Virtues of Dates
To understand the significance of dates in a Muslim’s life, one need not look far. The virtues of dates are well-established in the Qur’an, the sayings of the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. Nothing affirms this more clearly than the words of Allah to the truthful Mary — peace be upon her — in her most difficult and trying moments: "And shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you." (Holy Qur’an, Surat Maryam, 25). It has been authentically reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A household that has no dates, its members are likely to go hungry." He also said: "Whoever eats seven Ajwa dates in the morning will not be harmed that day by poison or magic." Nothing better highlights the virtue of dates in Islam than his saying (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): "When one of you breaks his fast, let him do so with dates, for they are a source of blessing. If he does not find any, then let him break his fast with water."
In addition to aforementioned texts from the Qur’an and Sunnah, several classical works have preserved wise sayings that emphasize the virtues of dates and their remarkable importance. For instance, Ibn Qayyim Aljawziyya stated in his book Prophetic Medicine: "Fresh dates are cooling and drying; they benefit the mouth and gums… Dates strengthen the liver, act as a mild laxative, and enhance vitality." Similarly, the author of The Prophetic Rulings on Medical Practice wrote: "Dates are a superior form of nourishment that helps maintain the health of most bodies and strengthens the innate bodily heat."
Among the most profound traditional sayings is the commentary by Ibn Hajar in Fath Albari on the Prophet’s comparison of the palm tree to the believer. He writes: "The blessing of the palm tree is found in all its parts and continues throughout all its stages. From the moment it begins to sprout until it dries, it offers various forms of nourishment. Even after that, every part of it is put to use—from the pits as animal fodder to the fibers used in ropes and other well-known benefits." In addition to these treasured words, it has also been reported that among the pieces of advice Luqman gave his son was the following: "My son, let the first thing you seek after faith be a righteous friend. For the example of a good friend is like that of the date palm: if you sit in its shade, it shelters you; if you gather its wood, it benefits you; and if you eat its fruit, you find it sweet."