Ramadan 2024: Why Muslims Prefer To Break Their Fast With Dates

Muslims worldwide observe fast (Roza) from dawn till dusk and abstain from food and drink in the holy month of Ramadan. The fast starts after having sehri before sunrise and breaks with iftar after sunset. Iftar comprises a variety of delicious food items and marks the end of the fast which is opened after consuming dates (Khajoor). Why are only dates preferred for opening the fast observed during Ramadan?

As per Local18 Uttar Pradesh, these dry fruits are packed with proteins and are an instant source of strength and energy in the body. Dates also comprise of fibre, iron, sodium and potassium which are very beneficial for the body. These are some of the reasons that the sale of dates always witnesses an upward trend during the Ramadan month.

As of now, a new variety of dates are available in the market, which is being purchased by the devotees. Besides this, more than 60 varieties of dates are also available in the Moradabad Market Committee in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. A wholesaler named Shahrukh Qureshi gave more information regarding this. Qureshi said that he has been dealing in the business of selling dates for years now. He added that now many varieties of dates are available in the market since Ramadan has also started.

The price range of these dates is between the bracket of Rs 60 to Rs 200 per kg. Qureshi added that usually people from the nearby districts and the far-off places as well arrive at his fruit market to purchase the dates. This time, however, he has to face a grim situation due to the inflation in the market.

Dates also have a significant amount of importance in the holy Quran as it has been mentioned 22 times in the holy book. Apart from this, many sayings from the Prophet Muhammad shed light on the importance of dates in Islam. It said that in the Quran, the Prophet Muhammad states that eating seven dates in the morning every day protects one from various health ailments. Besides this, it is also believed that the Prophet Muhammad used to open his fast with only dates which are followed by the Muslims all over the world now.