Secret behind Dates

PROPHET Muhammad (pbuh) gave special attention to dates as part of the believer's diet, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. Allah Almighty mentioned palm trees many times in the Qur'an, and made its fruit the food of the dwellers of paradise.

So what are the secrets of this great nutriment? Is it possible to think of using dates as remedy for some diseases? What do scientists of today say about dates?

Dates are one of the most nourishing fruits and it is sometimes called the "bread of desert." More than two third of dates' weight is natural sugar.

This fruit was highly esteemed by the ancient civilizations more than 5,000 years ago. Ancient Egyptians considered dates as a symbol of fertility, while the Romans and the Greeks used it to ornament their stately triumph pageants. Today, dates are widely grown in the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Spain, Italy and the United States. There are more than 600 varieties of dates.

Dates and the pre-birth period
Dates stimulate the uterus by regulating and hastening its contractions to facilitate delivery. The uterus is a relatively large muscular organ and it urgently requires an adequate supply of natural sugar during labor and delivery.
Being a laxative, dates are essential for pregnant women before delivery in order to purge the colon and intestine and to facilitate delivery. The Qura'nic verse explains this, as Allah tells Mary: And shake the trunk of the palm tree towards thee - thou wilt cause ripe dates to fall upon thee [Mariam - 25]

Nutriment and medicine for children
Dates contain natural sugar which is easily absorbed and digested. Thus, it is safe and comforting for children's stomach and intestine. And date juice is useful especially if we mix it with milk - it becomes a very nourishing and restorative drink for children and adults. Dates and honey paste, taken three times a day, is used for the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery in children,
This paste also comforts and hardens the gums during teething and it facilitates the process.

Treatment for obesity
The wide variety of nutritious elements in dates makes it hunger resistive. The cause behind obesity is a persisting feeling of hunger and an appetite for food which drives a person to consume larger amounts of fats and sugar when he eat his meal.
So, treatment by eating a few dates when feeling hungry helps reduce hunger and be filled. These dates provide the body with the necessary sugar and stimulate the intestine, which reduce hunger greatly, and eventually, reduce food consumption. The Prophet's saying shows this: A household that has dates doesn't feel hunger. [Narrated by Muslim].

Remedy for liver and other inflammations
Dates remedy the liver and purge it from toxins. Breaking the fast with dates is one of the most magnificent of natural remedies for the maintenance and purging the liver from accumulated toxins. Also, drinking dates' juice the treatment of sore throat, various types of fever, rhinorrhis and common cold.

Having high medicinal and nutritious value, dates are expected to be the best food for the future. Dates contain as high a percentage as 88 percent of carbohydrate (starch), 2.5-5 percent) of fat, (2.3-5.6 percent) of Protein and (6.4-11.5 percent) of vitamins and dietary fiber. The flesh contains (0.2-5 percent) of oil, whereas the seed's weight is (7.7 -9.7 percent) oil. The weight of the seed is ( 6.6 - 14.2 percent) of the date's weight.

Dates contain Vitamins A, B1 and B2, and fluorine which prevents teeth decay. Other minerals found in various proportions in dates include boron, calcium, cobalt, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, sodium and zinc.

Additionally, the seeds contain aluminum, cadmium, chloride, lead and sulfur in various proportions. Selenium, element believed to help prevent cancer and important in immune function, is also found in dates.

If you are feeling weak, don't hesitate to take seven dates (70 gm) in the morning as the Prophet (pbuh) recommended. You will actually be taking 70 milligrams of calcium, which is very useful for the bones, joints and nerves; 35 milligrams of phosphorus, which is nutritious for the brain; and 7 milligrams of iron, which strengthens the body in general and the heart in particular.

It's also suitable for reducing weight as it contains only 0.25 gm of fat. This prophetic meal also regulates and stimulates the bowels with the 10 gm of dietary fiber it contains.

Acts that Benefit the Dead

Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"A man's status will be raised in Paradise and he will ask,
'How did I get here?'
He will be told,
'By your son's du`a's (prayers) for forgiveness for you."
(Reported by Ibn Majah)

Elaborating on the acts that can benefit the dead, Sheikh M. S. Al-Munajjid, a prominent Saudi Muslim lecturer and author, states:

"Islam has explained what actions on the part of the living may benefit the dead, and what may reach them in their graves. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When a person dies, all his deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge (which he has left behind), or a righteous child who will pray for him." (Reported by at-Tirmidhi with a good chain of transmission)

The most important thing that will benefit the deceased is to strive to pray for him/her and ask for forgiveness and mercy for him, and for Paradise and salvation from the Fire, and other good and beautiful du`a's (supplications) . Prayers for forgiveness offered by both sons and daughters of the deceased bring great benefits, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"A man's status will be raised in Paradise and he will ask, 'How did I get here?' He will be told, 'By your son's du`a's (prayers) for forgiveness for you." (Reported by Ibn Majah)

