اللَّهُمَّ مُصَرِّفَ القُلُوبِ صَرِّفْ قُلُوِبنَا عَلَى طَاعَتِكَ، اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أسْأَلُكَ الهُدَى والتُّقَى والعَفَافَ والغِنَى

Rutab (Ripe Dates)

رُطَبٌ‏: قال الله تعالى لمريَمَ‏:‏ ‏‏وَهُزِّى إلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تُسَاقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَباً جَنِيّاً فَكُلِى وَاشْرَبِى وَقَرِّى عَيْناً‏‏ ‏[‏مريم ‏:‏ 25‏]‏‏.‏ وفى ‏(‏الصحيحين‏)‏ عن عبد الله بن جعفر، قال‏:‏ ‏(‏رأيتُ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يأكُلُ القِثَّاءَ بالرُّطَبِ‏)‏‏.‏ وفى ‏(‏سنن أبى داود‏)‏، عن أنس قال‏:‏ ‏(‏كان رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يُفْطِرُ على رُطَباتٍ قَبْلَ أن يُصَلِّىَ، فإنْ لم تكُنْ رُطباتٍ فتمراتٍ، فإن لم تكن تَمَراتٍ، حَسَا حسْوَاتٍ من ماءٍ‏)‏‏.‏ طبْعُ الرُّطَبِ طبعُ المياه حار رَطب، يُقوِّى المعدة الباردة ويُوافقها، ويزيد في الباه، ويُخصِبُ البدنَ، ويوافق أصحابَ الأمزجة الباردة، ويَغذُو غِذاءً كثيراً‏.‏ وهو مِن أعظم الفاكهة موافقةً لأهلِ المدينة وغيرِها من البلاد التي هو فاكهتُهم فيها، وأنفعها للبدن، وإن كان مَن لم يَعْتَدْهُ يُسرعُ التعفُّن في جسده، ويَتولَّدُ عنه دم ليس بمحمود، ويحدث في إكثاره منه صُدَاعٌ وسوداءٌ، ويُؤذى أسنانه، وإصلاحُه بالسَّكنْجَبِين ونحوه‏.‏ وفى فِطر النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم من الصوم عليه، أو على التمر، أو الماء تدبيرٌ لطيفٌ جداً، فإن الصوم يُخلى المعدة من الغذاء، فلا تَجِدُ الكبدُ فيها ما تَجذِبُه وتُرسله إلى القُوَى والأعضاء، والحلوُ أسرع شىء وصولاً إلى الكبد، وأحبُّه إليها، ولا سِيَّما إن كان رطباً، فيشتدُّ قبولها له، فتنتفع به هي والقُوَى، فإن لم يكن، فالتمرُ لحلاوته وتغذيته، فإن لم يكن، فحسواتُ الماء تُطفىء لهيبَ المعدة، وحرارة الصوم، فتنتبهُ بعده للطعام، وتأخذه بشهوة‏.‏

Ibn Al Qayyim wrote : Allah said to Maryam Alaih as-Salam: "Shake the trunk of this palm tree towards you; it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon you. So, eat and drink and be comforted." (Quran 19:25).

In Sahihain, Abdullah ibn Ja'far Radi Allaho Anh reported: "I saw Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم eating cucumbers with fresh dates." In Sunan Abu Dawood, Anas said: " Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم would break his fast with fresh dates before praying. If there were no fresh dates, he would eat dried dates, and if there were no dates, he would take a few sips of water."

(RUTAB) Fresh dates have a warm and moist nature, making them beneficial for a cold stomach. They enhance vitality, increase sexual health, and nourish the body. They are especially suitable for those with cold temperaments and provide substantial nourishment. Fresh dates are among the best fruits for the people of Madinah and other regions where they are consumed, being highly beneficial for health.

However, for those unaccustomed to them, excessive consumption can lead to body fermentation, resulting in undesirable blood, headaches, and potential dental issues. These can be mitigated with remedies like Saknajbeen (Oxymel ~ a drink made with honey, vinegar and water) helps neutralize the irritants that accompany eating fresh dates.)

The Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم practice of breaking his fast with fresh dates, or with dates or water, demonstrates excellent wisdom. Fasting empties the stomach of food, leaving the liver with nothing to process and send to the body’s organs. Sweet foods are the quickest to reach the liver and are most beloved to it, especially when fresh, leading to enhanced absorption and benefits for both the liver and the body's strength. If fresh dates are not available, dried dates are a suitable substitute due to their sweetness and nutritional value. If neither is available, sipping water helps cool the stomach and ease the heat of fasting, preparing it to receive food afterward with an appetite.

Ibn al-Baytaar wrote : 

Ibn Masawayh: Fresh dates are warm in the second degree and moist in the first degree. They are more nutritious than unripe dates (Busr) and are preferable, especially the yellow ones, while the disliked ones are the black dates, particularly fresh ones. Dates are harmful to the gums and teeth.

Al-Razi in his book "The Prevention of the Harm of Foods": Fresh dates warm the body and produce thick blood that quickly turns into bile. They are bad for people with hot temperaments, for them, Rutab dates quickly lead to headaches, eye infections, throat infections, mouth sores, and blockages in the liver and spleen.

However, for those who are not hot-tempered or have strong stomachs, fresh dates can make them gain weight and nourish their bodies without needing to correct their effects. People with hot temperaments should wash their mouths with warm water after eating dates, then gargle and rinse several times, and finally with cold water. Those with even hotter temperaments should gargle and rinse with pure vinegar. If their temperament is less inflamed, they should use Sakanjabeen (a vinegar-honey drink). If digestion is sluggish, and the stomach is bloated with gases, they should take rosewater syrup.

Al-Minhaj: Fresh dates are good for cold stomachs, increase semen production, and loosen the bowels for those with cold constitutions

Dawood Antaaki wrote: Fresh dates (Rutab) have various kinds & colors. The best variety is the yellow one, with abundant flesh, thin skin, small seeds, and a true sweetness. Rutab are hot in the second degree and dry in the first. Rutab dates help dissolve and expel phlegm, cuts cold, and promotes significant weight gain when combined with almonds. They can treat kidney-related weakness, cold back, and stimulate appetite, especially in cold climates when consumed as jam. Rutab generates black bile, causes blockages, and creates excess thick fluids. It weakens the liver, gums, and the constitution of those who are overheated. It is best consumed in moderation by those who are not from regions where it grows, especially for those with weak brains. 

Correction: It can be balanced with sour foods, Sakanjabin (Honey+vinegar drink), or cucumbers.

Ibn-e-Sina wrote: Rutab (Dates) are hot in the second degree and moist in the first. Some say their heat is more than their moisture. The hotter varieties are also sweeter. The blood produced from them can lead to an unpleasant, corrupting condition. To counter this, it is recommended to consume almonds, ginger, lettuce, and to finish with vinegar or Sakanjabin. They are beneficial for a cold stomach. They soften the body’s constitution and increase the essence of semen.

Rutab dates are picked / harvested when they still contain some moisture and have not fully ripened yet. See the pictures below.