How Does the Quranic Verse [16:66] Relate to Milk Production in Cattle?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
How does Sura [16:66], which describes milk coming from the bellies of cattle, align with the biological process of milk production? Does “batn” refer to storage rather than process?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
The Quran is a book of guidance, reflection, and divine reminders. Its references to humans, nature, and animals, as in the above case, are intended to point to higher truths, demonstrate His mercy and power, encourage us to be grateful, and emphasize human responsibility.
Allah (Most High) said,
“And verily you have in livestock a tremendous reflection: We give you to drink of what is in their bellies between digested pasturage and blood, pure milk that is an ease to quaff for any who drink.” [Quran, 16:66]
As for bringing out pure milk from between feces and blood, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas said: When the fodder eaten by an animal settles in its stomach, the stomach heats it, as a result of which the waste by-product from the fodder settles down, leaving milk above, with blood being on top of it.
Then, nature has entrusted the next job with the liver. It separates the three and directs them to where they belong. Blood goes to the veins.
Milk goes to the udder of the animal. Now, left in the stomach is waste, which is excreted as feces or dung. [Shafi, Ma‘arif al-Quran]
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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received a traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.
