Abu Dawud narrated in his Sunan that Anas said:
“The Messenger of Allah used to break his fast on some ripe dates, and if he did not have any, on dry dates. Otherwise, if did not have dry dates, he would have several sips of water.”
Ripe dates are just like water, hot and wet, and they are favorable for and strengthen the cold stomach, increase the production of semen and fertility, are suitable for cold temperaments, and are very nutritious.
Ripe dates are the best types of fruit for the people of Al-Medina specifically and for all others in general where ripe dates grow. It is In addition a very beneficial fruit of the body, although ripe dates spoil quickly in the stomach of those who are not used to eating them and thus produce putrid blood. In addition, eating excessive amounts of ripe dates causes headaches and black bile and harms the teeth. Oxymel (Sakanjabin) helps neutralize the irritants that accompany eating ripe dates.
Wisdom in Breaking the Fast: The Prophet’s Choice of Ripe Dates, Dried Dates, or Water
When the Prophet used to break his fast, he used to eat first ripe or dry dates or drink some water. This is a wise decision because fasting empties the stomach of food. Thus the liver would not find any sufficient energy that it could transfer to the various organs. Sweets are the fast food to reach the liver and are favored by the liver, mainly when one eats ripe dates, in which case the liver accepts it even more favorably, benefits from it, and then transfers the benefit to the rest of the organs of the body. If there are no ripe dates available, one should eat dried dates because they are sweet and nutritious. Otherwise, some sips of water would extinguish the heat of the stomach and the Fast. The stomach’s appetite would then increase and become ready to accept (and digest) food.
Leave a Reply