Healing by Nakhl - Date Palm Tree

Healing Through Prophetic Medicine in Islam

Tibb-e-Nabawi

Healing by Food

نخل / Nakhl / Date Palm Tree

نَخْلٌ‏:‏  مذكور في القرآن في غير موضع، وفى ‏(‏الصحيحين‏)‏‏:‏ عن ابن عمر رضى الله عنهما، قال‏:‏ بيْنَا نحن عند رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، إذ أُتِىَ بجُمَّارِ نخلة، فقال النبىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ ‏(‏إنَّ مِن الشَّجَرِ شَجَرةً مَثَلُها مَثَلُ الرَّجُلِ المسلِمِ لا يَسقُطُ وَرَقُها، أخْبِرُونى ما هي ‏؟‏ فوقع الناسُ في شجر البوادى، فوقع في نفسى أنها النخلة، فأردتُ أن أقول‏:‏ هي النخلة، ثم نظرتُ فإذا أنا أصغرُ القوم سِنّاً، فسكتُّ، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ ‏(‏هي النَّخْلَةُ‏)‏، فذكرتُ ذلك لعمرَ، فقال‏:‏ لأَنْ تكونَ قُلْتَهَا أحبُّ إلىَّ من كذا وكذا‏.‏ ففى هذا الحديث إلقاءُ العالِمُ المسائلَ على أصحابه، وتمرينُهم، واختبارُ ما عندهم‏.‏ وفيه ضربُ الأمثال والتشبيه‏.‏

وفيه ما كان عليه الصحابةُ من الحياء من أكابرهم وإجلالهم وإمساكهم عن الكلام بين أيديهم‏.‏ وفيه فرحُ الرجل بإصابة ولده، وتوفيقه للصواب وفيه أنه لا يُكره للولد أن يُجيبَ بما يَعْرِفُ بحضرة أبيه، وإن لم يَعرفه الأبُ، وليس في ذلك إساءةُ أدب عليه‏.‏وفيه ما تضمنه تشبيهُ المسلم بالنخلة من كثرة خيرها، ودوامِ ظلها، وطيبِ ثمرها، ووجودِهِ على الدوام‏.‏

وثمرُها يؤكل رطباً ويابساً، وبلحاً ويانعاً، وهو غذاء ودواء وقوت وحَلْوى، وشرابٌ وفاكهة، وجذُوعها للبناء والآلات والأوانى، ويُتخَذ مِن خُوصها الحُصُر والمكاتِل والأوانى والمراوح، وغير ذلك، ومن ليفها الحبالُ والحشايا وغيرها، ثم آخر شىء نواها علفٌ للإبل، ويدخل في الأدوية والأكحال، ثم جمالُ ثمرتها ونباتها وحسنُ هيئتها، وبهجةُ منظرها، وحسنُ نضد ثمرها، وصنعته وبهجته، ومسرَّةُ النفوس عند رؤيته، فرؤيتها مذكِّرة لفاطرها وخالقها، وبديع صنعته، وكمالِ قدرته، وتمامِ حكمته، ولا شىء أشبَهُ بها من الرجل المؤمن، إذ هو خيرٌ كُلُّهُ، ونفعٌ ظاهرٌ وباطن‏.‏

وهى الشجرة التي حَنَّ جِذعُها إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لما فارقه شوقاً إلى قُربه، وسماع كلامه، وهى التي نزلتْ تحتها مريمُ لما ولدتْ عيسى عليه السلام‏.‏ وقد ورد في حديث في إسناده نظرٌ‏:‏ ‏(‏أكرِمُوا عَمَّتَكُم النخلَةَ، فإنها خُلِقَتْ من الطِّين الذي خُلق منه آدَمُ‏)‏‏.‏ وقد اختلف الناسُ في تفضيلها على الحَبْلَةِ أو بالعكس على قولين، وقد قرن اللهُ بينهما في كتابه في غير موضع، وما أقْربَ أحدَهما من صاحبه، وإن كان كُلُّ واحد منهما في محل سلطانه ومَنبِته، والأرض التي توافقه أفضلَ وأنفعَ‏.‏

 

Date palm is mentioned in Quran at several places. In Sahi'hain, it is narrated that Ibn

Umar Radi Allaho Anh said "We were with Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam and a spadix of date palm was brought to him. On that occasion he said, among the trees is a tree; the leaves of which do not fall and it resembles a Muslim , I wanted to say that it was the date palm tree but as I was the youngest of all of them, I kept quiet. And then Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam said, "it is the date palm tree". I mentioned all of that to my father Umar Radi Allaho Anh and he said, "Had you said it would have been better to me than such & such".

This Hadith contains many benefits, such as the scholar training his students by asking them questions and testing their knowledge. It also contains parables and demonstrates the shyness of Prophet's companions, the leaders & the commoners among them, as they all kept quiet & were shy to answer Prophet's question. The Hadith also demonstrates that the parent would be happy if his child does something right, it also shows that it is allowed for the children to answer questions in the presence of their parents; even if the father did not know the answer, as this does not constitute misbehaving with the father or elderly.

The Hadith compares a Muslim with the Nakhlah, the date palm, because of its tremendous benefits, constant shade & sweet fruit that it produces throughout the year. Dates are eaten fresh, dried, ripe & unripe and are both a type of food & cure. Dates are nutritious; a type of sweet, a drink and a fruit. Date's tree trunk is used for building purposes, in making pots and so forth & its seeds are used as fodder for camels and as ingredients in various medicinal remedies & in KOHL (eyeliner). Fruit of date palm is known for its beauty, refreshing shape and the handsome way the fruits are arranged on their branches, which also brings comfort to the eyes. Merely looking at the fruits of date tree reminds (a human) of its CREATOR; Whose creation is both excellent & perfect, just as is His Wisdom. Therefore the date palm tree resembles the righteous believer, for he is pure goodness who brings about benefit both inwardly & outwardly.

Also, the Nakhlah was the tree trunk that yearned & longed for the Messenger of Allah when he no longer used it as a podium / pulpit (in Masjid-e-Nabawi). The trunk yearned for Prophet's closeness & for hearing his speech. Also, we should mention that the tree that Maryam Alaihess Salaam took refuge under when she gave birth to Issa Alaih as Salaam was the date palm. There is a difference of opinion regarding which is better, the date tree OR the Hablah (grapevine tree). Allah Has Mentioned both trees in several verses of Quran. Also, both trees are truly similar to each other, although each is at its prime in its natural habitat and the land that accepts it the most.

A Muslim's example is given with a date palm tree.

Similarly, our Kalimah لا اله الله محمد رسول الله is also like a date palm tree, whose roots are firm & strong inside a Muslim's hearts, its branches are always pointing towards the sky (showing a connection with Allah), & it gives fruit in all seasons.


“Have not you seen that how Allah sets forth a parable? - A goodly word (Kalimah) like a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the heavens of its Lord. It brings forth its fruit at all times, by the Order of its Lord. So Allah sets forth parables for men, in order that they may receive admonition.” 

(14: 24, 25)

Ibn Al Qayyam wrote about date seeds that نواها علفٌ للإبل، ويدخل في الأدوية والأكحال، which means that the seeds are a fodder for camels & are used in medicines & as eyeliner (KOHL).

Source

to be continued .....