Why are dates used to break the Ramadan fast?

Most Muslims in India and the subcontinent will begin fasting for the holy month of Ramadan (or Ramzan in South Asia) on March 12, 2024. Fasting or Sawm is one of the five pillars of Islam. The other four being Tawhid (Oneness of God), Salat (Prayer), Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah) and Zakaat (Charity or almsgiving to the poor).

Muslims usually fast from dawn to dusk (Sehri and Iftari) during Ramadan. They usually partake a meal at dawn (Sehr) and then forgo food and water till dusk, when the fast is broken with…dates in most parts of the Muslim World and areas home to large Muslim populations.

But why dates? The simple answer could be geography.

Read Why India must conserve its palm trees

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is an important tree of West Asia, where much of the land is desert. Here is UNESCO on the date palm:

Typically found in deserts and dry, temperate climates, the date palm is an evergreen plant with roots that deeply penetrate the earth in search of humidity. Date palms grow in oases in desert areas with suitable water levels for irrigation.

It adds:

The ancient historical relationship between the Arab region and date palms has enabled a rich cultural heritage that has been passed on through generations.

Small wonder then that the date palm has played an important role in the history of all three Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

The Prophet on the date

Another reason why Muslims break the Ramadan fast with dates is because the Prophet of Islam himself spoke about its importance.

The Hadiths — the sayings or acts of Muhammad — have recorded his views on the date. The Kutub Al Sittah is a collection of Hadith literature considered to be ‘authentic’ by most Islamic scholars. These include:

1. Sahih Bukhari.

2. Sahih Muslim.

3. Sunan Abu Dawood.

4. Jame Tirmidhi.

5. Sunan Nasai.

6. Sunan Ibn Majah.

The Sahih Bukhari is one of the most important books on the Hadith. It records the following instance about the date palm tree:

The Prophet said, “Amongst the trees, there is a tree, the leaves of which do not fall and is like a Muslim. Tell me the name of that tree.” Everybody started thinking about the trees of the desert areas. And I thought of the date-palm tree. The others then asked, “Please inform us what is that tree, O Allah’s Apostle?” He replied, “It is the date-palm tree.”

Yet another instance of the importance of the date palm tree can be found in Sahih Bukhari. In it, the Prophet says:

He who eats seven Ajwa dates every morning, will not be affected by poison or magic on the day he eats them.

The Sahih Muslim records him as saying: “Indeed in dates there is a cure.”

And finally, the Jame Tirmidhi records him as saying:

When one of you breaks his fast, let him break it with dates for they are blessed. If they are not found, let him break it with water for it is pure.

Modern science has shown that the date is indeed rich in nutritional qualities.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information, which comes under the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) notes that “Date flesh is found to be low in fat and protein but rich in sugars, mainly fructose and glucose. It is a high source of energy, as 100 g of flesh can provide an average of 314 kcal. Ten minerals were reported, the major being selenium, copper, potassium, and magnesium.”

Dates contain Vitamins B-complex and C. The NIH also notes that consuming 100 grams of dates can provide over 15 per cent of the recommended daily allowance from selenium, copper, potassium, and magnesium.

The fruit is rich in dietary fibre and antioxidants (mainly carotenoids and phenolics) as well.

Subscribe to Daily Newsletter :

SUPPORT US

We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.