Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave a special attention for Dates as part of the believer’s diet especially during the Holy month Ramadan. Allah Almighty mentioned Palm trees many times in the Quran, and made it the food of the dwellers of Paradise, So what are the secrets of this great nutriment? Is it possible to think of using dates as remedy for some diseases? What do scientists of today say about dates?
Dates are one of the most nourishing fruits and It’s called sometimes “Bread of Desert”, More than two third of dates’ weight is natural sugar. This fruit was highly esteemed by the ancient civilizations more than 5000 years ago; ancient Egyptians considered dates as a symbol of fertility, while the Romans and the Greeks used it to ornament their stately triumph pageants[1]. Today, dates are widely-grown in the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Spain, Italy and the United States. There are more than 600 varieties of dates [2].
Next, we are going to explore the usefulness of dates to humans throughout the different stages of their lives.
Dates and the Prebirth period
Dates stimulate the uterus by regulating and brisking its contractions which facilitate delivery. The uterus is a relatively large muscular organ and it urgently requires an adequate supply of natural sugar during labor and delivery. Being laxative, dates are essential for pregnant women before delivery in order to purge the colon and intestine and to facilitate delivery. The miraculous ness of the Quranic verse shows evidently as Allah tells Mary: (And shake the trunk of the palm tree towards thee – thou wilt cause ripe dates to fall upon thee) [Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave a special attention for Dates as part of the believer’s diet especially during the Holy month Ramadan. Allah Almighty mentioned Palm trees many times in the Quran, and made it the food of the dwellers of Paradise, So what are the secrets of this great nutriment? Is it possible to think of using dates as remedy for some diseases? What do scientists of today say about dates?
Dates are one of the most nourishing fruits and It’s called sometimes “Bread of Desert”, More than two third of dates’ weight is natural sugar. This fruit was highly esteemed by the ancient civilizations more than 5000 years ago; ancient Egyptians considered dates as a symbol of fertility, while the Romans and the Greeks used it to ornament their stately triumph pageants[1]. Today, dates are widely-grown in the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Spain, Italy and the United States. There are more than 600 varieties of dates [2].
Next, we are going to explore the usefulness of dates to humans throughout the different stages of their lives.
Dates and the Prebirth period
Dates stimulate the uterus by regulating and brisking its contractions which facilitate delivery. The uterus is a relatively large muscular organ and it urgently requires an adequate supply of natural sugar during labor and delivery. Being laxative, dates are essential for pregnant women before delivery in order to purge the colon and intestine and to facilitate delivery. The miraculous ness of the Quranic verse shows evidently as Allah tells Mary: (And shake the trunk of the palm tree towards thee – thou wilt cause ripe dates to fall upon thee) [Miriam – 25]
Nutriment and medicine for children
Dates contain natural sugar which is easily absorbed and digested, thus, it is safe and comforting for children’s stomach and intestine. And the dates juice is useful especially if we mix it with Milk to become very nourishing and restorative drink for children and adults. Dates and honey paste is used for the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery in children but it should be taken three times a day.
This paste also comforts and hardening the gums during teething and facilitates the process.
It is advisable to purchase the good varieties of dates and to wash them thoroughly before use especially when used as food or remedy for children. Here, we should mention the prophetic tradition of (Al Tahneek); rubbing the newborn’s mouth with a well-chewed date and feeding him with it. Science has proved that giving the newborn some sugar dissolved in water provides the child with the necessary nutrition and improves their immunity against diseases.
and when we know that sugar in dates is the most easily absorbed and digested type of sugar so it will be suitable nutriment for newborns but the dates should be well-chewed or soaked in water to be easy for the newborn to take. This proves that the great prophet (PBUH) preceded today’s doctors to this type of nutrition. It’s no wonder that he preceded them as he is the messenger of their God.
Figure (1) Dates are the best nutriment for newborns since pregnancy and during breast feeding
An effective treatment for constipation
Dates can be used in the treatment of intestinal disturbances and it also helps the intestine perform their function effectively, and helps establishing a colony of friendly bacteria in the intestines. Dates are also highly beneficial in the treatment of constipation as the roughage provided by it stimulates sluggish bowels. They should be immersed in water at night and taken after making them into fine syrup the next morning to secure laxative effect [3].
