88. al-Kāfi, narrating from Sharhabil ibn Muslim who said: “He (a.s.) said concerning a pregnant woman: “She should eat quince, for it will give a nicer scent to her child and a better color.”1
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The Role of a Mother’s Food on the Newborn
89. Imām ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “The Prophet of Allah said: “The first thing a woman in labor should eat is ripe dates, for Allah the Exalted told Mary: “Shake the trunk of the palm- tree, freshly picked dates will drop upon you.”2
Some asked: “O Messenger of Allah! If it is not the season of fresh ripe dates, what must she do?”
He said: “Then seven dates from the dates of Medina; if that is not found, then seven dates from your own cities, for Allah (s.w.t.) says: “By My honor, My glory, My greatness and the highness of My position, if a woman in labor eats ripe dates on the day she delivers, her child, boy or girl, will be forbearing.”3
90. Imām ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “The best of your dates is the Barni.4 Feed it to women while they are in their post-natal period so your children will become wise.”5
91. Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.) said: “Feed Barni ( a type of date ) to your women during their post-natal period and your children will become forbearing.”6
1.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۶, p. ۲۲, h. ۱. Tahdhib al-Ahkām, vol. ۷, p. ۴۳۹, h. ۱۷۵۵.
2.. Qurān, ۱۹:۲۵.
3.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۶, p. ۲۲, h. ۴. Tahdhib al-Ahkām, vol. ۷, p. ۴۴۰, h. ۱۷۵۷, with ‘wise’ instead of ‘forbearing’. al-Mahāsin, vol. ۲, p. ۳۴۶, h. ۲۱۹۴.
4.. A high quality sweet red-yellowish date.
5.. Tahdhib al-Ahkām, vol. ۷, p. ۴۴۰, h. ۲۰. al-Kāfi, vol. ۶, p. ۲۲, h. ۳, with ‘virtuous and forbearing’ instead of ‘wise’. Both narrating from Zurārah from Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.).
6.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۶, p. ۲۲, h. ۵. al-Mahāsin, vol. ۲, p. ۳۴۵, h. ۲۱۹۰. Both narrating from Sālih ibn ‘Aqabah. Makārim al-Akhlāq, vol. ۱, p. ۳۶۶, h. ۱۲۰۶, with will become beautiful’ instead of ‘will turn out forbearing’.
