Dates:The Ideal Food
Âishah narrated that the Prophet said, "A family that has dates would never feel hungry." It was also related by Salmān ibn 'Amir that the Prophet is said, "When one of you fasts, he should break his fast with dates, for dates are the source of blessings; but if he cannot get any dates, then (he should break his fast) with water, for water is the source of purification.”
Explanation of the Hadith
The word "Tamr” (in Arabic) refers to dates, beginning from the fertilization stage until they become ripe. It is a general expression, as it includes the Busr (unripe dates) and Rutab (fresh, ripe dates) that do not stay long after their growing season. The dates are the dried fruit, which is there throughout the year, and the Busr are the soft ones.
Date palms and dates are mentioned twenty times in the Glorious Qur'an. Date palms belong to the family Palme that contains many ranks, the most important of which are the date palms and the oil palms. The date palm contains more than fifteen species, and date palms contain more than 1000 varieties. In the Arab Peninsula alone, there are more than 400 kinds, and almost 600 in Iraq
The evergreen tropical palm trees are cultivated extensively in hot, dry regions throughout the world. The palm tree is the most abundant of all plants, which can tolerate hot and salty climates, and that is why it can be successfully cultivated in dry regions.
The products of Palm trees constitute one of the most important vegetarian sources upon which man has depended since ancient times, especially in the desert belt extending from Mauritania in the west, to central Asia in the east.
Date palm is a monocotyledonous plant, which has separate male and female trees. Each of them starts to flower in its fifth year, and keeps on producing good quality dates for a period between 30 and 40 years.
Almighty Allah has given Date palm the ability to resist extremely high temperatures, which may reach 50 degrees centigrade in summer, and given it the ability to tolerate extremely dry weather and a very salty environment. The fact that the tree is extremely tall, thick, coarse, and covered with old leaves, helps the trunk store water in large amounts. Moreover, the thick barbed leaves that top the tree are few in number, and are no more than 20-40 leaves, which are continuously renewed and help lower the exuding rate and hence the loss of water.
Dates are almost a complete source of nourishment, as they contain most of the elements needed by the body, and that is
why Allah, the Almighty, described them in the Glorious Qur’an saying,
(And from the fruits of date-palms and grapes, you derive strong drink and a goodly provisions.) (An-Nahl: 67)
Dates contain saccharides (sugars), carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and many other important elements and Vitamins essential for man's life. Chemical analysis has proven that dried dates contain 70.6% carbohydrates, 2.5% fats, 1.32% mineral salts that combine the compounds of calcium, iron, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese, cobalt, Zinc and others. Moreover, dates contain 10% fibers in addition to many vitamins namely A, B1, B2 and C, as well as various amounts of Sugars and proteins.
There are many medicinal uses for dates that include the treatment of the weakness of nerve cells, poisonous bites, cases of kidney failure, bile infections, high blood pressure, hemorrhoids, and gout. It is also a natural laxative. Moreover, it improves hearing ability, stimulates the movement of the uterus and strengthens its muscles, which aids in cases of natural delivery. That is why in the Glorious Qur'an, the virgin Mary (Maryam), while she was giving birth to Prophet
Isa (Jesus), was commanded by Allah, Glorified be He,
(And shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you.) (Maryam: 25)
That is why it was the advice of the Prophet is to Muslims as he said,
"Feed your women with dates (Tamr) during their parturition. When a woman eats dates during her childbirth period, her son will be clement, as it was the food of Maryam when she gave birth. If there is any food which was better than dates, Allah, the Almighty, would have given it to her."
The Prophet is also said, referring to the benefits of dates, “How excellent are dates as the believer's Suhir' And said, “The best of your dates (Tamr) is the Burny type, as it cures diseases without causing any side-effects. ' And said, "In the pressed dates (Aliyah) there is healing. If they are taken early in the morning, they will constitute an antidote for their eaters.' And said, "He who eats seven pressed dates ( Ajiwah) every morning will not be affected by poison or magic on the day he eats them.
Whoever reads these Ahadith will be amazed to find such scientific facts that were discovered by man just a few years ago. These facts were told by the Prophet is fourteen centuries ago to witness to his truthfulness and the truthfulness of his message. Allah, the Most High, says