The principle of lā ḍarar (no harm) is one of the important jurisprudential principles governing family relations. It entails safeguarding the rights and interests of family members and preventing harm within familial interactions. In the exegetical works of both Sunni and Shiite traditions, the Quranic passage concerning breastfeeding in Surah al-Baqarah (2:233)—particularly the prohibition against causing harm to either the mother or the father through the child—has been interpreted as addressing various forms of potential harm in the relationship among parents and children.
Using a qualitative research design and content analysis, this study identifies and examines the instances of harm reflected in the exegetical interpretations of the verse. Fourteen types of harm were initially identified under two interpretive approaches: one taking the contextual setting of divorce into account and the other considering the verse within ordinary marital and family circumstances. After eliminating overlapping and repetitive cases, nine distinct forms of harm were identified. These instances can be analyzed in relation to five major family functions: biological, emotional, sexual, care and support, and livelihood and economic functions.
The findings indicate that the principle of avoiding harm, as reflected in the interpretations of this verse, extends beyond a specific dispute over breastfeeding and encompasses broader dimensions of family relationships. Accordingly, safeguarding the rights of fathers, mothers—in their dual roles as spouses and parents—and children, as emphasized in Quranic and narrational teachings, can contribute to the preservation, stability, and strengthening of essential family functions.