Sayings About Palm Trees and Dates

Arabic lexicons and classical heritage books abound with stories and poetry that celebrate the revered status of the palm tree and the enduring value of dates. Among the most notable of these is what Ibn Duraid once said in Discussions of Men of Letters and Dialogues of Poets and Orators: “I asked a Bedouin, ‘What is your wealth?’ He replied, ‘The palm tree.’ I asked, ‘What about other forms of wealth?’ He responded, ‘The palm tree—its fronds are fuel, its trunk is shade, its fiber is rope, its bark makes containers, and its dates are nourishment.’” Khalid ibn Ṣafwan described the palm trees to Caliph Hisham saying: “They are firmly rooted in the soil, providing sustenance in times of drought, pollinated by the male tree. They yield large and medium baskets as if filled with fine silken fabrics, then open up to reveal silver rods strung with adorned pearls. These turn into red gold threaded with green emeralds, and finally become honey encased in bark, suspended in the air.” Another described the palm as: “A source of life to those who cling to it, with roots that roam deep beneath the earth; patient through drought and barren seasons, and unshaken even by the swiftest threats." Heritage books also recount the tale of a Bedouin who saw both flour and dates being sold and chose to buy the dates. When asked why—given that the price was the same—he answered: “Dates are both a main dish and a sweet delight.”

Poets, too, have long celebrated the palm and its fruit.

Abu Alala Almaarri extolled the date palm, saying:

“We drank from the Tigris, the finest of waters,

And visited the noblest of trees—the palm.”

Likewise, Ibn Alrumi praised dates in verse:

“More delightful than quail, sweeter than manna,

Sweeter than a lover’s reunion after estrangement”