Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf on Thursday said the Quran and Sunnah instruct that newborns should be breastfed for up to two years, emphasizing that a mother’s milk is vital for a child’s healthy development. He made these remarks at a seminar of religious scholars organized by UNICEF to promote and protect breastfeeding.
The minister said the Quran and Sunnah clearly underscore the significance of breastfeeding for a child’s growth, describing a mother’s milk as the first and best feed for a newborn.
“Mother’s milk protects children from various diseases,” he added. Highlighting the challenges of malnutrition, disease, and infant mortality in Pakistan, the minister stressed that breastfeeding is essential to tackling these issues.
However, he cautioned that misunderstandings, social barriers, and irresponsible advertising of artificial foods are undermining natural breastfeeding practices.
Sardar Yousuf noted that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) promised rewards for breastfeeding.
He said that all major religions of the world regard it as a sacred, healthy, and natural act — a common value that, he added, strengthens human understanding and interfaith harmony. The minister urged religious scholars to play their role in educating the public, saying their sermons and guidance can bring about significant positive change.“A single sentence from scholars can change the direction of the nation’s future,” he remarked.
Calling the signing of a joint declaration by scholars and religious leaders a historic step, the minister reaffirmed that the Ministry of Religious Affairs is committed to full cooperation and support for the initiative.
He announced that a national awareness campaign will be launched through mosques, madrasas, religious institutions, and organizations to ensure accurate information reaches every household.
Earlier, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, Allama Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi, Pir Syed Chiraguddin Shah, Allama Arif Hussain Wahidi, Sajjad Hussain Naqvi, Pir Mumtaz Zia Nizami, Dr. Ali Tariq, Allama Amin Shahidi, Maulana Haroon Rashid, Samiullah Agha, Maulana Tanveer Alvi and other medical and nutritional experts endorsed the importance of breastfeeding from both Islamic injunctions and scientific perspectives.
