Olive oil beong poured in small bowl with olive to side

Olive Oil in Islam: Quran, Hadith & Health Benefits

Olive oil has several distinct connections with Islamic scripture: the Quran describes an olive tree producing "oil and food," refers elsewhere to a "blessed olive tree" in the famous Verse of Light, and swears by the olive alongside the fig. A separate Hadith also encourages both eating olive oil and anointing with it.

These references don't all make the same kind of claim. Some describe food and provision directly, one forms part of a Quranic parable, and the Hadith gives a more direct instruction. This guide looks at what each source actually says, how the Prophet ﷺ is reported to have used olive oil, and what's worth knowing when choosing it today.

→ New to the topic? Read: The Complete Guide to Sunnah Foods

The "Blessed Tree" in Quran and Hadith

Three Quranic passages are particularly relevant to olive oil.

The most directly relevant one is:

Surah Al-Mu'minun describes a tree, understood to be the olive, "issuing from Mount Sinai which produces oil and food for those who eat" (Quran 23:20), a straightforward statement connecting the tree with both oil and nourishment, without the metaphorical framing found elsewhere.

Olive oil's most famous appearance, though, comes from Surah An-Nur's Verse of Light:

"Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp... lit from a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire."
Quran 24:35

Here the tree and its oil form part of a larger parable about divine light rather than dietary advice but within that imagery, the Quran explicitly describes the tree as mubaraka, blessed.

Classical commentators offered different explanations of "neither of the east nor of the west"; one well-known reading takes it as a tree exposed to sunlight throughout the day, though it isn't the only interpretation given.

Olives also appear in a Quranic oath:

"By the fig and the olive" (Quran 95:1).

Separately, a Hadith recorded in Jami' at-Tirmidhi directly echoes the Quran's "blessed tree" language:

"Eat olive oil and anoint yourselves with it, for it is from a blessed tree."
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1851

This overlap between a Quranic metaphor and a separate Hadith tradition is genuinely notable. Two independent pieces of evidence reinforcing the same theme, though one doesn't prove the
other.

It's also worth being upfront that this Hadith's transmission has received more scholarly discussion than a narration in Sahih al-Bukhari or Sahih Muslim would; Tirmidhi himself noted variation in how it was transmitted, and later scholars have differed on evaluating specific routes, with some accepting it as authentic.

The fairest summary is that it's recorded in a major collection and accepted by a number of later Hadith scholars, while its transmission has been discussed rather than being entirely uncontested.

→ Read more: Foods Mentioned in the Quran

How the Prophet ﷺ Used Olive Oil

The Tirmidhi hadith recommends two distinct uses at once: eating olive oil, and using it externally ("anoint yourselves with it”), likely referring to skin or hair, a common practice in the region at the time.

That dual recommendation sets olive oil apart from most other Sunnah foods discussed in this series, which are described purely in terms of eating.

It's worth reading the Hadith's own wording rather than expanding it. It doesn't specify a required daily amount, a particular condition it treats, a specific method of external application, or that olive oil should replace other dietary fats, those would be separate claims requiring their own evidence.

Traditional and Modern Benefits

Traditionally, olive oil has been used across the Mediterranean and Middle East both as a cooking fat and, historically, for skin and hair care. Consistent with the dual use described in the Hadith.

Modern nutrition research has looked at olive oil in some detail, particularly extra virgin olive oil: it's rich in monounsaturated fat (mainly oleic acid) and contains naturally occurring polyphenols that have been studied for antioxidant properties.

It's also a central feature of Mediterranean-style dietary patterns, researched fairly extensively in relation to cardiovascular health though that research reflects a whole way of eating, not one ingredient in isolation.

As with other foods in this series, it's worth keeping the religious and nutritional evidence separate rather than using one to "prove" the other. Both are worth knowing on their own terms.

Choosing Quality Olive Oil

Neither the Quran nor the Hadith specify a particular grade or processing method, that’s a modern classification, not a religious one.

A few practical points are worth knowing regardless:

Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed grade, extracted mechanically without heat or chemicals, retaining the most polyphenols and flavour, generally the best choice for both taste and nutritional composition. 

Virgin olive oil is also mechanically extracted, from slightly lower-quality olives, with a milder flavour. 
"Pure" or "light" olive oil is typically a blend of refined and virgin oil - more processed, cheaper, with fewer naturally occurring compounds. 

Olive oil is sensitive to light, heat and air, so storing it well-sealed in a cool, dark place helps preserve its quality, a practical note worth knowing alongside its religious significance, though not itself part of that significance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is olive oil mentioned in the Quran?

Yes, in three ways: Quran 23:20 describes a tree (understood as the olive) producing oil and food; Quran 24:35 describes a "blessed olive tree" within the Verse of Light; and the olive is named alongside the fig in a Quranic oath (95:1).

Why is the olive tree called "blessed" in Islam?

The description comes from Quran 24:35, part of the Verse of Light's imagery. The same "blessed tree" phrase is echoed in a separate Hadith recommending olive oil (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1851), two independent sources using the same language.

Did the Prophet ﷺ recommend olive oil?

A Hadith recorded in Jami' at-Tirmidhi (1851) reports the Prophet ﷺ encouraging both eating olive oil and using it externally. Its transmission has been discussed by scholars more than a Bukhari or Muslim narration would be, so it's worth checking a reliable source for its specific grading.

Does Islam require a specific type of olive oil?

No. The religious sources don't specify a grade or processing method. Extra virgin olive oil is generally the least processed and most nutritionally rich option, but choosing between grades is a modern, practical decision rather than a religious one.