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Muslims generally break their fast
by eating dates.
Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh)
is reported to have said: "if anyone
of you is fasting, let him break his
fast with dates. In case he does not
have them, then with water. Verily
water is a purifier."
The Prophet used to break his fast
by eating some dates before offering
Maghrib prayer, and if ripe dates
were not available, he used to
substitute them with some dried
grapes. When they too were not
available, he used to have a few
sips of water, according to some
reports. Modern science has proved
that dates are part of a healthy
diet. They contain sugar, fat and
proteins, as well as important
vitamins. Hence the great importance
attached to them by the Prophet.
Dates are also rich in natural
fibres. Modern medicine has shown
that they are effective in
preventing abdominal cancer. They
also surpass other fruits in the
sheer variety of their constituents.
They contain oil, calcium, sulphur,
iron, potassium, phosphorous,
manganese, copper and magnesium. In
other words, one date is a minimum
of a balanced and healthy diet.
Arabs usually combine dates with
milk and yogurt or bread, butter and
fish. This combination indeed makes
a self-sufficient and tasty diet for
both mind and body. Dates and date
palms have been mentioned in the
Holy Qur'an 20 times, thus showing
their importance. The Prophet
likened a good Muslim to the date
palm, saying, "Among trees, there is
a tree like a Muslim. Its leaves do
not fall."
Sayyidah Mariam (the Virgin Mary)
mother of Jesus (Pbuh) had dates as
her food when she felt labour pains
and during confinement. They are
definitely the "crown of sweets,"
and ideal food which is easy to
digest, and within half an hour of
taking it, the tired body regains a
renewed vigour. The reason for this
is that a shortage of sugar in the
blood is the main factor that makes
people feel hungry and not an empty
stomach as is often assumed. When
the body absorbs the nutritional
essence of a few dates, the feeling
of hunger becomes appeased. When one
breaking the fast with dates takes
some other food afterwards, he
cannot eat much. It would seem that
breaking the fast with dates then
helps one avoid excessive eating.
Experiments have also shown that
dates contain some stimulants that
strengthen the muscles of the uterus
in the last months of pregnancy.
This helps the dilation of the
uterus at the time of delivery on
one hand and reduces the bleeding
after delivery on the other.
Dieticians consider dates as the
best food for women in confinement
and those who are breast-feeding.
This is because dates contain
elements that assist in alleviating
depression in mothers and enriching
the breast-milk with all the
elements needed to make the child
healthy and resistant to disease.
The Prophet (Pbuh) has emphasized
the importance of dates and their
effectiveness in the growth of the
fetus. He has also recommended they
be given to women. Modern dietary
institute now recommend dates to be
given to children suffering from a
nervous nature or hyperactivity. The
Prophet (Pbuh) has also recommended
dates as a medicine for heart
troubles, according to some reports.
Modern science has also proved the
effectiveness of date, in preventing
diseases of the respiratory system.
Sayyidah Ayisha, (R.A.) wife of
Prophet (Pbuh), used to prescribe
dates for those suffering from
giddiness. It is now well known that
a fall in the level of the sugar in
the blood and low blood pressure are
among the causes of giddiness. She
was also reported to have used dates
combined with cucumber to treat her
over-slim condition! She said,
"they've tried to fatten me giving
me everything. But I did not become
fat. Then they fattened me with
cucumber and ripe dates and I
gained!" Ayisha was quite correct,
as we now know that one kilogram of
dates contains nearly 3,000 calories
which alone are sufficient to supply
the minimum daily requirements of an
active man for one full day.
Dates are rich in several vitamins
and minerals. When the level of
trace elements falls in the body,
the health of the blood vessels is
affected leading to an increased
heart-rate and a consequent
inability to perform its function
with normal efficiency. As dates are
also rich in calcium, they help
strengthen the bones. When the
calcium content in the body
decreases, children are affected
with rickets and the bones of adults
become brittle and weak.
Dates are also important in keeping
up the health of eyes. It is quite
effective in guarding against
night-blindness. In the early years
of Islam, dates served as food for
Muslim warriors. They used to carry
them in special bags hung at their
sides. They are the best stimulant
for muscles and so the best food for
a warrior about to engage in battle.
The Prophet (Pbuh) used to
combine dates with bread
sometimes. At other times he
mixed ripe dates with cucumber,
or dates combined with ghee. He
used to take all varieties of
dates, but he preferred the
variety called Ajwah. |
