DATES – A POPULAR FOOD DURING RAMADAN
Among all Islamic months, Ramadan is special. It is characterized by fasting- which is one of the five pillars of Islam. During this month, Muslims observe fast, eat before sunrise and after sunset- not in between. Allah (swt) mentions the purpose of fasting in the Quran and says – Lailakum Tataqun (so that you attain taqwa - that means the consciousness of Allah that can lead to His true obedience and His Messenger (pbuh). The food that Muslims consume during the month of Ramadan also makes this month unique. Depending upon the financial strength, every family ensures that varieties of dishes are cooked and served; however, one thing remains constant in each house, which is the use of ‘dates’. Almost every family breaks the fast with Dates. In Arabic, the date-palm tree is called ‘ Nakhla’ , and the fruit (date) is called ‘Tamr’ . In Turkish and Urdu languages, it is called Hurma and Khajoor respectively. Botanically, it belongs to the family Arecaceae, genus- Phoenix , and s