ALMIGHTY Allah said: “And verily! In the cattle, there is a lesson for you. We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies, from between excretions and blood, pure milk; palatable to the drinkers.” (Qur’an 16:66)

In the Sunan it is narrated:

“Whoever Allah gives some type of food, let him supplicate, ‘O Allah! Bless it for us and grant us what is better.’ Whoever Allah grants some laban, let him say, ‘O Allah! Bless it for us and grant us more of it,’ for I do not know of a more complete food or drink than milk.”

Hadith
Abu Huraira reported that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) was presented two cups at Bait Al-Maqdis on the night of Heavenly Journey, one containing wine and the other containing milk. He looked at both of them, and he took the one containing milk, whereupon Gabriel (peace be upon him) said: Praise is due to Allah Who guided you to the true nature; had you taken the one containing wine, your Ummah would have gone astray.

Milk is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium. It has an important role in strengthening the bones.

Nutrients
Milk and milk products contain a good balance of protein, fat and carbohydrate and are a very important source of essential nutrients including: Calcium, riboflavin, phosphorous, Vitamins A, D and B12 and pantothenic acid.

Milk products also contain ‘high quality proteins’ that are well-suited to human needs. Milk proteins increase the value of poorer quality cereal and vegetable proteins in the diet by providing amino acids these proteins lack.

Milk and tooth decay
The amounts of calcium and phosphorous in milk and dairy products are also beneficial for the development and maintenance of healthy teeth. The most abundant protein in milk is casein and is protective as it forms a thin film on the enamel surface which prevents loss of calcium and phosphate from the enamel when the teeth are exposed to acids in the mouth. In fact, dentists recommend that milk is the only safe drink to have between meals (except for water) as it has been shown not causing tooth decay even in conditions perfect for damaging teeth!

Bone health
Milk and dairy products are providers of calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and protein which are all essential for healthy bone growth and development.

Adequate consumption of milk and dairy products from early childhood and throughout life can help make the bones strong and protect them against diseases like osteoporosis (a debilitating, brittle bone disorder) in later life.

If milk and milk products are removed from the diet, it can lead to an inadequate intake of calcium. This is of particular concern for women and the elderly, who have high calcium needs. Calcium deficiency may lead to disorders like osteoporosis (a disease characterized by bone loss).