SIGNIFICANCE OF DATES

Religious references to dates and date palms can be found in the Holy Quran, Bible, and ceremonies in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The influence of Prophet Ibrahim, whose love for date palm has left a lasting influence on these religions. There are over 20 references regarding Dates and Date Palm in the Holy Qur’an. The Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also highlighted the importance of Dates on many occasions.

We do not know the exact origin of the first date palm, however, there is a synopsis that the history of the date palm is as old as the history of man himself.

According to an Arabic regent, “After God had finished moulding men from the earth; He took the remaining material and shaped it into a date palm which he placed in the garden of paradise (Eden)”. People believe that the Garden of Eden is situated at the juncture of Tigris and Euphrates rivers of Iraq, where mankind is said to have begun.

According to archaeologists, wild date palm seeds that were as old as 50,000 years and discovered during an archaeological expedition on the Shahidar cave of Northern Iraq. They recovered the earliest date palm trunk about 17,000 years old from the Kharga Oasis, Egypt’s western desert. There is also evidence of dates in the remains of Moenjodaro.

The nutritional value of the relatively easy-to-easy date fruit is high in sugar, comprising up to 70 % of the fruit. A single serving of date contains 31 grams of carbohydrates, making it a powerhouse of energy. Eating dates and drinking water is an ideal way to replenish the body’s need for potassium. Dates are also good sources of iron, potassium, magnesium, sulphur, copper, calcium, and phosphorus. These minerals are essential for bodily functions. Dates contain 13.8 % water and about 3% proteins, and six vitamins including a small amount of vitamin C, vitamin B1, thiamine B2, riboflavin, nicotinic acid (Niacin) and vitamin A. They also contain 0.5-3.9 % pectin- a compound known to be a good source for lowering cholesterol levels. Besides, dates are enriched with tannin- a compound used medicinally as a detersive and astringent to treat tonsillitis and pharyngitis. They are administered in the form of an infusion, decoction or paste for treatment of sore throat, colds and bronchial catarrh. People consume it to relieve fever, cystitis, gonorrhoea, oedema, liver and abdominal problems. The seed powder is an ingredient in a paste given to relieve the agues. Several people use a gum that exudes from the wounded trunk for treating diarrhoea and genitor-urinary ailments in India. The dates roots are used for toothache. Several livestock farmers add damaged dates that are not fit for human consumption to animal feeds to enhance the milk flow in farm animals. Dates contain elemental fluorine useful in protecting teeth against decay. Dates contain an important element known as Selenium, reported in playing a vital role in the treatment of cancer and obesity.

Studies have shown that Dates contain certain stimulants, which strengthen the muscles of the uterus in the last months of pregnancy. This assists in the uterus’s dilation at the time of delivery. In Surah Maryam, Allah provided Maryam (Peace be upon her) with fresh dates when she was experiencing discomfort and pain during the final stages of her pregnancy. Dates are recommended for women in the postpartum period and during lactation because of their nutrition.

A medical study cited in the British Medical Journal found that placing a sugary substance in the mouth of a body reduces the sensation of pain. The Sunnah of putting chewed dates or honey into the mouths of newborn babies at the name-giving ceremony of the seventh day after the child’s birth, therefore, carries benefits.

With the above narration about Dates, which will carry an image of its worth and value, we end up hoping that you get inspired with the benefits of the Dates.