Benefits of eating dates

Date is a nutritious and delicious diet which is widely used all over the world. Consumption of dates becomes very prominent in Muslim countries especially in the blessed month of Ramadan. There will be hardly any dining mat at the time of Iftar meal which will be without dates. Our Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم also liked (eating) dates so much. Let’s learn about some special characteristics and benefits of dates.

Special characteristics of dates

٭   Date palm tree was first grown on earth from the leftover clay of Sayyiduna Aadam عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام. (Tafseer Ruh-ul-Bayan, vol. 7, pp. 393; summarized)

٭   Date carries both warm and cold characteristics; that is why it can be called a moderate food item.

٭   Approximately there are 4000 kinds of this small size fruit but ‘Ajwah and Berny dates of Madinah Munawwarah are the best. (Rasaail-e-Tibb, pp. 322, 328; summarized)

٭   Date palm tree produces natural gum which is very beneficial to the inflammation of intestines, kidneys and ureters of kidneys and urinary bladder. Moreover, it is beneficial to external bruises.

Medicinal benefits of (eating) dates

Three blessed sayings of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم:

1     Eating dates on an empty stomach kills intestinal worms. (Al-Jami’-us-Sagheer, pp. 398, Hadees 6394)

2     ‘Ajwah date is from Jannah and contains a cure for poison. (Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 4, pp. 17, Hadees 2073)

3     Eating dates prevents colic pain. (Kanz-ul-‘Ummal, vol. 10, pp. 12, Hadees 28191)

4     Imam Zahabi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه says: If a pregnant woman is given dates to eat, she will give birth to a baby boy who will be good-looking, tolerant and gentle, اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ. (Madani Panj Surah, pp. 356)

5     Eating dates with cucumber prevents physical weakness and leanness.

6     Dates boiled in milk constitute a highly nutritional diet.

7     Dates are an effective medicine for jaundice.

8     Soaking dates in the water overnight and drinking it in the morning is very effective and inexpensive cure for heart attack and other heart diseases.

9     Drinking water, in which ripe dates are soaked, cures dysentery as it reduces the excess of bile in stomach and intestines. Apart from this, drinking water of dates is very beneficial for ulcer and burning sensation of stomach and intestines.

10   Applying the powder of burnt date-seeds or peels onto wounds stops bleeding.

Tips for improving memory and nerve weakness

Adding 5 ground dates and 10 almonds to a glass of milk (i.e. making milkshake) and drinking it, is a best tip for improving memory. Moreover, this is very useful to overcome physical and nerve weaknesses for the people of all ages.

Precautions of using dates

٭   Eat no more than 5 Tola (approximately 60 grams) dates at a time.

٭   When you are going to eat old dates, open and check them first from inside because sometimes there are small red worms.

٭   Always wash dates before eating because some sellers apply mustard oil on dates to make them look shiny. Furthermore, surface of dates have marks of fly droppings too, so, always wash them before eating. (Madani Panj Surah, pp. 359)

Note: Take your medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor.