Indore: Despite the restrictions imposed due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, date traders in Indore said they are happy with an increase in demand for the fruit during the holy month of Ramadan which began on Wednesday.
According to dates traders, last year, very few people were able to purchase dates during Ramadan due to the lockdown, and sellers had to incur huge losses. However, this time, dates are being sold and bought in large quantities in the market.
Riyaz Ghazi, the owner of Bhartiya Traders, which extensively imports wholesale dates at Indore's Siyaganj, one of the largest wholesale grocery markets in Madhya Pradesh, told ANI, "Eating dates is a sunnah (Sunnah, are the traditions and practices of the Prophet, Muhammad). Prophet Muhammad was fond of dates."
"Last year, the sale of dates was down due to COVID-19 and lockdown. But this time, from today till 4 pm in Indore, the district administration gave an exemption, so that we are able to do our business. In other cities, there is not enough access to dates. Since the supply of dates has not been able to reach the adjoining cities in sufficient quantity, the purchase of fruit in Indore is very high. People are sending purchase orders from many nearby cities," said Ghazi.
He further added that his company imports dates from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia among others. Dates are a staple on iftar tables during Ramadan. Prophet Muhammad's iftar table always had dates. According to Islamic scholars, at iftar time, Prophet Muhammad used to break his fast with either a few fresh or dried dates or a sip of water.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is celebrated by people belonging to the Muslim community all around the world. This year, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began in India on April 14.
During Ramadan, people have their first meal before sunrise known as 'sehri' (also called suhoor) and the other meal is iftar, which is served after sunset.
This annual observance is regarded as one of the five pillars of Islam. It lasts between one sighting of the crescent moon and the next. It is said that Ramadan is the commemoration of Prophet Muhammad's first revelation.
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