The Importance of Dates in the Muslim World

While it's considered a super fruit in the contemporary world, dates have a cultural significance in the Islamic world that dates back to the times of the Prophet. It’s a staple in Muslim households, and even more so during the holy month of Ramadan.

Dates Image source: https://www.britishmuslim-magazine.com/2016/04/health-benefits-eating-dates/

There’s a very famous hadith (a statement) from Prophet Muhammad on Ajwah dates sourced from the Madinah region in Saudi Arabia. He claims these dates, native to the Middle East, are straight from paradise that serves as a symbol of abundance with optimum nutritional values.

A Date with Dates

Prophet Muhammad advised eating dates while breaking the fast, and he believed that consuming seven dates daily would keep a person’s body free from poison and the ill effects of witchcraft. Dates, thus, possess mystical properties.

In Islamic culture, dates have the highest nutritional value and, along with date palms, are considered an innate aspect of the community, serving as a symbol of power, wealth, faith, and triumph. In other words, dates and date palms are sacred to the Muslim community.

Prophet Muhammad Hadith on Dates During Ramadan

The cultural significance of dates in Islam cannot be stressed more. Ramadan is a very special occasion to consume dates, and here’s why.

Prophet once famously said, “When one of you breaks his fast, let him break it with dates for they are blessed. If they are not found, let him break it with water for it is pure.”

This signifies that on iftar tables (meals eaten after sunset during Ramadan) in all Muslim households, dates are found where the entire family enjoys the sacred delicacy of this super fruit.

Prophet Muhammad used to break his fast with soft, juicy dates during Ramadan. He pointed out that it’s easily digestible, and energizes the body from within without any repercussions after fasting all day.

Consuming dates during Ramadan and also throughout the year brings you closer to the Prophet. It’s a tradition in Islam where the global Ummah (the entire community of Muslims worldwide) continues to carry the rich legacy forward.

The Many Combinations of Dates

Breaking a fast with traditional khajoor (dates) is transcendental. As per the teachings of the Prophet, your body instantly regains vigour and replenishes sugar in the blood, which, otherwise, is the prime cause of feeling hungry. Consuming dates is also a tradition by which Muslims connect with and remember the Prophet, which is a spiritual experience in itself.

The versatile fruit comes in various preparations in the Islamic world. They’re also incorporated into local dishes in the Arabic world that are popular throughout the Muslim community worldwide. The ever-popular stuffed dates include cashews, almonds, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, lemon peel, and many other stuffing's.

An Excerpt from The Quran

If you happen to read the Quran, you’ll come across the innumerable benefits dates offered to pregnant women. There’s one excerpt that states Mother Mary was advised to eat dates while in intense labour pain. She was in labour with Jesus, and her intolerable pain was soon overtaken after she consumed dates.

Dates have powerful stimulants that ease childbirth and strengthen the body. These stimulants strengthen the muscles of the uterus during the last stages of pregnancy. It aids in the dilation of the uterus during delivery and reduces postnatal bleeding to a significant extent. The Prophet also stated that dates help in the natural and overall growth of the fetus.

A Dateful Journey Continues

There are over 50 varieties of dates available in the world today, and the vast majority of them are sourced from the Middle East. Dates from each of these countries are of the highest quality and differ in terms of texture, smell, colour, and softness. Go ahead and include the varied dates in your diet and discover the hidden power these gems carry.