February 25, 2025
Shaʻban 27, 1446 AH
Integrating Sunnah Foods: Prophetic Diet and Nutrition in Islam
An overview of foods mentioned for their health benefits in the Quran and Sunnah (Prophet's life (PBUH)). These include: Dates, Honey, Barley, Figs, Pomegranates, Olive Oil, Cucumber, Watermelon, Milk, Vinegar, Black Seed
To quote an oft-repeated statement, Islam is a way of life. It is not merely a religion with set ways of worshiping that can be separated from worldly life, but a complete guide to living, prescribed by the Creator Allah SWT, to gain His pleasure and ultimately, reward. It is important for the believers to seek the knowledge that would assist them in learning the recommended way of living, and what better way to do that than to learn from the righteous and fulfilling life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) himself?
Like other everyday matters, the guidelines of eating and drinking have been extensively discussed in both the Quran and the Sunnah, presenting a wholesome set of rules that is pleasing to Allah SWT and beneficial to one’s health. Allah SWT in His infinite wisdom has made food integral for the survival and nourishment of both mind and body; and the benefits of certain foods have been emphasized for ideal nourishment.
Let’s explore some of the Sunnah foods and how they are beneficial to our health!
1. Dates
A. Nutrient Rich: High in Potassium, Magnesium, and Iron
B. Aid in Digestion: Promote a healthy gut microbiome
C. Heart Health: Can reduce inflammation and reduce the risk of heart disease
D. Energy Boost: Carbohydrate-rich and helps others feel active throughout the day
E. Natural Labor: Consuming dates can help induce natural labor
فَنَادَىٰهَا مِن تَحْتِهَآ أَلَّا تَحْزَنِى قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِيًّۭا
وَهُزِّىٓ إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ ٱلنَّخْلَةِ تُسَـٰقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًۭا جَنِيًّۭا
فَكُلِى وَٱشْرَبِى وَقَرِّى عَيْنًۭا ۖ فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ ٱلْبَشَرِ أَحَدًۭا فَقُولِىٓ إِنِّى نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ صَوْمًۭا فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ ٱلْيَوْمَ إِنسِيًّۭا
So a voice reassured her from below her, 'Do not grieve! Your Lord has provided a stream at your feet. And shake the trunk of this palm tree towards you, it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon you. So eat and drink, and put your heart at ease. But if you see any of the people, say, ‘I have vowed silence to the Most Compassionate, so I am not talking to anyone today.’ [Surah Maryam verses 24-26]
2. Honey
A. Wound healing: Natural remedy for wounds and many skin conditions including eczema and acne
B. Cough Suppressant: Helps alleviate sore throat and coughing symptoms
C. Gut Health: Stimulate production of digestive enzymes
D. Allergy Relief: Introduces the body to pollen which in turn helps reduce the body’s inflammatory reaction to allergies
E. Sleep Quality: Promotes the release of melatonin to regulate our sleep cycles.
"ثُمَّ كُلِى مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ فَٱسْلُكِى سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلًۭا ۚ يَخْرُجُ مِنۢ بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌۭ مُّخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَٰنُهُۥ فِيهِ شِفَآءٌۭ لِّلنَّاسِ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةًۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ"
And feed from ˹the flower of˺ any fruit you please and follow the ways your Lord has made easy for you.” From their bellies comes forth liquid of varying colours, in which there is healing for people. Surely in this is a sign for those who reflect. [Surah Al-Nahl, verse 69].
3. Barley
A. Natural Remedy for sickness: relieves throat itchiness, stuffy nose, etc.
B. Natural Detox: cleanses your gut
C. Hydration: Helps retain water
D. Heart Health: Strengthens the heart and improves circulation
E. Nutrient Rich: High in Protein
السيدة عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول إِنَّ التَّلْبِينَةَ تُجِمُّ فُؤَادَ الْمَرِيضِ⸲ وَتَذْهَبُ بِبَعْضِ الْحُزْنِ
Aisha (RA) used to recommend at-Talbina for the sick and for such a person as grieved over a dead person. She used to say, 'I heard Allah's Messenger (PBUH) saying, 'at-Talbina gives rest to the heart of the patient and makes it active and relieves some of his sorrow and grief.'
4. Figs
A. Nutrient Rich: High fiber, magnesium, and potassium
B. Antioxidant Rich: Known to reduce forms of cancer and diseases
C. Brain Health: High Phosphorus content can improve neurological function
D. Cough Suppressant: helps treat coughs, asthma, and even diabetes
E. Improve Digestion: natural laxative and anti-ulcer properties
وَٱلتِّينِ وَٱلزَّيْتُونِ
By the fig and the olive ˹of Jerusalem˺ [al-Tin 1].
