Dates at Iftar: How Many Is Too Many?

15 hours ago
4 min read

There’s a quiet moment at Iftar that feels sacred.

The call to prayer starts. The table is ready. Hands reach for dates.

For Maldivians like Muslims across the world breaking the fast with dates is not just a habit. It is a Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Authentic narrations describe how he would break his fast with fresh dates, and if unavailable, with dry dates and if those were not available, with water. This practice is deeply spiritual. It connects us to faith, to history, and to millions of Muslims around the world who begin their iftar the same way.

Following the Sunnah, however, is about moderation and purpose rather than excess, which is something we don't often discuss. And when it comes to dates, more is not better.

A Sunnah Rooted in Wisdom

It's not a coincidence that the advice to break the fast with dates is there. It has both spiritual and physical knowledge. The body's blood sugar is low after a long fast. Dates give you this rapid, natural glucose that helps you get your energy back. They are easy to break down. They have potassium and a little bit of fiber in them. In doing so, they get the digestive system ready to take in food. Modern nutrition science backs up what the Sunnah already told us: after fasting, the body needs something light, natural, and easy to digest. Light is the key, so keep that in mind.

When a Beautiful Sunnah Turns Into Sugar Overload

If we look at an Iftar Feast or Tables, we can see that many Maldivian houses have a lot of dates today. Big Medjool dates. High bowls. You can get refills right away. Five or six dates may already be gone before the main meal even starts. If you add a sweet drink and maybe a fried food, the calm Sunnah approach turns into a sugar rush. After fasting all day, our bodies are very sensitive to sugar. A modest amount brings things back into equilibrium. A lot of it overwhelms the system.

That powerful impact typically manifests as:

Sudden sleepiness
Heavy stomach
Mental fog
Loss of focus during prayer

Many people assume this is “normal Ramadan tiredness.”

It’s often just a blood sugar crash.

Why Dates Feel Small, But Aren’t

Dates are considered dried fruit. And The process of drying fruit removes water, resulting in a concentration of sugar. Yes. One date does feel small. It might not seem like much. But several dates in quick succession can raise blood sugar just as quickly as a sugary drink. The body does not distinguish between “natural” sugar and other forms of glucose once it enters the bloodstream.

Natural does not mean unlimited.

The Sunnah encourages dates, but nowhere does it encourage excess.

The Spirit of Moderation

Islam always stresses balance. The Prophet ﷺ warned people not to go overboard in various areas of life, like eating. Eating one to three dates to break the fast is a great way to follow both the Sunnah and modern science. It gives you energy back without shocking your body. It gets the stomach ready without overdoing it.

Eating ten dates does not increase reward. It only increases digestive stress. And that stress often shows up later in the night as bloating, acidity, discomfort in taraweeh, or uncontrollable hunger at dinner.

Moderation is not restriction. It is wisdom.

The Sugar Stacking Problem

Here is where things often go wrong in Maldives.

Dates are eaten.

Then a sweet drink follows.

Then dessert later.

Sugar stacked on sugar.

As one might expect, this causes blood glucose levels to surge sharply before plummeting. Energy goes down, Concentration declines. Hunger increases instead of decreasing. Dates were meant to begin the meal gently not to replace balance in it.

Pairing Dates the Smarter Way

One easy approach to keep your blood sugar from dropping too low is to not eat a lot of dates by themselves. When you eat dates with a little bit of protein or healthy fat, such milk, yogurt, or a few nuts, the sugar is absorbed more slowly. Protein and fat slow down the emptying of the stomach and make the glucose surge less severe. This gives you more consistent energy and makes you less sleepy after iftar. It's a little change, but it fits perfectly with both Sunnah and science.

A Better Way to Break the Fast

Imagine this instead:

You take a sip of water.

You eat one to three dates.

You pause. You pray Maghrib.

Then you return to a balanced meal.

This pacing changes everything. Digestion improves. Hunger settles. Portions become easier to control. Energy feels steady instead of dramatic. The pause is powerful. Instead of reacting, it lets the body reset.

When Extra Caution Is Necessary

People with diabetes, pre-diabetes, or who get quite tired after iftar should be extremely careful with dates. For them, portion control is not just helpful. It’s essential.

The Sunnah was never meant to cause harm. It was meant to bring ease.

Dates Are a Gift. Not a Challenge

Dates symbolize simplicity. They show humility and thankfulness. They bring to mind the prophetic tradition and our spiritual connection. They are not meant to be eaten in a race. They are not meant to be a sign of joy or generosity. How many dates were eaten does not indicate a decent iftar. How you feel physically and spiritually thereafter is what defines it.

This is the most important thing to remember this Ramadan:

Eating one to three dates to break your fast is a Sunnah.

Excess honors impulse.

Eat with intention.

Pause with gratitude.

And let moderation protect both your health and your worship.

References

IslamQA. (n.d.). Break the fast with fresh dates. Retrieved from https://islamqa.info/en/articles/48/break-the-fast-with-fresh-dates
Muslim Aid. (n.d.). Dates: The staple food item in Ramadan. Retrieved from https://www.muslimaid.org/media-centre/blog/dates-the-staple-food-item-in-ramadan/
BBC News Pidgin. (2023). Why Muslims break Ramadan fast with dates. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/articles/cr7385rmjp0o
Al-Bukhari, M. I. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith regarding breaking the fast with dates or water).
Muslim, I. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim (Hadith regarding the practice of breaking the fast).