Authentic Aḥādīth Concerning ʿAjwah Dates
- On the authority of Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ , the Messenger of Allah said:
مَنِ اصْطَبَحَ بِسَبْعِ تَمَرَاتِ عَجْوَةٍ لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ سَمٌّ وَلَا سِحْرٌ.
“Whoever eats seven ʿAjwah dates in the morning will not be harmed by poison or magic on that day.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, no. 5779; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 2047)
- On the authority of ʿĀʾishah , the Messenger of Allah said:
إِنَّ فِي عَجْوَةِ الْعَالِيَةِ شِفَاءً، أَوْ إِنَّهَا تِرْيَاقٌ، أَوَّلَ الْبُكْرَةِ.
“Indeed, there is healing in the ʿAjwah dates of al-ʿĀliyah, or they are an antidote when eaten early in the morning.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 2048)
ʿAjwah dates are distinguished as blessed fruits. Allah has placed goodness and blessing in dates and fresh dates, and palm trees are mentioned generally in several verses of the Noble Qurʾān and in the authentic Sunnah.
Allah, the Most High, says:
﴿وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ نَبَاتَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهُ خَضِرًا نُّخْرِجُ مِنْهُ حَبًّا مُّتَرَاكِبًا وَمِنَ النَّخْلِ مِن طَلْعِهَا قِنْوَانٌ دَانِيَةٌ﴾
“And it is He Who sends down water [rain] from the sky, and with it We bring forth vegetation of all kinds, and from it We bring forth green stalks, from which We bring forth thick clustered grain. And out of the date-palm and its spathe come forth clusters of dates hanging low and near.” [Q 6:99]
﴿وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنشَأَ جَنَّاتٍ مَّعْرُوشَاتٍ وَغَيْرَ مَعْرُوشَاتٍ وَالنَّخْلَ وَالزَّرْعَ مُخْتَلِفًا أُكُلُهُ﴾
“And it is He Who produces gardens trellised and untrellised, and date-palms, and crops of different shape and taste [their fruits and their seeds].” [Q 6:141]
﴿فَأَجَاءَهَا الْمَخَاضُ إِلَىٰ جِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ قَالَتْ يَا لَيْتَنِي مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَٰذَا وَكُنتُ نَسْيًا مَّنسِيًّا﴾
“And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She said: ‘Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!’” [Q 19:23]
﴿وَهُزِّي إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تُسَاقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًا جَنِيًّا﴾
“And shake the trunk of the date-palm towards you; it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you.” [Q 19:25]
﴿وَنَزَّلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً مُّبَارَكًا فَأَنبَتْنَا بِهِ جَنَّاتٍ وَحَبَّ الْحَصِيدِ وَالنَّخْلَ بَاسِقَاتٍ لَّهَا طَلْعٌ نَّضِيدٌ﴾
“And We send down blessed water [rain] from the sky, then We produce therewith gardens and grain that are reaped. And tall date-palms, with ranged clusters.” [Q 50:9–10]
﴿فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَالنَّخْلُ ذَاتُ الْأَكْمَامِ﴾
“Wherein are fruits and date-palms producing sheathed fruit-stalks.” [Q 55:11]
Authentic Aḥādīth Concerning ʿAjwah Dates
In the authentic aḥādīth, it is reported that the Prophet said:
مَنِ اصْطَبَحَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ تَمَرَاتٍ عَجْوَةً، لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ سُمٌّ، وَلَا سِحْرٌ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: سَبْعَ تَمَرَاتٍ.
“Whoever eats ʿAjwah dates every morning will not be harmed by poison or magic that day until the night.” Another narrator said: “Seven dates.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, no. 5768)
In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, it is reported:
مَنْ أَكَلَ سَبْعَ تَمَرَاتٍ مِمَّا بَيْنَ لَابَتَيْهَا حِينَ يُصْبِحُ، لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ سُمٌّ حَتَّى يُمْسِيَ.
“Whoever eats seven dates from the area between its two lava fields in the morning will not be harmed by poison until the evening.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 2047)
Abū Hurayrah reported:
كَانَ النَّاسُ إِذَا رَأَوْا أَوَّلَ الثَّمَرِ جَاؤُوا بِهِ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ، فَإِذَا أَخَذَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ قَالَ: «اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي ثَمَرِنَا، وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِي مَدِينَتِنَا، وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِي صَاعِنَا، وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِي مُدِّنَا، اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَبْدُكَ وَخَلِيلُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ، وَإِنِّي عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ، وَإِنَّهُ دَعَاكَ لِمَكَّةَ، وَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ لِلْمَدِينَةِ بِمِثْلِ مَا دَعَاكَ لِمَكَّةَ، وَمِثْلِهِ مَعَهُ». قَالَ: ثُمَّ يَدْعُو أَصْغَرَ وَلِيدٍ لَهُ فَيُعْطِيهِ ذَلِكَ الثَّمَرَ.