A Remedy for Sexual Debility
Date syrup can be used as a treatment for weak heart. It can also be use for the treatment of sexual weakness. When it’s mixed with milk and honey, dates can be used as a tonic for the treatment of sexual disturbances for both sexes, and such syrup strengthens the body and raises its energy levels. The elderly would benefit from this syrup too. It improves their stamina and purges their bodies from the toxins that have accumulated in their cells along the years.
An Ideal Nutriment for Fasters
It was very weird that western physicians who treat their patients by fasting advise them by taking the natural sugar in fruits and water when breaking the fast [4]. And when we know that dates contain a high ratio of such easily-absorbed sugar then dates and water are the best nutriments for fasters.
Here we remember the Hadith of our prophet (PBUH) : (When any of you breaks his fasting he should eat dates cause dates are blessing, if he didn’t find dates then drink water cause water is purifying) [Narrated by Abu Dawood].Here we see that the prophet (PBUH) showed us the principles of effective fasting, by eating dates and drinking water at breakfast centuries before Westerns.
The prophetic wisdom out of having Dates for breakfast might be reduce the hunger and consequently, reduce the amounts of food consumed; therefore the fasting will be effective and useful. And if we remember that fasting consider the best weapon to excise toxics out of the body, then having dates (toxin-resistive) when you break your fast represent a real integrated treatment against weakness and fatigue resulted from the accumulation of toxic chemicals and heavy metals in the cells of the body.
Figures (2) Date lose 1/3 of their water content when dried in the sun. Dried dates contain a high ratio of natural sugar hence; they are the best food for fasters
A Treatment for Obesity
The wide variety of nutritious elements in dates makes it hunger-resistive! And when we know that the cause behind Obesity is a persisting feeling of hunger and an appetite for food which drives a person to consume larger amounts of fats and sugar when he eat his meal. So treatment by eating few dates when feeling hungry helps reduce hunger and be filled. These dates will provide the body with the necessary sugar and stimulate the intestine which reduce hunger greatly, and eventually, reduce food consumption. The miraculous ness of the prophet’s saying shows as he said: (A household that has dates doesn’t feel hunger) [narrated by Muslim]. We can conclude that dates can be used to treat Obesity.
It is a long-established custom among Muslim parents to put a piece of well-chewed date (or other available sweet fruit) in the mouth of a newborn baby. Muslims do this following the practice of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, , believing him to bee, as the Quran says, sent as a healing and a mercy to mankind. We may infer from the way this custom originated that there is a virtue in it. There is - complimentary to the virtue and pleasure of following the Sunnah (the practice of the Prophet) - placing a `sugary substance' inside the mouth of a new-born baby dramatically reduces pain sensation and heart rate.
An interesting scientific medical study, published in the British Medical Journal (No. 6993, ), proved beyond any doubt the benefit of giving a new-born child sugar, in order to reduce the feeling of any painful procedure like heel pricking for a blood sample or before circumcision.
The study, entitled “the analgesic (pain killing) effect of sucrose in full term infants: a randomized controlled trial', was done by Nora Hoary, Christopher Wood, Gillian Griffiths and Malcolm Levine in the post-natal ward in the Leeds General Infirmary in England.
60 healthy infants of gestational age 37-42 weeks and postnatal age of 1-6 days were randomized to receive 2ml of one of the four solutions: 12.5% sucrose, 25% sucrose, 50% sucrose, and sterile water (control).
The first group of 30 babies received sugar syrup before a routine blood test (heel pricking, which is usually painful) done to detect jaundice. The other 30 babies were given only sterile water as a control group.
Placing 2ml of a 25% or 50% sucrose solution on the tongue before pricking the heel significantly reduced the crying time, compared to babies who got water. Also, their heart rate returned to normal more quickly. The stronger sugar solution had the greater effect, crying being reduced further with increasing concentration of sucrose. From which we may conclude that sucrose (sugar) placed on the tongue May bee a useful and safe form of analgesia for use with newborn infants.
Blass and Hoffmeyer also showed that 12% solution of inter-oral sucrose significantly reduced the duration of crying in new-born babies subjected to heel pricking or circumcision.
Date in numbers:
Having high medical and nutritious value, dates are expected to be the best food for the future. Dates contain as high a percentage as 88% of carbohydrate (starch), (2.5-5%) of fat, (2.3-5.6%) of Protein and (6.4-11.5%) of Vitamins and dietary fiber. The flesh contains (0.2 – 5%) of oil, whereas the seed’s weight is (7.7 -9.7%) oil. The weight of the seed is (6.6 – 14.2%) of the date’s weight.
