feeding the newborn child from the mother, it is once again necessary to mention and highlight the importance of hala-l income, the paying of Khums and Zaka-t, the use of pure and hala-l food by the mother and its effect on the child. Alla-h (swt) has mentioned the necessity of eating hala-l and good food several times in the Noble Qur’an 221 and traditions have clearly highlighted that lack of adherence to this is one of the main causes of bad Akhla-q, aggression and oppression. It has even been cited as the cause of the lack of heed paid to Ima-m Husain (as) by the enemy and thus, the tragedy of Kerbala-.

Pertaining to the effects of eating hara-m food, the Prophet (s) has narrated: “Every time a bite of hara-m food enters the stomach of a person, all the angels of the heavens and the earth send curses on him, and until the time that the hara-m bite is in his stomach, Alla-h (swt) does not look in his direction. Every person that eats a bite of hara-m food is gathering causes of Alla-h (swt)’s wrath. Then, if he repents, Alla-h (swt) accepts his repentance and if he leaves this world without repentance, he is deserving of the fire (of hell).” 222

Three Examples

In order to highlight the above, as well as some recommended methods of breastfeeding and their consequences, three examples of the lives of our scholars have been mentioned below:

1. It was said to the mother of Shaykh Ansa-ri-, one of the honourable Shi-‘a scholars: “Ma-sha--Alla-h (swt), what a good child have you given to society!” The mother replied: “I had higher expectations of my son because I gave him milk for two years and I was never without Wudu-. When my child cried in the middle of the night and wanted milk, I got up, did Wudu-, and then gave my child milk.” 223

2. It was asked of the mother of Muqaddas Ardabi-li, that what is the cause of the high status of your son? She replied: “I never ate a doubtful bit (of food), before giving milk to the child I did Wudu-, I never looked at a non-mahram (someone with whom marriage is permissible), and after his weaning, I endeavoured in his training, observed cleanliness and purity and made him sit with good children.” 224

3. Haj Sheikh Fadhlulla-h Nu-ri-, an esteemed Mujtahid who was hung in his time, had a child who was the type of person who tried to get his father executed. One of the great scholars reports: I went to meet Marhum Nu-ri- in jail and asked him, “This son of yours should have been the son of a gentleman, and an excellent inheritor of yours. Why is he so low that he speaks badly of you and is even happy with your execution?”

Marhum Nu-ri- replied: “Yes, I knew this and had this very fear.” He then continued: “This child was born in Najaf. When he came into this world, his mother became sick and could not produce breast milk. We were forced to get a wet nurse so as to give him milk. After a while of breastfeeding, we realised that this woman is corrupt (not of a good nature), and on top of that, an enemy of Ima-m ‘Ali- (as) and the Ahlul Bayt (as). At that time, the warning bells started ringing for me.”

At the time of the execution of his father, his son stood and applauded along with other foolish people, and he too eventually delivered a son to society who is none other than Noureddin Kianuri the leader of Hizb-e Tude (Iranian Communist Party) 225; this is the son of the very person who clapped at the execution of his father. 226

Notes:

219 al-Ka-fi-, vol. 6, pg. 40, no. 2

220 Wasa-il ash-Shi-‘a, vol. 21, pg. 453

221 Su-rat al-’Abasa, Verse 24; Su-rat al-Baqarah, Verse 167, 172

222 Thawab al-A‘ma-l, pg. 566

223 Rayha-neye Beheshti-, pg. 177

224 Mafa-sid Ma-l wa Luqme Hara-m

225 Kianuri was the type of person who carried out self-confessed acts of “espionage, deceipt and treason”.

226 Tarbeat Farzand az Nazr Islam, pg. 89

Adapted from the book: "From Marriage to Parenthood; The Heavenly Path" by: "Abbas and Shahin Merali"