“When the people saw the first fruits of the season, they would bring them to the Prophet . When the Messenger of Allah received them, he would say: ‘O Allah, bless our fruits for us, bless our city for us, bless our ṣāʿ for us, and bless our mudd for us. O Allah, indeed Ibrāhīm is Your servant, Your close friend and Your Prophet, and I am Your servant and Your Prophet. He supplicated to You for Makkah, and I supplicate to You for Madīnah with the like of what he supplicated to You for Makkah, and the like of it along with it.’ He would then call the youngest child present and give him that fruit.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 1373)
Statements of the Scholars Regarding ʿAjwah Dates
Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Bāz
Shaykh Ibn Bāz said:
وأيضًا من العلاج، يقول النبي : «من تصبح بسبع تمرات من عجوة المدينة لم يضره سم ولا سحر»، وفي لفظ: «مما بين لابتيها»، يعني من تمر المدينة كله لم يضره سم ولا سحر، ويرجى في بقية التمر كذلك إذا تصبح بسبع تمرات أن الله ينفعه بذلك أيضًا.
“This is also a form of treatment. The Prophet said: ‘Whoever eats seven dates from the ʿAjwah dates of Madīnah in the morning will not be harmed by poison or magic.’ In another wording, it states: ‘from what lies between its two lava fields’, meaning from all the dates of Madīnah: he will not be harmed by poison or magic. It is hoped that the same applies to other dates, and that if a person eats seven dates in the morning, Allah will also grant him benefit through them.”
Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn
Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn was asked: “How authentic is the ḥadīth which states that whoever eats seven dates in the morning will not be harmed by magic or poison?”
He replied:
نعم هذا حديث صحيح، إذا تصبح الإنسان بسبع تمرات فإنه لا يصيبه ذلك اليوم سم ولا سحر، ولكن في بعض ألفاظ الحديث أن هذه التمرات قيدت بتمر العجوة، وفي بعضها قيدت بتمر العالية، فمن العلماء من قال: إنه يتقيد بهذا التمر وليس ذلك ثابتًا لكل تمر، ومنهم من أخذ بالحديث المطلق، وهو أن أي تمر يتصبح به الإنسان فإنه إذا تصبح بسبع تمرات لا يصيبه في ذلك اليوم سم ولا سحر. وعلى كل حال فالإنسان إذا أفطر بهذه السبع، يعني تصبح بها، فإن كان الحديث مطلقًا حصل له ذلك، وإن لم يكن مطلقًا وكان مقيدًا بتمر العجوة أو بتمر العالية فإن هذه السبع لا تضره.
“Yes, this is an authentic ḥadīth. If a person eats seven dates in the morning, he will not be afflicted by poison or magic on that day. However, in some wordings of the ḥadīth, these dates are specified as ʿAjwah dates, while in others they are specified as the dates of al-ʿĀliyah.
“Some scholars have said that the ruling is restricted to these particular dates and does not apply to all dates. Others have said that the unrestricted wording of the ḥadīth should be acted upon, meaning that whichever dates a person eats in the morning, if he eats seven of them, he will not be afflicted by poison or magic on that day.
“In any case, if a person begins his morning by eating these seven dates, then if the ḥadīth is unrestricted, he will attain this benefit. If, however, it is restricted to ʿAjwah dates or the dates of al-ʿĀliyah, then these seven dates will not harm him.”
Shaykh ʿAbd al-Muḥsin al-ʿAbbād, may Allah preserve him
Shaykh ʿAbd al-Muḥsin al-ʿAbbād was asked: “Has a narration been reported from the Messenger of Allah concerning the ʿAjwah dates of Madīnah? Is it authentic that they provide protection against magic?”
He replied:
وردت أحاديث عن رسول الله فيها ألفاظ مطلقة، وفيها ألفاظ أنه من تمر العجوة، وجاء من ذلك قوله: «من تصبح بسبع تمرات عجوة لم يضره في ذلك اليوم سحر»، فهو وقاية، وهذا يدل على أن هناك أمورًا تتخذ للوقاية من الأمراض ومن الأشياء التي تحصل في المستقبل، وكلها بمشيئة الله وإرادته، والله تعالى قدر الأسباب وقدر المسببات. فهذا يدلنا على أن تعاطي مثل هذه التمرات صباح كل يوم فيه وقاية من ذلك الذي ذكره رسول الله الذي هو السحر، وفيه أيضًا دليل على أن التطعيم والتلقيح ضد أمراض مستقبلة أو أمراض يخشى منها في المستقبل سائغ وأنه لا بأس به، وهذا الحديث يدل عليه؛ لأن الرسول يقول: «من تصبح بسبع تمرات عجوة لم يضره في ذلك اليوم سحر»، يعني بتناوله تلك التمرات. ثم إن الحديث ورد في العجوة، لكن الإنسان إذا لم يتمكن من ذلك وأكل من تمرات بناء على ما جاء في بعض الأحاديث المطلقة فيرجى إن شاء الله أن يكون في ذلك الفائدة.
