Consume olive oil and apply it for anointment

والصَّلَاةُ والسَّلاَمُ عَلَى سَيّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَشْرَفِ اْلمُرْسَلِيْنَ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ الطَّيّبِيْنَ الطَّاهِرِيْن

Allah said:

﴾وَالتِّينِ وَالزَّيْتُونِ * وَطُورِ سِينِينَ﴿

"By the fig and the olive, * and by Mount Sinai"

(Suratu t-Tin).

Allah swore by these things because of the immense benefits they contain. Some of their benefits are known to us, while others remain unknown, yet we must believe that they hold great significance. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“كلوا الزيت وادَّهِنُوا بِه، فإنَّه مِن شَجَرةٍ مباركة”

"Consume olive oil and apply it for anointment, as it originates from a blessed tree."

Narrated by An-Nasa'iyy.

The finest olive oil is that of Jerusalem, followed by oil from regions close to it. This is due to Allah's description of its purity, as it almost illuminates even without being touched by fire. In his work Al-Mirqah, Al-Mulla ^Aliyy Al-Qari said: "Eat olive oil," meaning with bread, and use it as a condiment. "And anoint yourselves with it," referring to the act of applying oil, which is not limited to the head. This command is a recommendation for those who are able, as olive oil comes from a blessed tree, as described in the verse:

﴿زَيْتُونَةٍ لَا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ۚ نُورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ﴾

“An olive tree, which is neither eastern nor western, and its oil almost illuminates even though no fire touches it; light upon light.”

  (Suratu n-Nur)

He then described it as blessed due to its numerous benefits and the way the people of the Levant benefit from it. It is most likely because it grows in the land that Allah has blessed for all the worlds.

It is said that seventy prophets, including Ibrahim ﷺ, supplicated to Allah for the blessing of this land. The blessing of this tree gives rise to the blessing of its fruit, the olives, and the blessing of what is extracted from it, the olive oil. How could it not be blessed, given its use as both a condiment and anointment—two great blessings? Furthermore, it is used to fuel the lamps in the three sacred mosques. How truly blessed it is, both temporarily and spatially.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:       

"عَلَيْكُمْ بِهَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ الْمُبَارَكَةِ زَيْتِ الزَّيْتُونِ فَتَدَاوَوْا بِهِ، فَإِنَّهُ مَصَحَّةٌ مِنَ الْبَاسُورِ"

"Hold fast to this blessed tree, the olive tree. Use it as a remedy, for indeed, it is a cure for haemorrhoids."

Narrated by At-Tabaraniyy and ‘Abu Nu^aym from ^Uqbah ibnu ^Amir.

During the time of the Prophet ﷺ, the lamps were not kindled in the mosque. It was ^Umar ibnu l-Khattab who first introduced lamps to the mosque, which were fuelled with olive oil. ^Aliyy ibnu ‘Abi Talib said, "May Allah illuminate your grave as you have illuminated our mosques." Prior to this, they would pray in darkness. The Prophet ﷺ would pray his night prayers in the dark, and at times, ^A’ishah would obstruct the path between him and the Qiblah. When he ﷺ prostrated, he would gently press her leg, prompting her to move it away from his direction of prayer.

At that time, there was no lighting, and lamps were not kindled. It was only during the era of ^Umar ibnu l-Khattab, when Islamic conquests had spread, that olive oil began to be brought from the Levant. From this oil, they started lighting the lamps. Before that, they would pray Maghrib, ^Isha’, and perform Tahajjud in the dark. They would only light wood for warmth, due to the intense cold of the Hijaz."

It was in this context that the Prophet ﷺ said,

«بشِّرِ المشَّائينَ في الظُّلَمِ إلى المساجدِ بالنُّورِ التَّامِّ يَومَ القِيامةِ»

"Give glad tidings to those who walk to the mosques in the darkness; they will be granted perfect light on the Day of Judgment."

[Narrated by Al-Bukhariyy, Muslim, At-Tirmidhiyy, and At-Tabaraniyy].

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. And Allah knows best.