On the night Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was taken on a night journey (Miraj) two cups, one containing wine and the other milk, were presented to him at Jerusalem. He looked at it and took the cup of milk. Gabriel said, "Praise be to Allah Who guided you to Al-Fitra (the right path); if you had taken (the cup of) wine, your nation would have gone astray."
Exegesis of the Miraj Narrative
This blessed tradition from Sahih al-Bukhari 5576 in the Book of Drinks recounts the celestial choice presented to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) during his Night Journey. The two cups symbolize the divergent paths of spiritual nourishment - wine representing worldly indulgence and confusion, while milk signifies pure natural guidance.
Symbolic Interpretation
The wine embodies all intoxicants that cloud intellect and distance one from divine remembrance. Its rejection establishes the eternal prohibition of khamr for the Ummah.
Milk represents the primordial nature (fitrah) - pure, nourishing, and unadulterated. This choice confirms the Prophet's innate inclination toward purity and divine guidance.
Juridical Implications
This incident occurred before the formal revelation prohibiting intoxicants, yet demonstrates how the Prophet's actions were divinely guided. It establishes the principle of gradual legislation in Islamic law.
Gabriel's commentary affirms that the Prophet's choices reflect divine will and serve as protective guidance for his nation until the Day of Judgment.
Spiritual Dimensions
The location at Jerusalem signifies the connection between previous revelations and the final message of Islam, showing the continuity of divine guidance.
This event exemplifies how the Prophet's spiritual experiences directly benefit his followers, establishing the foundation for Islamic ethics and law.