Another thing that may reach the deceased is sadaqah (charity) given on his behalf, because 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) reported that a man said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "My mother has passed away, and if she could have spoken, she would have given something in charity. Will she receive a reward if I give something on her behalf?" He said, "Yes." (Reported by al-Bukhari)

Other deeds that may also benefit the deceased are Hajj and `Umrah on their behalf, after the living person has first performed Hajj and `Umrah on his or her own behalf. 'Abdullah ibn Buraydah reported that his father (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "While I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), a woman came to him and said: 'I gave my mother a slave-woman in charity, and now my mother has died.' He said: 'You have got your reward, and your right of inheritance has brought your gift back to you.' She said, 'O Messenger of Allah, she still had one month to fast – can I fast it on her behalf?' He said, 'Fast it on her behalf.' She said, 'She never went to Hajj – can I perform Hajj on her behalf?' He said, 'Perform Hajj on her behalf.' " (Reported by Muslim)

This shows that it is also permissible to fast on behalf of the deceased.

Another thing that may benefit the deceased is to fulfil their nadhr (vow), because Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that a woman came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "My mother made a vow to perform Hajj but she died before she could do it. Can I perform Hajj on her behalf?" He said, "Yes, perform Hajj on her behalf. Don't you think that if your mother owed a debt you would pay it off?" She said, "Yes." He said, "Then pay off what is owed to Allah, for Allah is more deserving of having vows fulfilled." (Reported by al-Bukhari)

Another thing that may benefit the deceased is if his relative devotes a share to him of a sacrifice he offers. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) offered a sacrifice, he said: "In the name of Allah, O Allah, on behalf of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad." (Reported by Muslim) - The family of Muhammad included both the living and the dead."
Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.islam-qa. com

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, adds:
"We read in a number of traditions that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told the children whose parents had passed away to give charities or perform pilgrimages, etc. on their behalf. Based on such traditions, most of the scholars are of the opinion that children may do all kinds of charitable or good deeds on behalf of their parents; once they are performed with the intention of sending their rewards to them, Allah, out of His sheer mercy, will convey rewards to them.

Many scholars include reading of the Qur'an in this category of permissible good works that one may do on behalf of one's deceased parents or relatives. They have done so based on their reasoning that there is no reason to exclude such an act from the above general permissions granted by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Thus it has become an almost a widely accepted practice in the Muslim community; the Muslims throughout the centuries have been practising the same; so one should never object to it. But having said this I must add a word of caution: One must not do this by setting a fixed date such as the seventh day, the fortieth day or the death anniversaries, etc. for by setting aside such dates for specific rituals we incur the sin of making innovations in religion."
Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.muslims. ca
Question: Is it okay to read the Qur'an and send the rewards to one's deceased parents or relatives?
In his response to the question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
"The Sunnah of the Prophet and his companions, as reported in the sources, is to offer supplications and pray for the deceased. The Qur'an reminds us that we should pray for all the believers who have passed on before us. Besides offering supplications, there is no record in the sources that the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) and his Companions were in the habit of reading the Qur'an and sending rewards to their loved ones who had passed away.

However, the Prophet was asked on a number of occasions by individuals whether they were allowed to perform Hajj and give charity on behalf of their deceased parents. His answer to such questions always was in the affirmative. In other words, he did not stop people from making Hajj or giving charity on behalf of their deceased parents or relatives.
Scholars who reflected on the above traditions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) posed the question: Does this apply only to Hajj and charity? Or does it extend beyond these to include all acts of devotion and worship such as reading the Qur'an and performing nafl (supererogatory) prayers, etc.?

One group of scholars said it was only limited to Hajj and charity and could not be extended to acts of worship such as prayers and reading of the Qur'an. This view is held by a number of scholars from various accepted schools of jurisprudence. However, another group of scholars, belonging to all of the major schools, said: There is no reason to exclude reading of the Qur'an and prayers from the above permission granted by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Accordingly, they are of the opinion that a person is allowed to read the Qur'an and pray to Allah to send the rewards to their deceased parents and relatives. However, this group explicitly prohibits the practice of hiring people to read the Qur'an, or making a ritual of gathering to read the Qur'an on a set date after death. Such a practice would amount to introducing a bid`ah (innovation) .

Circumcision: New Weapon Against AIDS?

NarratedbyAbuHuraira I heard the Prophet (saws) saying. "Five practices are characteristics of the Fitra: Circumcision, Shaving the Pubic Hair, Cutting the Moustaches Short, Clipping the Nails & Depilating the Hair of the Armpits."(Sahih Bukhari - Volume 7, Book 72, Number 779)

Circumcision: New Weapon Against AIDS?

