Is Milk Halal: Everything You Need To Know

The issues around whether a certain food or drink is halal can be exceptionally complex but, thankfully, when it comes to milk the answer is quite simple. Is milk Halal? Continue reading to find the full details whether milk is halal or not.

Is Milk Halal?

Yes, milk is halal. The milk of any animal whose flesh may be eaten is taahir (pure). Milk is no doubt a sunnah food, and is found in the Quran in numerous places. The only thing you need to worry about is something haram being added to it. Halal rules are mostly about allowable meats.

Pork and pork by-products are out, as are animals slaughtered incorrectly, found already dead rather than slaughtered deliberately, or as sacrifices for other religions.

Everything that’s not specifically prohibited, though, is allowed, so milk is definitely allowed.

Read also: Is Caviar Halal: Everything You Should Know

Excellence of Milk from the Quran and Sunnah

Milk is a blessing and sign from Allah. Allah says in the Quran:

And indeed, for you in grazing livestock is a lesson. We give you drink from what is in their bellies – between excretion and blood – pure milk, palatable to drinkers.

Surah Nahl verse 66

He also says:

And indeed, for you in livestock is a lesson. We give you drink from that which is in their bellies, and for you in them are numerous benefits, and from them you eat.

Surah Mu’minoon verse 21

Milk is a clearly documented food of the Prophet (SAW) and there are numerous hadith about milk.

Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah SAW, drank some milk and rinsed his mouth. The Prophet (SAW) said, “It contains fatty grease.”

Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim 358

Shaykh Al-Uthaymeen said,

“The reason why the Prophet SAW rinsed his mouth was because of the fat. It can be understood from this action that it’s legislated to rinse the mouth from all foods which contain fat, regardless whether drank or chewed. Its good manners to rinse the mouth afterwards to remove the fat. If the substance is heavy in fat, then it’s better to use siwak. For this reason the scholars say: it’s sunnah to use siwak to remove any fat after eating if the smell of the mouth changed.” [Sharh Saheeh Al-Bukahri]

In Islam, it’s recommended to make dua for drinking milk because so as to show your gratitude to Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala And ask Him to bless your drink.

Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever is provided food from Allah, let him say: O Allah, bless us in it and feed us with what is even better.(Allaahumma baarik lanaafeehi wa ‘at’imnaa khayranminhu) Whoever is provided a drink of milk from Allah, let him say: O Allah, bless us in it and provide us with more.” (Allaahumma baarik lanaa feehi wa zidnaa minhu)

Sunan al-Tirmidhi 3455 – Hasan according to al-Albani

Milk will be given to the Dwellers of Paradise

There are numerous ayat and ahaadeeth discussing this. One of the verse is:

Is the description of Paradise, which the righteous are promised, wherein are rivers of water unaltered, rivers of milk the taste of which never changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey, in which they will have from all [kinds of] fruits and forgiveness from their Lord… [Are its inhabitants] like those who abide eternally in the Fire and are given to drink scalding water that will sever their intestines?

Surah Muhammad verse 15

Ibn al-Qayyim says:

“Milk in general is the most beneficial drink for the human body due to the nutritive and sanguineous elements contained in it, and its being habitual to the state of childhood, and its suitability for the original nature (fitrah).

And in the two books of Saheeh, we find that that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) was offered a cup of wine and a cup of milk. He looked at them both and then took the milk.

Then Jibreel (alaihis salaam) said, “Praise be to Allaah who has guided you to the fitrah (the original nature of man)…” (adopted from Zaad al-Ma’aad 3/354).

And he also says:

“Cow’s milk nourishes the body, makes it fertile, productive. It releases the abdomen in moderation. It is the most moderate and excellent of all milks, between sheep’s and goat’s milk, as to its thinness, thickness and fattiness.

In the Sunan, from the hadith of Abdullaah bin Mas’ood (marfu’) [that the Prophet] said, “See that you drink cow’s milk for they ruminate upon all the herbage”.” (Zaad al-Ma’aad 3/355)

Conclusion

From these Quran verses and hadiths we learn that milk is halal and permissible consume and share with others.

However, you have to make sure about any food or drink that enters your body, for every body that is nourished on haraam things, the Fire has more right to it.

So you have to be sure. If anything that Allah has forbidden has been added to milk or anything else, then in that case it is not permissible for you to drink it.