Date provides many benefits to mankind. The Holy Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) described dates as a fruit which belongs to heaven and contains the remedy for poison. The use of dates holds a great deal of religious as well cultural importance. Specially, during the holy month of Ramadan, the importance of dates becomes prominent when it is used all over the Muslim world. Moreover, the popularity and significance of dates also becomes evident by the fact that dates and the date tree have been mentioned in the Holy Quran more than 20 times. It has also been mentioned in several Ahadith as well.

Dates are also known as a fruit used to celebrate happiness. It is one of the reasons why dates have been used as a dessert since time immemorial. Dates are also used to celebrate different festivals of several other religions. They are used during Christmas, Diwali as well as Easter.

Dates are full of nutrition. That is why they are used during the month of Ramadan when fasting during the entire day leads to weakness. Dates provide us with nutrition and energy to overcome this weakness. In fact, dates contain all the substances, which are required by our body, particularly during Ramadan after being in a state of fasting for the whole day. These substances include iron, calcium, fats and phosphorus. Dates contain approximately 10.6 percent iron. This is much more than you can find in any other fruit or vegetable.

An extremely fertile land, a desirable atmosphere and a variety of seasons in Pakistan are the facts, which make this country extremely suitable for the cultivation of any fruit and vegetable. That’s why special arrangements have been made in Makran, Khair Pur and DG khan for the cultivation of dates. Therefore, dates are being abundantly cultivated in Pakistan today.

There are many different types of dates. The most popular types of dates are known as “ajwa”, “shami” and Barni. Ajwa and Barni were the favorite types of dates of the Holy Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). A saying of the Holy Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) describes Barni as a remedy for digestive problems. On the other hand, according to the Holy Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Ajwa is the fruit of paradise and carries a remedy for many diseases. Eating seven Ajwa dates early in the morning every day protects one from the effects of poison and the effects of Black Magic.

The latest research has proved the importance of dates in the West as well. That is why they have become popular in the Western countries also.