“Aḥādīth have been reported from the Messenger of Allah with unrestricted wordings, as well as wordings specifying ʿAjwah dates. Among them is his statement: ‘Whoever eats seven ʿAjwah dates in the morning will not be harmed by magic that day.’
“This indicates that it is a means of protection. It demonstrates that there are things a person may take as a precaution against diseases and matters that may occur in the future. All of this takes place by the will and decree of Allah. Allah has decreed both the causes and their outcomes.
“This ḥadīth also indicates that vaccination and immunisation against future diseases, or diseases that a person fears may affect him in the future, are permissible and unobjectionable. This is because the Prophet said: ‘Whoever eats seven ʿAjwah dates in the morning will not be harmed by magic that day’, meaning that he takes these dates as a means of protection.
“The ḥadīth mentions ʿAjwah dates specifically. However, if a person cannot obtain them and instead eats other dates, acting upon the unrestricted wording found in some narrations, then it is hoped, if Allah wills, that he will also benefit.”
Nutritional Benefits of Dates
A nutrition consultant explains that although dates are small fruits, they contain considerable nutritional value because they contain vitamins, sugars, proteins, minerals, salts and other nutrients.
It is reported from the Messenger of Allah that he said:
يَا عَائِشَةُ، بَيْتٌ لَا تَمْرَ فِيهِ جِيَاعٌ أَهْلُهُ، يَا عَائِشَةُ، بَيْتٌ لَا تَمْرَ فِيهِ جِيَاعٌ أَهْلُهُ. قَالَهَا مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلَاثًا.
“O ʿĀʾishah, a household in which there are no dates will be hungry. O ʿĀʾishah, a household in which there are no dates will be hungry.” He repeated this twice or three times. (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 2046)
The name ʿAjwah refers to a particular type of date associated with Madīnah. It is mentioned in the aḥādīth of the Prophet in connection with protection against poison and magic, in addition to its nutritional benefits.
The palm trees that produce ʿAjwah dates are tall and have white markings along their lower trunks. The fruit itself is very dark, almost black, and oblong in shape. Two types are commonly mentioned: ʿAjwah al-ʿĀliyah, described as the original variety found near the Prophet’s Mosque, and the ʿAjwah of Madīnah, which is cultivated in Madīnah. Scholars have described it as among the finest varieties of dates, and it is blessed through the supplication of the Prophet .
The following benefits have been attributed to ʿAjwah dates:
They are said to help the body eliminate toxins and germs and to cleanse the stomach when eaten in the morning on an empty stomach. They may be eaten as they are or soaked overnight in hot water, with the water consumed alongside the dates.
It has been claimed that eating seven, or five, dates each morning on an empty stomach helps treat liver conditions, particularly when exposure to toxins leads to elevated liver enzymes. These claims attribute the effect to the supposed ability of ʿAjwah dates to eliminate toxins.
- They contain vitamin C, sodium, potassium and other vitamins, which are said to help protect the body against toxins.
- They are said to help protect against anaemia because they contain iron, copper and vitamin B2.
- They are said to support concentration and attention and to help address loss of appetite.
- They have been described as a treatment for rheumatism and brain cancer because of their boron content.
- They are said to help lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
- They contain fluoride, which helps protect teeth against decay.
- They contain tannins, which have been associated with the treatment of cholera.
- They are described as having anti-inflammatory properties, particularly in relation to skin inflammation, due to their vitamin C content.
- They are said to help relieve stomach acidity because they contain chlorine, sodium and potassium.
- They have been claimed to help treat eye pain and hair loss because of their vitamin B2 content.
- They have also been claimed to help treat night blindness.
References
- The Qurʾān: [Q 6:99], [Q 6:141], [Q 19:23], [Q 19:25], [Q 50:9–10], [Q 55:11].
- Al-Bukhārī, Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl (d. 256 AH/870 CE), Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (as-Sulṭāniyyah edition), Kitāb aṭ-Ṭibb, nos. 5768 (7/138) and 5779 (7/140).
- Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj (d. 261 AH/875 CE), Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, ed. Muḥammad Fuʾād ʿAbd al-Bāqī, no. 1373 (2/1000); Kitāb al-Ashribah, nos. 2046, 2047 (3/1618) and 2048 (3/1619).
- Ibn Bāz, ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn ʿAbd Allāh (d. 1420 AH/1999 CE), Fatāwā Nūr ʿalā ad-Darb, ed. Muḥammad ash-Shuwayʿir, 3/297.
- Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ (d. 1421 AH/2001 CE), Fatāwā Nūr ʿalā ad-Darb, section on the authenticity of the ḥadīth “Whoever eats seven dates in the morning…”; also published on the Shaykh’s official website.
- Al-ʿAbbād, ʿAbd al-Muḥsin ibn Ḥamad, Sharḥ Sunan Abī Dāwūd (transcribed audio lessons), lesson 123, question “ʿAjwat al-Madīnah ʿilāj li-s-siḥr”.
