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We are sure that, together with the dates, he is your daily companion for Ramadan nights, as he was for our ancestors thousands of years ago. The development of milk has undoubtedly been one of the most important changes in human history, something so central in our life that it has been mentioned several times in the Qur’an.
Pillar of civilization
Companion of man since his birth, milk officially made its appearance on our tables in the Neolithic (15,000 years ago), in what can be defined as the first agricultural revolution in history. After a long period of nomadism, in fact, men begin to cultivate and settle in a territory, leading to continuous social evolutions, including breeding. If for a long time the animals had been seen as only adversaries, from this historical moment we will begin to train more and more varied beasts, giving way to the reality we know today. The settling down brought in fact novelties such as division of labor, commerce, technological development and, above all, the formation of the first urban communities, an absolute revolution for those times.
With an increasing number of brains, the possibility of exploiting beasts for other than meat also made its way into the human mind, thus leading to the birth of the dairy industry. Initially confined to the Fertile Crescent, these discoveries soon spread around the world, bringing the most loved white liquid ever to any place on Earth.
Not just a simple food
Like honey, it is mentioned in the Qur’an in reference to its incredible properties and, like ginger, it is mentioned in Surah Muhammad as a source of Paradise. There are 3 appearances of this food and in each of them milk is celebrated as something pure and incredibly healthy, a must for every Muslim in short.
During the month of Ramadan, in particular, it is the first liquid drunk by the faster, a tasty and substantial water to quickly recover lost strength. In fact, it seems that the prophet Muhammad started his own iftar with an odd number of dates and with a cup of milk, a tradition still carried on by millions of believers in the world. A final curiosity: Israel and Palestine were long called the land of milk and honey.
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