Ajwa Dates and Heart Problem
Question:
Assalamoalikum,
What is your opinion on a hadith that eating seven dates and its seed could cure the heart disease.
Please give your comments about the authentication about it.
Answer:
Assalamu Alaykum,
The Hadith in the book of Bukhari is as follows:
"مَنِ اصْطَبَحَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ تَمَرَاتٍ عَجْوَةً، لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ سُمٌّ، وَلَا سِحْرٌ ذَلِكَ اليَوْمَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: سَبْعَ تَمَرَاتٍ"
"One who starts the morning every day with the date of Ajwa, poison and magic will not affect him that day till the night. Another narrator metioned seven dates of Ajwa." Bukhari (5768)
I first make a general point about this Hadith and Hadiths like this, and then will make some specific technical points about it.
General point:
The Prophet (pbuh) was a human being and as any human being had views about the affairs of the world based on his personal knowledge and experience. We are bind to follow those directives of the Prophet (pbuh) that are about or relate to our religion. As for those sayings of the Prophet (pbuh) that are entirely limited to the affairs of this world he himself has advised us to the effect that we should not treat them as divinely approved sayings.
It is narrated in Muslim, no. 2363, that when the farmers listened to the advice of the Prophet (pbuh) about not artificially fertilizing the palm trees, the trees did not produce any dates the year after. When they brought this to the attention of the Prophet (pbuh) he said: "You know better about the affairs of your world". If you look at the book of Muslim, you will see that this hadith along with two other similar hadiths are coming under the title:
باب وجوب امتثال ما قاله شرعا دون ما ذكره صلى الله عليه وسلم من معايش الدنيا على سيبل الرأي
"The chapter on obligation of following what he (pbuh) says related to Shar' (religion) and not what he (pbuh) says about the affairs of the world as a personal opinion."
I categorise the Hadith that you mentioned as one that is about the worldly affairs and therefore do not invest on it as a divinely guided information. If any one has heart desease then I think that person needs to consult the doctor and experts instead of seeking cure in a hadith, including this one.
Technical points:
- The Hadith has been narrated in different versions by Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, with one version narrated from Ayesha bint Abibakr and overall it seems to be technically authentic.
- When we add up all the versions of the Hadith, what emerges is as follows: Seven dates of the kind of Ajwa from the palms in al-Aliya in Medina are to be taken for several days on the morning when the stomach is empty.
- The Hadith says that taking these specific dates will take away the effect of magic and the effect of Samm till the night. Samm means poison but it can also mean the toxic material in the body.
I hope this clarifies.
May God be satisfied with the family of the Prophet (pbuh) and his pious companions.
--------------
Related Topics:
- Hadith on Kernel Seed
- What kind of Muslim are you?
--------------
April 2013
Assalamoalikum,
What is your opinion on a hadith that eating seven dates and its seed could cure the heart disease.
Please give your comments about the authentication about it.
Answer:
Assalamu Alaykum,
The Hadith in the book of Bukhari is as follows:
"مَنِ اصْطَبَحَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ تَمَرَاتٍ عَجْوَةً، لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ سُمٌّ، وَلَا سِحْرٌ ذَلِكَ اليَوْمَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: سَبْعَ تَمَرَاتٍ"
"One who starts the morning every day with the date of Ajwa, poison and magic will not affect him that day till the night. Another narrator metioned seven dates of Ajwa." Bukhari (5768)
I first make a general point about this Hadith and Hadiths like this, and then will make some specific technical points about it.
General point:
The Prophet (pbuh) was a human being and as any human being had views about the affairs of the world based on his personal knowledge and experience. We are bind to follow those directives of the Prophet (pbuh) that are about or relate to our religion. As for those sayings of the Prophet (pbuh) that are entirely limited to the affairs of this world he himself has advised us to the effect that we should not treat them as divinely approved sayings.
It is narrated in Muslim, no. 2363, that when the farmers listened to the advice of the Prophet (pbuh) about not artificially fertilizing the palm trees, the trees did not produce any dates the year after. When they brought this to the attention of the Prophet (pbuh) he said: "You know better about the affairs of your world". If you look at the book of Muslim, you will see that this hadith along with two other similar hadiths are coming under the title:
باب وجوب امتثال ما قاله شرعا دون ما ذكره صلى الله عليه وسلم من معايش الدنيا على سيبل الرأي
"The chapter on obligation of following what he (pbuh) says related to Shar' (religion) and not what he (pbuh) says about the affairs of the world as a personal opinion."
I categorise the Hadith that you mentioned as one that is about the worldly affairs and therefore do not invest on it as a divinely guided information. If any one has heart desease then I think that person needs to consult the doctor and experts instead of seeking cure in a hadith, including this one.
Technical points:
- The Hadith has been narrated in different versions by Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, with one version narrated from Ayesha bint Abibakr and overall it seems to be technically authentic.
- When we add up all the versions of the Hadith, what emerges is as follows: Seven dates of the kind of Ajwa from the palms in al-Aliya in Medina are to be taken for several days on the morning when the stomach is empty.
- The Hadith says that taking these specific dates will take away the effect of magic and the effect of Samm till the night. Samm means poison but it can also mean the toxic material in the body.
I hope this clarifies.
May God be satisfied with the family of the Prophet (pbuh) and his pious companions.
--------------
Related Topics:
- Hadith on Kernel Seed
- What kind of Muslim are you?
--------------
April 2013