Dates fruit are associated with fasting & the month of Ramadan. The nutritious fruits are not only the start of iftar meals but also a part of many desserts prepared during the holy month
But why are dates such an indispensable part of Ramadan food?
A thread on dates & Ramadan
1/ Dates are the fruit of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) tree, which is most widely cultivated in the Middle East, North Africa, Central Africa, Southern Asia, and Southeast Asia.
2/ Historians believe that dates are one of the ancient fruits and their cultivation traces back to around 8,000 years ago. There are more than 200 varieties of dates with different shapes and flavors, however, all of them are rich in nutrition
3/ Dates are a popular food item, not just in the Middle East but all over the world. They have amazing nutritional properties and just a few dates can keep you energised for hours; one of the many reasons people buy them.
4/ The popularity of dates reaches its peak in Ramadan where Muslims worldwide buy kilos worth of dates for their homes. It is the preferred food item of choice to break the fast. There are different types of dates & their benefits range from amazing taste to improving health
5/ Dates or the date-palm are mentioned in the Qur’an 22 times, which is more than any other fruit tree, so we know their significance is rooted deep in Islam. Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) knew of their benefits & greatly enjoyed eating them & encouraged those around him to do the same.
6/ The date was one of Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) favourite and most desired food items. For this reason, many Muslims today consume dates not just during Ramadan but throughout the year, regarding the fruit as part of the blessed prophetic diet.
7/ For Muslims, adopting the habits and practices, or Sunnah, of the Prophet Muhammed (ﷺ) is regarded as something praiseworthy and blessed. This is why Muslims consume dates during Ramadan and throughout the year.
8/ Ramadan is a very popular time to eat dates because the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “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.” [Tirmidhī]
9/ It is customary in many countries for Muslims to break their fast at the time of Iftar by consuming dates. It must be made clear, however, that opening fast with dates is not mandatory, but is something that is preferred.
10/ Dates are also particularly beneficial during Ramadan because they are high in sugar and vitamins such as potassium and magnesium as well as an excellent source of fiber and carbohydrates.
11/ Dates are also known to help with digestion & can prevent an upset stomach when eating large amounts of food after a long period without eating. When not fasting, consumption of dates before a meal will satisfy the sensation of hunger, which in turn helps to avoid overeating.
12/ There are many different types of dates available but some are more prominent than others and stand out from the rest due to their amazing qualities.
13/ Ajwa Dates
Also known as the ‘Holy Dates’ they hold a great importance in Islamic tradition. This delicious date comes in dark brown to almost a black colour texture. Ajwa Dates have a sweet-fruity flavour & are also very well known to boost your immunity.
14/ Medjool Dates
They are larger in size and with a very small seed. These soft dates have a rich, almost caramel-like taste and chewy texture. One is enough to fill you up &provide you with tons of vitamins. Sweet & delicious, they help to make your immune system strong.
15/ Mabroom Dates
A sweet delight to your tastebuds. They are sweetest of all the dates and have a sticky feel to them. Mabroom dates are packed with zinc and magnesium. This treat has a mild toffee-like flavor.
16/ Black Omani Dates
These dates work as a natural sweetener & are a great replacement for artificial sweeteners. Also known for improving blood quality & hemoglobin. Include Omani dates with your breakfast and notice the improvement in your strength.
17/ Kalmi Dates
Dark coloured dates they are a nutritious and sweet delight to eat. They are high in potassium & known to help in improving bone health.
18/ According to Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said
“Whoever has seven Ajwa dates every morning, he will not be harmed on that day by poison or magic.” [Bukhari]
19/ Stuffed Dates are a popular Ramadan treat made with dates that you cut open and stuff with various fillings
20/ During Ramadan dates are topped and garnished with chocolate, coconut, crushed nuts or chopped up dried fruits and given as gifts
21/ Which is your favourite date?