5. Pomegranates
A. Nutrient Rich: High Vitamin K, C, Folate, and Potassium
B. Antioxidant Rich: Eliminates free radicals and prevents diseases
C. Aid in Digestion: High in fiber
D. Heart Health: Lower blood pressure and prevents oxidation of LDL cholesterol
E. Improve Sleep Quality: High in Magnesium which helps relax the nervous system
F. One of the blessed fruits in Paradise!
فِيهِمَا فَـٰكِهَةٌۭ وَنَخْلٌۭ وَرُمَّانٌۭ
In both will be fruit, palm trees, and pomegranates. [al-Rahman 68]
6. Olive Oil
A. Hair Health: Adds shine to hair and builds hair density
B. Skin Health: Contains Squalene which is known to nourish the skin and can help treat dry skin conditions like eczema
C. Anti-Aging: contains antioxidants that prevent premature aging
D. Heart Health: High amount of monounsaturated fatty acids which help increase HDL cholesterol
E. Anti-inflammatory: help reduce allergies and cough symptoms
ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشْكَوٰةٍۢ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ ٱلْمِصْبَاحُ فِى زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌۭ دُرِّىٌّۭ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍۢ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍۢ زَيْتُونَةٍۢ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍۢ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍۢ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىٓءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌۭ ۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍۢ ۗ يَهْدِى ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَـٰلَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۭ
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. His light is like a niche in which there is a lamp, the lamp is in a crystal, the crystal is like a shining star, lit from ˹the oil of˺ a blessed olive tree, ˹located˺ neither to the east nor the west, to whose oil would almost glow, even without being touched by fire. Light upon light! Allah guides whoever He wills to His light. And Allah sets forth parables for humanity. For Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things.[ al-Nur 35].
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
كُلُوا الزَّيْتَ⸲ وَادَّهِنُوا بِهِ
فَإِنَّهُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ
The Messenger of Allah said (PBUH): ‘Eat [olive] oil, and anoint with it, for it is from a blessed tree!’
7. Cucumbers
A. Cucumbers are made up of about 95% water.
B. Great to eat on hot summer days to help keep hydrated.
C. They are a good source of vitamins A, C, and B vitamins, potassium, iron, and magnesium.
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَأْكُلُ الْقِثَّاءَ بِالرُّطَبِ
Abdullah bin Ja’far said, 'The Prophet (saw) used to eat Qith’tha (wild cucumbers) with ripe dates.'
8. Watermelon
A. Hydration: Watermelons are mostly water (about 92%) which prevents dehydration.
B. Vitamins: They have significant levels of vitamins A, B6, and C.
C. Antioxidants: Rich source of antioxidants and healthy plant compounds, which help protect against inflammation and oxidative stress.
D. Overall Health: Watermelon has the highest levels of lycopene which has been linked to heart health, bone health, and even cancer prevention.
E. Treat kidney ailments, stomach ailments, and heart conditions.
وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رضي الله عنها أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَأْكُلُ الْبِطِّيخَ بِالرُّطَبِ
رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَزَادَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَيَقُولُ يَكْسِرُ حَرَّ هَذَا بِبَرْدِ هَذَا وَبَرْدَ هَذَا بِحَرِّ هَذَا
Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi that the Prophet (saw) used to eat watermelon with ripe dates, saying, 'The heat of the one is broken by the coolness of the other, and the coolness of the one by the heat of the other.'
Top 5 Healthy Sunnah Foods to Add to Your Diet
9. Milk:
A. Calcium: Makes bones and teeth healthy and maintains bone mass
B. Protein: Provides a source of energy & builds/repairs muscles
C. Vitamin D: Aids in maintenance of bones
D. Phosphorus: Makes the bones strong & serves as an energy source
E. Vitamin A: Maintains the immune system & helps maintain vision and skin
F. Vitamin B12: Maintains healthy red blood cells and nerve tissue
G. Potassium: Helps control the blood pressure
H. Riboflavin (B2): Converts food into energy
I. Niacin: Metabolizes sugars and fatty acids
Both the Quran and the Hadith highlight the status of milk due to its benefits. There are multiple Ahadith about the Prophet’s (PBUH) preference of milk. The benefits of milk include strengthening of bones, renewing vision, and healing ulcers.