Dates contain Vitamins A, B1 and B2, and contain Fluorine who defeats teeth decay. Other minerals that are found in various proportions in dates include boron, calcium, cobalt, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, sodium and zinc. Additionally, the seeds contain aluminum, cadmium, chloride, lead and sulphur in various proportions. Selenium, element believed to help prevent cancer and important in immune function, is also found in dates.
The practice of the Prophet, upon him b piece, is recorded in the collections of his sayings and reports about him, of which the most revered are the two Sahih collections of Bukhari and Muslim:
Abu Buradah reported from Abu Musa, who said: `I had a new-born baby; I took him to the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who called him Ibrahim. The Prophet (saw) chewed a date then he took it and rubbed the inside of the baby's mouth with it.'
There are many other reported incidents like this one.
The date contains a very high percentage of sugar (70-80%); it has both fructose and glucose which have high calorific values, it is easily and quickly digestible, and very helpful to the brain. The date contains 2.2% protein, vitamin A, vitamins B1, B2 ad nicotruic acid (against Pellagra); it has traces of minerals needed for the body such as potassium, sodium, calcium, iron, and manganese, copper. Potassium, of which percentage is very high, has been found to be very effective for cases of hemorrhage, such as the occasions of birth or circumcision.
We may note that the Sunnah also commends dates for the breaking of the fast in Ramadan. Dates should be eaten, if available, before the sunset prayer - this is medically and nutritionally the best way and the Sunnah.
The great worth of dates is also indicated in a famous and beautiful passage of the Quran, Surah Maryam, verses 25-6:
And shake towards you the trunk of the palm-tree and it will drop on you fresh ripe dates. So eat and drink and be comforted.
This was the prescription of Allah, the Creator, for the blessed Bibi Maryam at the time of the birth of Isa (A.S.) Jesus, the blessed Prophet of Allah. It was a prescription to make the delivery easy and comfortable.
As in the example have briefly recorded in this example, we believe further research will confirm for those who still doubt the full worth and truth, the wisdom, of the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah.
We shall show them our signs on his furthest horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not sufficient that your Lord is witness over all things? (Quran Fussilet, 41.53)
As the authors of the medical study referred to intend trying new sugary or sweet substances, we shall recommend that they try dates for the newborn for the relief of pain.
I hope Muslim medical scientists and researchers take this new discovery on board, and that many more ideas and practices in the teaching of Islam needing investigative research and objective, scientific study will get the attention they deserve
Dear Believer if you are feeling weak, don’t hesitate to take 7 dates in the morning as the prophet (PBUH) recommended. those Seven dates weigh around 70 gm, so if you take them, then you actually took 70 milligrams of calcium- which is very useful for the bones, joints and nerves, 35 milligrams of phosphorus which is nutritious to the brain and 7 milligrams of iron which is strengthens the body in general and the heart in particular.
It’s also suitable for reducing weight as it only contains 0.25 gm of fat. So if you suffer from Obesity, then this meal is the right thing for you. This prophetic meal regulates and stimulates the bowels with the10 gm of dietary fiber it contains.
So won’t you say yes to the prophetic advice?
Nutriment and medicine for children
Dates contain natural sugar which is easily absorbed and digested, thus, it is safe and comforting for children’s stomach and intestine. And the date’s juice is useful especially if we mix it with Milk to become very nourishing and restorative drink for children and adults. Dates and honey paste is used for the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery in children but it should be taken three times a day.
This paste also comforts and hardening the gums during teething and facilitates the process.
It is advisable to purchase the good varieties of dates and to wash them thoroughly before use especially when used as food or remedy for children. Here, we should mention the prophetic tradition of (Al Tahneek); rubbing the newborn’s mouth with a well-chewed date and feeding him with it. Science has proved that giving the newborn some sugar dissolved in water provides the child with the necessary nutrition and improves their immunity against diseases.
and when we know that sugar in dates is the most easily absorbed and digested type of sugar so it will be suitable nutriment for newborns but the dates should be well-chewed or soaked in water to be easy for the newborn to take. This proves that the great prophet (PBUH) preceded today’s doctors to this type of nutrition. It’s no wonder that he preceded them as he is the messenger of their God.
