Dates: Medicinal, Opioid Substitution and Dietary Insight

Dates have been cultivated since ancient times from Mesopotamia and Babylonia to prehistoric Egypt, possibly as early as 4000 BC. The Ancient Egyptians used the fruits to make into date wine, and ate them at harvest. There is archaeological evidence of date cultivation in eastern Arabia in 6000 BC. Dates were important as a food (easily stored and transported), a source of building material, and for making a fermented beverage referred to in the cuneiform inscriptions as "The Drink of Life." Hazrat Maryam (A.S) was commanded to eat this fruit in Surah Maryam: The pains of labor drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She [Maryam] said, "Oh if only I had died before this time and was something discarded and forgotten!" A voice called out to her from under her, "Do not grieve! Your Lord has placed a small stream at your feet. Shake the trunk of the palm towards you and fresh, ripe dates will drop down onto you. Eat and drink and delight your eyes..." (Qur'an, 19:23-26). In this book, we have discussed and curated the medicinal, opioid substitution and dietary benefits of the dates.