ALMISKEENAH

Dates….

Dates…..more…again….still!

Subhanallah, the succulent, small, fleshy, burgundy-black fresh Madian Ajwa dates now in the markets are truly from Jannah, as our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said! They are more expensive than the dried ones, but well worth paying that little bit extra. Walking around the main date market south west of Haram* trucks line the roads delivering supplies, while labourers sit packaging ten kilo boxes, soon to be carried back to countries all over the world for family and friends of the millions of visitors constantly coming and going to and from Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah. Wish I could send some via email to you all I see across the globe passing by this humble page!

Seeing that I am unable to share the real dates with you, I continue with more stories from Ahadith that mention dates.

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Salman al-Farsi RadhiAllahu anhu, prior to his embracing Islam was very curious about all that he heard regarding the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. But he still harboured doubts as to believing all that came to his notice. During his extensive travels he had heard from various priests and Rabbis that a new prophet would appear in the Hijaz, that he would have a mark between his shoulders, the symbol of the seal of Prophethood, and that he accepted gifts, but not charity. One evening Salman al-Farsi RadhiAllahu anhu had the opportunity to test if Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was who so many were pledging allegiance to. He went to Quba where the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was at the time and offered him some dates saying: "I have heard that you are a righteous man and that you have companions RadhiAllahu anhum with you who are strangers and are in need. Here is something from me as sadaqah. I see that you are more deserving of it than others." The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam ordered his companions RadhiAllahu anhum to eat but he himself did not eat of them. Salman al-Farsi RadhiAllahu anhu gathered some more dates and when the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was leaving Quba for Madinah he went to him and said: "I noticed that you did not eat of the sadaqah I gave. This however is a gift for you." Of this gift of dates, both the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and his companions RadhiAllahu anhum ate. Salman al-Farsi RadhiAllahu anhu knew that only the true Prophet would act accordingly.

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Abu Hurairah RadhiAllahu anhu used to have a bag that he carried dates in wherever he went. During one of the battles there was an acute shortage of food, so he brought his bag containing a few dates to the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam requesting, "Ask Allah for a blessing on them, O Messenger of Allah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam." He took them and prayed that I might have a blessing on them and said, "Take them and as often as you wish to take any, put in your hand and take them, but do not scatter them." Those few dates sufficed the entire army with some remaining.  Abu Hurairah RadhiAllahu anhu said he was blessed with the equivalent of many camel-loads from those dates in Allah’s cause, eating of them and giving others something to eat. This Barakah continued undisturbed and the bag never left his side until the day Uthman RadhiAllahu anhu was killed, when the disturbances seemed to contribute to him losing his date bag. It was reported that he said that the loss of this date bag was a great calamity for him.

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Aishah RadhiAllahu anha said that a woman came to her with her two daughters asking her for something, but she did not have anything in the house except for one date, which she gave her. The woman divided it between her two daughters, not eating from it herself, the she stood and left. When the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam returned to the house of Aishah RadhiAllahu anha she told him what had happened. He SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: "Whoever is tested by these girls, they will be as a shield for him from the fire." Meaning that whoever is tested by the needs of his daughters and treats them generously will be protected from Jahannam due to their generosity. SubhanAllah!

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When the uncle of Abu Rafi ibn Amr al-Ghifari was a boy he used to throw stones at the palm-trees of the Ansar. He was brought to the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam who said: "O boy, why do you throw stones at the palm-trees?" He explained that he would throw the stones in the hope of making the dates fall to the ground so he could eat from them.  The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: "Do not throw stones at the palm trees, but eat what falls beneath them." He then wiped his head and said: "O Allah, fill his belly."

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Many narrations relate to how women would seek advice from the various wives of the Prophet RadhiAllahu anhunna on the use of dates. Umm Salamah RadhiAllahu anha said that the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam forbade them from boiling dates so much so that the kernels became spoiled. Raisins were steeped for the Apostle of Allah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and then dried dates were infused in them, or dried dates were steeped and then raisins were infused in them. And another version tells that Aishah RadhiAllahu anha would steep dates for the Apostle of Allah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam in the morning. When the evening came, he took his dinner and drank this infusion after his dinner. If anything remained, she poured it out. She then would steep another lot in the evening, ready for our Noble Messenger SallAllahu alaihi wasallam to drink after he finished his morning meal. The skin vessel which they used for this purpose would be washed in the morning and in the evening.

Safiyyah RadhiAllahu anha, daughter of Atiyyah RadhiAllahu anha, said: I entered upon Aishah RadhiAllahu anha with some women of Abdul Qays, and asked her about mixing dried dates and raisins as a drink. She explained that she would take a handful of dried dates and a handful of raisins and put them in a vessel, crush them,  soak them in water, and then give it to the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam to drink.

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Abu Hurairah RadhiAllahu anhu reports: "When the people saw new fruit, they used to come and present it to Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and he would read the following Du’a:

"O Allah, Bless us in our fruits. Bless us in our city. Bless us in our ‘Saa, and bless us in our ‘Mudd (these were the two measures in Madinah to weigh dates etc) O Allah, verily Ibrahim Alaihis Salaam is Your servant, friend and Nabi. And most certainly I am also Your servant and Nabi. And whatever he has supplicated to You for Makkah,

….so make the hearts of some people fond of them, and provide them with fruits, that they may be grateful. (14:37)

I supplicate the same to You for Madinah." From Shamaa-il Tirmidhi.

 

O Allah, may we too be grateful for the abundance of dates You continue to provide for the Ummah in this Sacred City of Radiance and Light. And may we continue to open our hearts to all the narrations You have preserved for our constant seeking of Sacred Knowledge. O Allah, may You continue to bless Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah with the bounties of dates and produce till the End of Times. Ameen.

 

And ….yes…..there will be more on dates, Insha’Allah!

 

 

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Ameen.