Circumcision Gives Men up to 60% HIV Protection; WHO, UNAIDS Urge Adult Surgery

By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
http://www.webmd. com/hiv-aids/ news/20070329/ circumcision- new-weapon- against-AIDS

March 29, 2007 --
Circumcised men are up to 60% less likely to get HIV, and now the World Health Organization and the UNAIDS program recommend adult surgery to slow the AIDS pandemic.
The recommendation comes only weeks after the WHO and UNAIDS officials asked an expert panel for advice. The advice is based on three clinical trials suggesting that circumcised men are 50% to 60% less likely than uncircumcised men to get HIV during heterosexual sex.
Circumcised men can and do get infected with the AIDS virus. There is, yet, no evidence that male circumcision protects women. But widespread circumcision would have a major impact on the AIDS pandemic, says Catherine Hankins, MD, chief scientific officer for the UNAIDS.
"This is an exciting development. It is only partial protection for men -- still, it is not to be scoffed at. We have not had good news like this in quite a long time," Hankins said at a WHO/UNAIDS news conference.
Ronald Gray, MD, professor of reproductive epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, led a clinical trial of male circumcision in Uganda. He was also a member of the WHO/UNAIDS expert panel.
"This is unique. We have never before used surgery for prevention of infectious disease," Gray tells WebMD. "We are going to have a steep learning curve. But all the evidence is it will have a substantial impact on the AIDS epidemic over the next 10 to 20 years."

Male Circumcision Does Not Replace Safe Sex

Circumcision will have a major impact only if properly implemented, warns Kevin De Cock, MD, director of HIV/AIDS for the WHO.
"Male circumcision should now be considered as an additional strategy for HIV prevention in the context of comprehensive prevention programs," De Cock said at the news conference. "This is important protection but incomplete protection. It is an additional rather than a replacement strategy."

The key WHO/UNAIDS recommendations:
1.Countries should implement free or low-cost male circumcision programs if a high percentage of their population is uncircumcised, if HIV is widespread, and if HIV spread is predominantly heterosexual. Most such nations are in southern Africa and, to a lesser extent, in eastern Africa.

2.Circumcision programs initially should target sexually active men -- that is, young men and adolescents.

3.Circumcision should be part of a comprehensive AIDS risk-reduction program. "It does not replace promotion of safer sex, delay of onset of sexual relations, abstinence, reduction of penetrative sex, reduction in number of partners, and provision of male and female condoms with education on their use," Hankins said.

4.Medical ethics and human rights must be respected. This included informed consent, confidentiality, and lack of coercion.

5.Circumcision must be provided by trained personnel in a hygienic manner, with medical follow-up to prevent and treat complications.

6.After circumcision, men must abstain from sexual relations for at least six weeks after surgery, to ensure that their wounds have healed.

7.Circumcision must be offered in ways that do not offend cultural norms.

8.Circumcision is not advised for men already infected with HIV, but circumcision
should not be denied to HIV-positive men who want the procedure.

Who Will Pay?
The recommendations have one major drawback: money. Although WHO and UNAIDS say they will provide technical support to any nation that wishes to start a circumcision program, details on funding such programs remain vague. The WHO and UNAIDS say only that funding must not come at the expense of funding for other health care programs or HIV prevention programs.
"Money is going to be the key. If additional resources brought to bear, we can have very substantial effects on the AIDS epidemic in East and Central Africa," Gray says. "These are not cheap resources. There are the costs of training, the costs of equipment and supplies, the costs of all the complexities of providing surgeries and providing postsurgical care and managing any problems that arise."
If money is not forthcoming, the recommendations may do more harm than good. Men in areas with high HIV prevalence are very much aware of the news that circumcision lowers HIV risk. "There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that men already are lining up asking for circumcision, " Gray says. "And if we do not provide safe services, they will seek unsafe services."
The same message comes from Kim Dickson, MD, medical officer at the WHO department of HIV/AIDS.
"In certain countries we have reports of interest by men for male circumcision services," Dickson said at the news conference. "Yes, if safe services are not in place, then there will be practitioners who will provide unsafe services. The thing that must be done is to set up safe circumcision services with trained practitioners. "
Despite this major obstacle, Gray is highly optimistic. "It is doable," he says. "This one-time procedure is likely to confer very long -- perhaps lifelong -- reduction in HIV risk."
Meanwhile, studies are under way to determine whether male circumcision reduces women's HIV risk and whether circumcision offers protection to homosexual men.

SOURCES: World Health Organization and Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, "New Data on Male Circumcision and HIV Prevention," March 28, 2007. Ronald Gray, MD, professor of reproductive epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore. News conference with Kevin De Cock, MD, director of HIV/AIDS, WHO; Catherine Hankins, MD, chief scientific officer, UNAIDS; and Kim Dickson, MD, medical officer, department of HIV/AIDS, WHO.