Milk is also mentioned in the Quran:
وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ لَعِبْرَةًۭ ۖ نُّسْقِيكُم مِّمَّا فِى بُطُونِهِۦ مِنۢ بَيْنِ فَرْثٍۢ وَدَمٍۢ لَّبَنًا خَالِصًۭا سَآئِغًۭا لِّلشَّـٰرِبِينَ
There is instruction for you in cattle. From the contents of their bellies, between that which is to be eliminated (from the animal’s body) and (its) blood, We give you pure milk to drink, easy for drinkers to swallow. [al-Nahl 66]
In the following hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) used to recite a specific Duaa when he would drink milk:
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِيهِ وَزِدْنَا مِنْهُ
O Allah, bless us in it and give us more of it.
A Practical Guide to Sunnah Foods and Healthy Eating [ with benefits & references
10. Vinegar:
Vinegar has a soothing impact on the body and protects it from toxins in the stomach.
وَعَنْ جَابِرٌ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَأَلَ أَهْلَهُ الْأُدْمَ
فَقَالُوا مَا عِنْدَنَا إِلَّا خَلٌّ فَدَعَا بِهِ فَجَعَلَ يَأْكُلُ بِهِ وَيَقُولُ نِعْمَ الْإِدَامُ الْخَلُّ نِعْمَ الْإِدَامُ الْخَلُّ
The Prophet (PBUH) used to take it as a condiment. The companion Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (RA) narrates that when the Prophet asked his family for condiments and was told that they had only vinegar, he called for it and as he was using it in his food he said, “Vinegar is a good condiment; vinegar is a good condiment.”
11. Pumpkin:
Like so many other foods from the Prophet’s (PBUH) diet, pumpkins are:
A. Heart Health: Highly beneficial for curing heart ailments.
B. Fight certain cancers.
C. Pumpkin was one of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) most favored vegetables.
وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ خَيَّاطًا دَعَا النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِطَعَامٍ صَنَعَهُ فَذَهَبْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَرَّبَ خُبْزَ شَعِيرٍ وَمَرَقًا فِيهِ دُبَّاءُ وَقَدِيدٌ فَرَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتَتَبَّعُ الدُّبَّاءَ مِنْ حَوَالَيِ الْقَصْعَةِ فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أُحِبُّ الدباءَ بعد يومِئذٍ
It was narrated, 'A tailor invited the Prophet (PBUH) to a meal which he had prepared and I went along with the Prophet. He presented barley bread and soup containing pumpkin and dried sliced meat, and I saw the Prophet going after the pumpkin round the dish, so I have always liked pumpkin since that day.' [Mishkat al-Masabih 4180]
13. Black Seed:
Known as kalonji, often called black cumin, is an annual flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae. It is a widely used medicinal plant throughout the world.
A. Reduces arterial stiffness and lowers blood pressure.
B. Inti hyperemic.
C. Cancer: Reduces malignant and benign colon tumor sizes.
D. Diabetes: Thymoquinone can improve hepatic enzyme activities.
وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ خَيَّاطًا دَعَا النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِطَعَامٍ صَنَعَهُ فَذَهَبْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَرَّبَ خُبْزَ شَعِيرٍ وَمَرَقًا فِيهِ دُبَّاءُ وَقَدِيدٌ فَرَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتَتَبَّعُ الدُّبَّاءَ مِنْ حَوَالَيِ الْقَصْعَةِ فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أُحِبُّ الدباءَ بعد يومِئذٍ
Abu Hurairah narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: 'In black seed, there is healing for every disease, except the Sam. Sam means death.'
Conclusion
There are many types of foods that have been mentioned in both the Qur’an and Sunnah and we have described some of the most common ones that are found in our diet. As Muslims, we should take the time to reflect and express gratitude to Allah SWT for providing us with these blessed foods and we should also try to include all of these foods in our diet. Western medicine has proved that these foods are beneficial to our health, but Allah SWT has already conveyed their benefits to us through the Qur’an and the teaching of the Prophet SAW. We must also remember to be mindful of our diet and not waste any food because food is a blessing from Allah SWT.
Other Article Resources:
A Practical Guide to Sunnah Foods and Healthy Eating – Muslim Empowerment
Top 5 Healthy Sunnah Foods to Add to Your Diet – The Healthy Muslims
The Importance of Sunnah Foods: Prophetic Diet and Nutrition in Islam – By Deenin Team
Showing the links between superfoods and their health potentials – National Library of Medicine
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