In the Quran
وَزَيْتُونًۭا وَنَخْلًۭا ٢٩
And olive and palm trees
۞ ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشْكَوٰةٍۢ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ ٱلْمِصْبَاحُ فِى زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌۭ دُرِّىٌّۭ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍۢ مُّبَٰرَكَةٍۢ زَيْتُونَةٍۢ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍۢ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍۢ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىٓءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌۭ ۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍۢ ۗ يَهْدِى ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَٰلَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۭ ٣٥
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things.
وَشَجَرَةًۭ تَخْرُجُ مِن طُورِ سَيْنَآءَ تَنۢبُتُ بِٱلدُّهْنِ وَصِبْغٍۢ لِّلْءَاكِلِينَ ٢٠
And [We brought forth] a tree issuing from Mount Sinai which produces oil and food for those who eat.
Notes
In the commentaries
In the Verse of Light (24:35) a lamp is lit from the oil of “a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west”. Ibn Kathir, citing Mujahid and Ibn ʿAbbas, explains that the tree stands where the sun reaches it all day, so its oil is pure. The verse as a whole is a parable of Allah’s light.
In the commentaries
Ibn Kathir explains the tree “issuing from Mount Sinai” in 23:20, which gives oil and food, as the olive tree.
What’s in it
| Per 100 g | Amount | Compared with the other foods |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 116 kcal | |
| Carbohydrate | 6.0 g | |
| Total sugars | 0 g | |
| Fibre | 1.6 g | |
| Protein | 0.84 g | |
| Fat | 11 g |
Source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, “Olives, ripe, canned (small-extra large)” (FDC 169094) (opens in a new tab). Bars compare each value with the highest among the foods on this site. Values for ripe (black) canned olives. General information, not dietary or medical advice.