The Hadeeth:

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، – رضى الله عنها – قَالَتْ قَالَ الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم:

‏ “‏ بَيْتٌ لاَ تَمْرَ فِيهِ جِيَاعٌ أَهْلُهُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

رواه مُسْلِمٌ

A’ishah reported the Prophet(ﷺ) as saying:

” A family which has no dates will be hungry.”

Reported by Muslim.

Question: 

What does this mean? Does it mean that dates are a blessing food or something we should eat? Or is it figurative?

Answer:

Some of the scholars hold that this hadeeth is relating to those whose main provisions is dates like what was found in the time of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam. However, others said what is intended from the hadeeth is to emphasize that the best of provisions to possess is dates due to the great benefit they contain. Allah knows best. I noticed some of the shuyookh in Yemen would have a few dates before leaving for Salaatul Fajr. Then, they would have enough energy to be able to sit and remain in the masjid for two to three hours to revise what they have memorized without taking a break.

Answered by

AbdulFattaah Bin Uthman
Abu Fajr