Figure (1) Dates are the best nutriment for newborns since pregnancy and during breast feeding
An effective treatment for constipation
Dates can be used in the treatment of intestinal disturbances and it also helps the intestine perform their function effectively, and helps establishing a colony of friendly bacteria in the intestines. Dates are also highly beneficial in the treatment of constipation as the roughage provided by it stimulates sluggish bowels. They should be immersed in water at night and taken after making them into fine syrup the next morning to secure laxative effect [3].
A Remedy for Sexual Debility
Date syrup can be used as a treatment for weak heart. It can also be use for the treatment of sexual weakness. When it’s mixed with milk and honey, dates can be used as a tonic for the treatment of sexual disturbances for both sexes, and such syrup strengthens the body and raises its energy levels. The elderly would benefit from this syrup too. It improves their stamina and purges their bodies from the toxins that have accumulated in their cells along the years.
An Ideal Nutriment for Fasters
It was very weird that western physicians who treat their patients by fasting advise them by taking the natural sugar in fruits and water when breaking the fast [4]. And when we know that dates contain a high ratio of such easily-absorbed sugar then dates and water are the best nutriments for fasters.
Here we remember the Hadith of our prophet (PBUH) (When any of you breaks his fasting he should eat dates cause dates are blessing, if he didn’t find dates then drink water cause water is purifying) [Narrated by Abu Dawood].Here we see that the prophet (PBUH) showed us the principles of effective fasting, by eating dates and drinking water at breakfast centuries before Westerns.
The prophetic wisdom out of having Dates for breakfast might be reduce the hunger and consequently, reduce the amounts of food consumed; therefore the fasting will be effective and useful. And if we remember that fasting consider the best weapon to excise toxics out of the body, then having dates (toxin-resistive) when you break your fast represent a real integrated treatment against weakness and fatigue resulted from the accumulation of toxic chemicals and heavy metals in the cells of the body.
Figures (2) Date lose 1/3 of their water content when dried in the sun. Dried dates contain a high ratio of natural sugar hence; they are the best food for fasters
A Treatment for Obesity
The wide variety of nutritious elements in dates makes it hunger-resistive! And when we know that the cause behind Obesity is a persisting feeling of hunger and an appetite for food which drives a person to consume larger amounts of fats and sugar when he eat his meal. So treatment by eating few dates when feeling hungry helps reduce hunger and be filled. These dates will provide the body with the necessary sugar and stimulate the intestine which reduce hunger greatly, and eventually, reduce food consumption. The miraculous ness of the prophet’s saying shows as he said: (A household that has dates doesn’t feel hunger) [narrated by Muslim]. We can conclude that dates can be used to treat Obesity!.
It is a long-established custom among Muslim parents to put a piece of well-chewed date (or other available sweet fruit) in the mouth of a newborn baby. Muslims do this following the practice of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), believing him to bee, as the Quran says, sent as a healing and a mercy to mankind. We may infer from the way this custom originated that there is a virtue in it. There is - complimentary to the virtue and pleasure of following the Sunnah (the practice of the Prophet) - placing a `sugary substance' inside the mouth of a new-born baby dramatically reduces pain sensation and heart rate.
An interesting scientific medical study, published in the British Medical Journal (No. 6993, ), proved beyond any doubt the benefit of giving a new-born child sugar, in order to reduce the feeling of any painful procedure like heel pricking for a blood sample or before circumcision.
The study, entitled `the analgesic (pain killing) effect of sucrose in full term infants: a randomized controlled trial', was done by Nora Hoary, Christopher Wood, Gillian Griffiths and Malcolm Levine in the post-natal ward in the Leeds General Infirmary in England.
60 healthy infants of gestational age 37-42 weeks and postnatal age of 1-6 days were randomized to receive 2ml of one of the four solutions: 12.5% sucrose, 25% sucrose, 50% sucrose, and sterile water (control).
The first group of 30 babies received sugar syrup before a routine blood test (heel pricking, which is usually painful) done to detect jaundice. The other 30 babies were given only sterile water as a control group.
