April 2024 I, Eric Brazau, broke the Eid fast at a Mosque in Mississauga. In the European fashion I brought the man that invited me a gift. Obviously, I did not bring a bottle of wine. I brought dates. Many non-Muslims will find this odd to bring dates. The following will explain.
Which Craft & poison
Al-Bukhaari (5445) and Muslim (2047) narrated from Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqaas that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever eats seven ‘ajwah dates in the morning, will not be harmed by any poison or witchcraft that day.”
Most of the scholars are of the view that this applies only to the dates of Madinah, and specifically to a particular type of the dates of Madinah, namely ‘ajwah dates, which grow in ‘Aaliyat al-Madinah. This is most likely to be correct, and it is the apparent meaning of the hadith.
Some scholars are of the view that it is general in meaning, and that all types of dates are efficacious against poison and witchcraft. Among those who were of this view among contemporary scholars are Shaykh ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan as-Sa‘di, Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, and Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on them)
Odd Number of Dates
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“It is not obligatory – nor even a Sunnah – that a person breaks his fast on an odd number: three, five, seven, or nine, except on the day of `Eid, `Eid Al-Fitr, as it is established “that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would not go out for the prayer on the day of `Eid Al-Fitr until he had eaten dates, and he would eat them in an odd number” and other than that, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not intend to eat dates in an odd number.” End quote from “Fatawa Nur `Ala Ad-Darb” (11/2) with numbering from Ash-Shamela.
Other scholars have taken a broader view on this matter, citing the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Indeed, Allah is Odd (Witr) and He loves odd numbers” narrated by Al-Bukhari (6410), and Muslim (2677) from the Hadith of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him).
`Abd Ar-Razzaq (5/498) narrated this Hadith and then said: Ayyub said: “Ibn Sirin used to prefer odd numbers in everything, to the extent that he would eat an odd number.” And this chain of narration is authentic.