Credit @YoursMemely
We wish you lots of blessings and peace for your Ramadan preparations
Discover more about the tradition of breaking the fast with dates in Ramadan:
In Islam, Hajj is the annual pilgrimage made to the Kaaba, the ‘House of God’ in the city of Mecca. The Kaaba is covered in a Kiswah — a black silk cloth, exquisitely embroidered in gold
Every year, artisans work on creating a new Kiswah
A thread on the art of making the Kiswah
1/ The Kiswah is the cloth that covers the Kaaba. The term Kiswah means ‘robe’ & is also known as the ‘Ghilaf’. Hanging the Kiswah, a huge piece of black silk embroidered with gold patterns & verses from the Quran, over the Kaaba symbolises the start of the Hajj pilgrimage season
2/ Meaning cube in Arabic, the Kaaba is a square building unlike almost any other religious structure. It is fifteen meters tall and ten and a half meters on each side; its corners roughly align with the cardinal directions.
‘Traveling leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller’
- Ibn Battuta
The most famous explorer in the Muslim World, Ibn Battuta, travelled more than any other explorer in pre-modern history - around 117,000 km!
A thread on the 14th century explorer Ibn Battuta…
1/ Ibn Battuta was born in 1304 CE in Tangier, Morocco. His travelogue the Rihla is his most important work. His journeys in the Rihla lasted for a period of almost thirty years, covering nearly the whole of the known Islamic world & beyond.
2/ Ibn Battuta travelled more than any other explorer in pre-modern history, surpassing Zheng He with 50,000 km (31,000 mi) and Marco Polo with 24,000 km. His total distance travelled was approximately 117,000 km (73,000 mi) (15,000 mi).
The Qur’an was first revealed during the month of Ramadan. This blessed month is also known by Muslims as the month of Fasting
To celebrate the arrival of #Ramadan here are 24 beautiful Qur’anic manuscripts found in museum collections across the world #RamadanMubarak
A thread…
1/ Folio from a Manuscript of the Qur'an
Iran, Shiraz, 1550-1575
Ink, colors and gold on paper
@LACMA #Ramadan
@LACMA 2/ Double Folio from a Qur'an
c. 1330-1350, Central Asian or Turkish
Early Muslim settlers from central and western Asia carried Islamic book traditions into India, especially in the form of Qur'ans, such as the one from which these pages come
Shah-i-Zinda is one Samarkand’s most beloved sites, which contains some of the richest tile work in the world. The magnificent architecture draws inspiration from multiple periods & styles, taking you back through time & across cultures
A thread on the beauty of Shah-i-Zinda…
1/ The Shah-i-Zinda ensemble includes mausoleums, mosques & other ritual buildings of 11-15th & 19th centuries. The name Shah-i-Zinda (meaning The living king) is connected with the legend that Qutham ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is buried here
📷 Ash Diler
2/ Shah-i-Zinda is a world-famous example of a continuously constructed historical site. Over 1,000 years ago, it was founded with a single religious monument. Between the 11th & 19th centuries, mosques & mausoleums were continuously added
From Spain to Azerbaijan, to Germany to Bosnia, Europe has some of the finest mosques.
The presence of Islam in Europe is not a new phenomenon, with Muslims residing in the continent as early as the 8th century.
Here are 24 mosques across Europe #JummahMubarak
A thread…
1/ Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque, Mostar, Bosnia
Dates back to 1617 & features numerous multicolored windows, a minaret with a lookout spot & a courtyard with several tombs. Although the original Ottoman mosque was heavily damaged during the attacks of the 1990s it has been restored
2/ The Shah Jahan Mosque, Woking, England
This is the first purpose built mosque that was built in the UK.
It was built in 1889 by Dr Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner, an orientalist of Jewish descent from Hungary. Money was donated by Begum Shah Jahan, the Nawab Begum of Bhopal.
Welcome to Al-Mutanabbi Street the ‘Book Market of Baghdad’, where books remain in the street at night because Iraqis say:
“The reader does not steal and the thief does not read.”
A thread on the rich heritage of the historic book market on Al-Mutanabbi Street…
1/ Al-Mutanabbi Street is the historic center of Baghdad bookselling, that dates back to the time of the Abbasids. Located near the old quarter of Baghdad, Al-Mutanabbi Street was Baghdad’s first book traders’ market.
2/ Al-Mutanabbi Street has been, since time immemorial, the historic heart and soul of the Baghdad literary and intellectual community.