Dates in Ramadan, Between Sunna and Science.

The Importance of Dates in Ramadan:

You cannot mention the holy month of Ramadan without immediately thinking of dates that accompany it. You simply cannot give up dates in Ramadan whether it was at Iftar or at Sahur. But, you have to wonder why dates are chosen despite the variety of other foods that can give very good nutritional values.

So, let’s see why it stands to be the favorite on the food table in the holy month of Ramadan, why dates are important in Ramadan and why we should start our Iftar with dates.

Dates in Prophetic Sunnah:

The importance of starting your Iftar with dates in the holy month of Ramadan comes as a prophetic Sunnah that should be followed. It states the importance of a fasting person starting his Iftar with dates, as the prophet PBUH says, “If one of you breaks his fasting, break it with dates as it is bliss. And if he cannot find any, break it with water as it is purity.”

Also, the importance of eating dates was mentioned in many references, such as:

The prophet PBUH encouraged eating seven dates in the morning every day as it is blissful and it prevents poison and witchcraft by saying, “He who eats seven dates in the morning, no poison or witchcraft shall harm him in that day.”

He also spoke on the importance of having dates in every house, as prophet Mohammed PBUH says, “The occupants of a house with no dates are hungry.”

Also, it was mentioned that A’isha, God bless her, said that the prophet PBUH said, “Dates can heal.”

The Scientific Benefits of Eating Dates in Ramadan:

The qualities of dates suit their great health benefits as they aid the fasters in the process of fasting, as it is known that the body loses a lot of fluids and energy as well as the blood sugar is lowered because of the long-term fasting.

Therefore, it is very important to have foods that have a lot of sugars and energy. And as dates are rich in those, they are the favorite healthy food for the body.

The Importance of Starting Iftar with Dates in Ramadan:

Starting Iftar with dates carries many benefits for the body and the digestive system, and here are some:

·       Dates are some of the most comfortable foods for the body as they can be digested and absorbed quickly. Therefore, they give the body the boost of energy it needs as soon as they’re digested.

·       Eating dates in Ramadan is greatly beneficial as it helps the body acquire all the vitamins and other nutritional values such as the carbohydrates and proteins that are in the variable foods we consume.

·       They regulate the work of the digestive system and reduce its problems like constipation and indigestion as it contains nutritional fibers.

·       Also, dates are rich in healthy sugars that the body needs and lacks during fasting, and they also don’t disrupt or irregulate blood sugar.

·       One of the great benefits of dates is preventing heart diseases as it lowers harmful cholesterol in the blood and prevents its piling in the arteries’ walls and therefore reduces the risk of having any heart diseases.

·       Dates are also rich in active substances that help cleanse and detox the body.

The Benefits of Dates at Sahur:

Dates are considered some of the best foods to consume in the holy month of Ramadan, and especially at Sahur for many reasons such as:

·       The carbohydrates in dates help supply the body with energy which helps the body fight fatigue and exhaustion during the day.

·       Dates have the ability to reduce the disturbances of the digestive system and calm the stomach when eating a large quantity of food during Sahur.

·       The large amount of nutritional fibers in dates give the faster a feeling of being full for a long time and it also reduces the speed of feeling hungry during the day.

·       Furthermore, the large amount of sugars in dates guarantee that the body has the energy it needs to have the abilty to endure the long fasting hours.