Breastfeeding as a test of faith

Today is my second day accompanying achik-the-little-princess at ward.  She was admitted to the hospital yesterday morning, after being diagnosed as suffering from pneumonia by a pediatrician.  She is ten and a half months old now and neither Along, nor Angah had ever been hospitalised at such an early age.  Ironically, she is the one whom I fully breastfeed until now.  Along was exclusively breastfed for the first three and a half months and then continued enjoying the goodness of breastmilk combined with formula until he was about two and a half years old.  He was admitted to the hospital once at the age of five years old due to suspected dengue fever and had his blood samples taken and tested a few times during that period.  He was declared free from the fever two days later.

Angah was the least to enjoy the goodness of breastmilk.  He was exclusively breastfed for four months and continued to be breastfed and formula fed until he was about one year old and completely formula fed after that.  Interestingly, he has never been admitted to the hospital so far and has never even had his blood samples taken.

After going through the hardships of a breastfeeding journey which is not that hard anyway, one would probably wonder, why is that so?  Breastmilk is supposed to provide the strongest immunity to a child, isn't it?

Here lies the importance of having the right intention of doing something.  As a muslim, whatever we do, we do it for Allah.  In Surah Al Baqarah, verse 233, Allah says,

"The mothers shall give suck to their offspring for two whole years, ..."

and in Surah Luqman, verse 14, Allah says,

"... His mother bore him with weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years ..."

and in Surah Al Ahqaaf, verse 15, Allah says,

"... The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months ..."

So, this is it.  I breastfeed my children because Allah asks me to do it.  Just like any other ibaadah such as prayer and fasting.  If worldly benefits come along with it, then they are entirely Allah's right to give (or not to give) for He is the most compassionate, the most merciful.  The benefits are the added values that we, as servants should be very thankful indeed.  Even without the worldly benefits, I will still breastfeed my children as a proof of my obedience to Allah the Almighty.  Full stop.