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Al-Ahram Weekly 16 - 22 December 1999 Issue No. 460 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 16 - 22 December 1999 Issue No. 460
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Debate Focus Profile Living Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters The fruits of faith
By Yasmine El-Rashidi
Like chocolate, dates are somehow sacred: dark, rich, sensuously sweet, and utterly forbidden to dieters due to their sinfully high sugar content. They are the epitome of desirable, unattainable delight, to be savoured in scarce moments of secret indulgence.
Dates are only metaphorically sinful, however: both Islam and Christianity value them highly. According to the Qur'an (Surat Maryam 19: 25-26), dates were prescribed to Mary during Jesus's birth to help ease her labour pains: "And shake towards you the trunk of the palm tree, and it will drop on you fresh ripe dates. So eat and drink; and be comforted." More commonly, dates, or Phoenix dactylifera, are associated with the holy month of Ramadan; the fast, feast and festivities. These days, however, the daily fast -- symbolic of empathy with the sufferings of the poor -- tends to culminate with an abundance of rich food. In this newfound celebration, dates have lost their place as guest of honour at most tables. At the time of the Prophet Mohamed, though, the fast was usually broken solely with dates and milk -- an invigorating yet light meal to help restart the digestive system before engaging in prayer.
While the sale of dates -- primarily in their dried form -- does increase during Ramadan, the role of the fruit in the Coptic community seems to have retained a stronger hold.
In 283AD, the Romans were at the height of their reign. It was a time of unrest and uncertainty; Diocletian waged a raging campaign against the Copts, resulting in persecution and the death of thousands.
Their solution? Primarily dates.
The pit of the fruit -- concrete-like in its strength -- came to symbolise the unity of the Copts and the unwavering power of their faith. In eating this fruit, which enclosed a seed of such strength, they were, in essence, expressing the strength of their faith and Coptic bond.
Today, in celebration of the Coptic New Year -- which falls on 11 September of the Gregorian calendar year, marking the day the first Coptic martyr fell at Diocletian's hands -- Copts either attend a church service in which bags containing dates and other fruits are distributed to the children, or mark the day by eating the fruits at home. Whatever the case, dates are the essence of the day.
And as they pass the red Zaghlul dates, golden Amhat dates and black Ramli dates (now referred to by some vendors as the "Monica", due to the strain's extra-high sugar concentration) around, some families tell the tale of the Virgin Mary under the date palm. "And as she bit into the red, shiny date," they tell their children, "her tooth broke inside it."
It is a tale that has kept children fascinated for years. They crunch the fibrous fruit in the belief that the white top of each pit is indeed the Virgin Mary's missing tooth. It may be a folk tale, especially appealing to children, and requiring a firm belief in daily manifestations of the faith -- but it is a tale which has kept the tradition of date eating alive.
