فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- فَلْيَنْظُرْ أَيُّها أَزْكى طَعاماً فَلْيَأْتِكُمْ بِرِزْقٍ مِنْهُ[1] قَالَ أَزْكَى طَعَاماً التَّمْرُ.
“About the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘. . . he must find clean and pure food and must bring thereof for you for your sustenance 5 (18:9) abu Ja‘far, or abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said, ‘Dates are the most pure food.’”
مَا قُدِّمَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ع طَعَامٌ فِيهِ تَمْرٌ إِلَّا بَدَأَ بِالتَّمْرِ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Whenever food was brought to the Messenger of Allah in which there were dates, he began with dates.’”
كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَرَى الرَّجُلَ تَمْرِيّاً لِحُبِّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص التَّمْرَ.
“Ali ibn al-Husayn, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, loved to see a man who liked (worked with) dates because of the love of the Messenger for Allah for dates.’”
دَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَاسْتَدْعَى بِتَمْرٍ فَأَكَلْنَا ثُمَّ ازْدَدْنَا مِنْهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي أُحِبُّ الرَّجُلَ أَوْ قَالَ يُعْجِبُنِي الرَّجُلُ إِذَا كَانَ تَمْرِيّاً.
“Once we visited abu Ja‘far (a.s.), and he (the Imam) asked for dates which we then ate with him (the Imam), but quite a lot of it. The Imam then said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘I like a man who is a man of dates (likes dates).”’
خَيْرُ تُمُورِكُمُ الْبَرْنِيُّ يَذْهَبُ بِالدَّاءِ وَ لَا دَاءَ فِيهِ وَ يَذْهَبُ بِالْإِعْيَاءِ وَ لَا ضَرَرَ لَهُ وَ يَذْهَبُ بِالْبَلْغَمِ وَ مَعَ كُلِّ تَمْرَةٍ حَسَنَةٌ وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى يَهْنَأُ وَ يَمْرَأُ وَ يَذْهَبُ بِالْإِعْيَاءِ وَ يُشْبِعُ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The best of your dates is al- Barniy (a certain kind of date) which removes illnesses and there is no illness in it. It takes away fatigue, there is no harm in it, and it dissolves phlegm. With every date there is one good deed.’ In another Hadith it is said that dates give one deligh
دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع وَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ تَمْرٌ بَرْنِيٌّ وَ هُوَ مُجِدٌّ فِي أَكْلِهِ يَأْكُلُهُ بِشَهْوَةٍ فَقَالَ لِي يَا سُلَيْمَانُ ادْنُ فَكُلْ قَالَ فَدَنَوْتُ مِنْهُ فَأَكَلْتُ مَعَهُ وَ أَنَا أَقُولُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي أَرَاكَ تَأْكُلُ هَذَا التَّمْرَ بِشَهْوَةٍ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ إِنِّي لَأُحِبُّهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ وَ لِمَ ذَاكَ قَالَ لِأَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص كَانَ تَمْرِيّاً وَ كَانَ
“Once I visited abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), and there were barniy dates in front of him. He (the Imam) seemed assiduous in eating it with zest. He (the Imam) said, ‘O Sulayman come close and eat.’ I then went close and ate thereof saying, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I see you eat it
التَّمْرُ الْبَرْنِيُّ يُشْبِعُ وَ يَهْنَأُ وَ يَمْرَأُ وَ هُوَ الدَّوَاءُ وَ لَا دَاءَ لَهُ يَذْهَبُ بِالْعَيَاءِ وَ مَعَ كُلِّ تَمْرَةٍ حَسَنَةٌ.
Al-Barniy dates give one delight, and palatability. It is a medicine without illness. It takes away fatigue and with every date there is one good deed.’”
قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَا عَلَاءُ هَلْ تَدْرِي مَا أَوَّلُ شَجَرَةٍ نَبَتَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ ابْنُ رَسُولِهِ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ إِنَّهَا الْعَجْوَةُ[2] فَمَا خَلَصَ فَهُوَ الْعَجْوَةُ وَ مَا كَانَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَإِنَّمَا هُوَ مِنَ الْأَشْبَاهِ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to me, ‘O ‘Ala’, do you know what was the first tree that grew on earth?’ I replied, ‘Allah, His Messenger and the child of His Messenger know best. He (the Imam) said, ‘It was al-‘Ajwah. What is pure is al-‘Ajwah (a certain kind of date) and whatever is other than this they are only o
أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الْعَجْوَةَ وَ الْعَتِيقَ[3] مِنَ السَّمَاءِ قُلْتُ وَ مَا الْعَتِيقُ قَالَ الْفَحْلُ.
“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, sent al-‘Ajwah and al-‘Atiq from the sky.’ I then asked, ‘What is al-‘Atiq ?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is the male.’”
الْعَجْوَةُ هِيَ أُمُّ التَّمْرِ الَّتِي أَنْزَلَهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لآِدَمَ ع مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ.
‘al-‘Ajxvah is the mother of dates which Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, sent for Adam from paradise.’”
الْعَجْوَةُ أُمُّ التَّمْرِ وَ هِيَ الَّتِي أَنْزَلَهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ لآِدَمَ ع وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- ما قَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ لِينَةٍ أَوْ تَرَكْتُمُوها قائِمَةً عَلى أُصُولِها[1] قَالَ يَعْنِي الْعَجْوَةَ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘al-‘Ajwah is the mother of dates. It is the date that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, sent from paradise for Adam (a.s.), as mentioned in His words, ‘. . . whatever you cut down of palm trees and left standing on their trunks’ is a reference to al-‘Ajwah.’”