Placing 2ml of a 25% or 50% sucrose solution on the tongue before pricking the heel significantly reduced the crying time, compared to babies who got water. Also, their heart rate returned to normal more quickly. The stronger sugar solution had the greater effect, crying being reduced further with increasing concentration of sucrose. From which we may conclude that sucrose (sugar) placed on the tongue May bee a useful and safe form of analgesia for use with newborn infants.
Blass and Hoffmeyer also showed that 12% solution of inter-oral sucrose significantly reduced the duration of crying in new-born babies subjected to heel pricking or circumcision.
Date in numbers:
Having high medical and nutritious value, dates are expected to be the best food for the future. Dates contain as high a percentage as 88% of carbohydrate (starch), (2.5-5%) of fat, (2.3-5.6%) of Protein and (6.4-11.5%) of Vitamins and dietary fiber. The flesh contains (0.2 – 5%) of oil, whereas the seed’s weight is (7.7 -9.7%) oil. The weight of the seed is (6.6 – 14.2%) of the date’s weight.
Dates contain Vitamins A, B1 and B2, and contain Fluorine who defeats teeth decay. Other minerals that are found in various proportions in dates include boron, calcium, cobalt, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, sodium and zinc. Additionally, the seeds contain aluminum, cadmium, chloride, lead and sulphur in various proportions. Selenium, element believed to help prevent cancer and important in immune function, is also found in dates.
The practice of the Prophet, upon him b piece is recorded in the collections of his sayings and reports about him, of which the most revered, are the two Sahih collections of Bukhari and Muslim:
Abu Buradah reported from Abu Musa, who said: `I had a new-born baby; I took him to the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who called him Ibrahim. The Prophet (saw) chewed a date then he took it and rubbed the inside of the baby's mouth with it.'
There are many other reported incidents like this one.
The date contains a very high percentage of sugar (70-80%); it has both fructose and glucose which have high calorific values, it is easily and quickly digestible, and very helpful to the brain. The date contains 2.2% protein, vitamin A, vitamins B1, B2 ad neoteric acid (against Pellagra); it has traces of minerals needed for the body such as potassium, sodium, calcium, iron, and manganese, copper. Potassium, of which percentage is very high, has been found to be very effective for cases of hemorrhage, such as the occasions of birth or circumcision.
We may note that the Sunnah also commends dates for the breaking of the fast in Ramadan. Dates should be eaten, if available, before the sunset prayer - this is medically and nutritionally the best way and the Sunnah.
The great worth of dates is also indicated in a famous and beautiful passage of the Quran, Surah Maryam, verses 25-6:
And shake towards you the trunk of the palm-tree and it will drop on you fresh ripe dates. So eat and drink and be comforted.
This was the prescription of Allah, the Creator, for the blessed Bibi Maryam at the time of the birth of Isa (A.S.) Jesus the blessed Prophet of Allah. It was a prescription to make the delivery easy and comfortable.
As in the example have briefly recorded in this example, we believe further research will confirm for those who still doubt the full worth and truth, the wisdom, of the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah.
We shall show them our signs on his furthest horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not sufficient that your Lord is witness over all things? (Quran Fussilet, 41.53)
As the authors of the medical study referred to intend trying new sugary or sweet substances, we shall recommend that they try dates for the newborn for the relief of pain.
Finally, we hope Muslim medical scientists and researchers take this new discovery on board, and that many more ideas and practices in the teaching of Islam needing investigative research and objective, scientific study will get the attention they deserve
Dear Believer if you are feeling weak, don’t hesitate to take 7 dates in the morning as the prophet (PBUH) recommended. those Seven dates weigh around 70 gm, so if you take them, then you actually took 70 milligrams of calcium- which is very useful for the bones, joints and nerves, 35 milligrams of phosphorus which is nutritious to the brain and 7 milligrams of iron which is strengthens the body in general and the heart in particular.
It’s also suitable for reducing weight as it only contains 0.25 gm of fat. So if you suffer from Obesity, then this meal is the right thing for you. This prophetic meal regulates and stimulates the bowels with the10 gm of dietary fiber it contains.
So won’t you say yes to the prophetic advice?!
.....Sufyan b. ‘Uyainah– Allah has mercy on him – said:
"The first step in knowledge is to listen, then to be quiet and attentive, then to preserve it, then to put it into practice and then to spread it " .
Have fun praying and getting ready for the Day of Judgment coz that day will NOT be fun :) P.S.: don’t forget to make dua for me
