Imagine that you were living before the time of the prophet SAW. Divine scripts have foresaid the coming of the seal of prophethood. So everyone keen to know where he would come. What were the signs and the probable place? Hazrat Salmaan Farsi r.a. heard it from a monk: ‘’..the last prophet would emigrate to a land whereby there would be volcanic rocks and lot of date palm trees…’’(Baihaqi)

Allah Ta`ala has prescribed fresh rutab dates to Hazrat Mariam a.s. at time of delivery(19:25). And know that the blessed tree mentioned in the holy Qur-aan is the date palm tree: ‘’Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?’’(14:24) It is reported in Bukhari that the beloved prophet SAW was presented to eat from the heart of a palm tree whereby he asked: ‘’Which tree that its leaves does not fall and is as beneficial to others like the muslim?’’ Abdullah bin Umar r.a. knew the answer, but ashamed, he kept quiet. The beloved prophet SAW then said: ‘’The date palm tree!’’. Like a muslim is anchored with imaan and benefit others with da`wat and good manners, the date palm tree anchors in the ground and extend its shades to anyone coming near.

The coir or the fibres taken from the trunk of the date palm were used to fill the leather pillow of the beloved prophet SAW. Know that it is sunnah to drink nabeez of dates. The preparation is done by soaking unpitted dates in water for one night in a covered untensil. Then in the morning, press the dates and drink the water.

Know that before the mimbar, the beloved prophet SAW used to lean against the trunk of a date palm tree. At the site of Masjid An Nabawi SAW, there were date palm trees. They went cut off and their trunks became the pillars of the masjid. The roof of the masjid was date palm branches and the carpet was pure soil! Refer to the hadith of lailatul qadr where the beloved prophet SAW made sajdah in mud.

To start life, the beloved prophet SAW used to chew some dates and then make the tahneek or put a piece of chewed dates in the mouth of the new born baby as the first meal! The beloved prophet SAW used to consume fresh dates(rutubs) or any dates and also water as iftaar.(Abu Dawood) He said also: ‘’Dates are really a good meal for sehri!’’(Abu Dawood).

Except for sickly people, diabetics and conjunctivitis(soared eyes), the sunnah of dates is as good daily at home, during travelling and during famines. Bhai Abdul Wahab d.b. said that keep even the pits of dates because sahabas (during famine)used to live with one date a day, chewing the rest of the day its pit!

So sunnah to put the dates on the menu of your Iftaar, sehri, breakfast and a starter for all menus!

If you have a garden, then do plant a date palm tree as the beloved prophet SAW did plant date palm trees with his mubarak hands.