كَانَتْ نَخْلَةُ مَرْيَمَ ع الْعَجْوَةَ وَ نَزَلَتْ فِي كَانُونَ[2] وَ نَزَلَ مَعَ آدَمَ ع الْعَتِيقُ وَ الْعَجْوَةُ وَ مِنْهَا تَفَرَّقَ أَنْوَاعُ النَّخْلِ.
“Abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), has said, ‘The palm tree of Mary was al-‘Ajwah which was sent in the month of Kanun (one of the months of winter). With Adam al-‘Atiq and al- ‘Ajwah were sent, from these other kinds of palm trees spread.’”
أَخَذْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ نَوَى الْعَجْوَةِ فَغَرَسَهُ صَاحِبٌ لَنَا فِي بُسْتَانٍ فَخَرَجَ مِنْهُ السُّكَّرُ وَ الْهِيرُونُ وَ الشِّهْرِيزُ وَ الصَّرَفَانُ وَ كُلُّ ضَرْبٍ مِنَ التَّمْرِ[3].
“Once we took date-stones of al-‘ Ajwah from al-Madinah and a friend of us planted them in a garden. What grew thereof was al-Sukkar, al-Hirun, al-Shahriz and al-Sarfan (names of certain kinds of dates) and all kinds of dates.’”
الصَّرَفَانُ سَيِّدُ تُمُورِكُمْ.
‘Al-Sarfan is the master of your dates.’”
لَمَّا قَدِمَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الْحِيرَةَ رَكِبَ دَابَّتَهُ وَ مَضَى إِلَى الْخَوَرْنَقِ[1] فَنَزَلَ فَاسْتَظَلَّ بِظِلِّ دَابَّتِهِ وَ مَعَهُ غُلَامٌ لَهُ أَسْوَدُ فَرَأَى رَجُلًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ قَدِ اشْتَرَى نَخْلًا فَقَالَ لِلْغُلَامِ مَنْ هَذَا فَقَالَ لَهُ هَذَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ ع فَجَاءَ بِطَبَقٍ ضَخْمٍ فَوَضَعَهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ لِلرَّجُلِ مَا هَذَا فَقَالَ هَذَا الْبَرْنِيُّ فَقَ
“When abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), went to al-Hirah, he (the Imam) rode a stumper and with him (the Imam) was a black slave. A man from al-Kufah who had bought a garden of palm trees saw him (the Imam). The man asked the slave, ‘Who is he?’ He replied, ‘He is Ja‘far ibn Muhammad (a.s.) .’ He then brought a large tray and pl
ذُكِرَتِ التُّمُورُ عِنْدَهُ فَقَالَ الْوَاحِدُ عِنْدَكُمْ أَطْيَبُ مِنَ الْوَاحِدِ عِنْدَنَا وَ الْجَمِيعُ عِنْدَنَا أَطْيَبُ مِنَ الْجَمِيعِ عِنْدَكُمْ.
“Once dates were mentioned before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and he said, ‘One with you is better than one with us and all which are with us are better than all that are with you.’”
كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَجَاءَنَا بِمَضِيرَةٍ[3] وَ طَعَامٍ بَعْدَهَا ثُمَّ أَتَى بِقِنَاعٍ مِنْ رُطَبٍ عَلَيْهِ أَلْوَانٌ فَجَعَلَ ع يَأْخُذُ بِيَدِهِ الْوَاحِدَةَ بَعْدَ الْوَاحِدَةِ فَيَقُولُ أَيَّ شَيْءٍ تُسَمُّونَ هَذَا فَنَقُولُ كَذَا وَ كَذَا حَتَّى أَخَذَ وَاحِدَةً فَقَالَ مَا تُسَمُّونَ هَذِهِ فَقُلْنَا الْمُشَانَ فَقَالَ نَحْنُ نُسَمِّيهَا أُمَّ جِرْذَانَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص أُتِيَ بِشَيْ
“Once we were with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and Mudayrah (a certain sauce) was brought then food, then a basket of dates of several colors was brought. He (the Imam) then picked up one by one and asked, ‘What do you call it?’ and we said that we call it so and so, until he (the Imam) picked up one more and asked, ‘What d
كُنْتُ مَعَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَأُتِيَ بِرُطَبٍ فَجَعَلَ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ وَ يَشْرَبُ الْمَاءَ وَ يُنَاوِلُنِي الْإِنَاءَ فَأَكْرَهُ أَنْ أَرُدَّهُ فَأَشْرَبُ حَتَّى فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ مِرَاراً قَالَ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي كُنْتُ صَاحِبَ بَلْغَمٍ فَشَكَوْتُ إِلَى أَهْرَنَ طَبِيبِ الْحَجَّاجِ فَقَالَ لِي أَ لَكَ نَخْلٌ فِي بُسْتَانٍ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فِيهِ نَخْلٌ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ لِي عُدَّ عَلَيَّ مَا فِيهِ فَعَدَدْتُ
“I once was with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when fresh dates were brought. He (the Imam) began to eat, drink water and gave to me the bowl of water and I disliked to decline. Therefore, I drank until he (the Imam) did it several times. I then said, ‘I experience increased phlegm, and I complained about it before Ahran, the
مَنْ أَكَلَ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعَ تَمَرَاتٍ عَجْوَةٍ عَلَى الرِّيقِ مِنْ تَمْرِ الْعَالِيَةِ[1] لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ سَمٌّ وَ لَا سِحْرٌ وَ لَا شَيْطَانٌ.
‘If one eats seven dates everyday of al-‘Ajwah of al-‘Aliyah (name of a place in al-Madinah), poison, magic and Satan do not harm him.’”
مَنْ أَكَلَ سَبْعَ تَمَرَاتٍ عَجْوَةٍ عِنْدَ مَنَامِهِ قَتَلْنَ الدِّيدَانَ مِنْ بَطْنِهِ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Eating seven dates of al-‘Ajwah at bed time kill the worms in one’s belly.”’