Ajwa palms are harvested once a year around Madinah, usually between August and October depending on the season. The fruit goes through four stages before it's ready — kimri (green, hard), khalal (yellow-red, crisp), rutab (soft, brown, semi-ripe) and tamar (fully dried) — and Ajwa is picked and dried at the tamar stage, which is why it's dense and slightly wrinkled rather than plump like a rutab-stage date.
How it's dried
Traditional drying is done in the sun on mats for several days, turned regularly so moisture leaves evenly. Commercial operations now use controlled drying rooms to cut the time down and keep the sugar from crystallising unevenly on the skin. Either way, the goal is the same: pull enough moisture out that the date stores for months without spoiling, while keeping it soft enough to chew.
What you're actually eating
Once dried, Ajwa is mostly natural sugar (glucose and fructose), with a modest amount of fibre and small amounts of potassium, magnesium and iron. That composition is broadly similar to other dried date varieties — Safawi, Sukkari, Mabroom. The taste and softness differ; the basic nutrient breakdown doesn't differ much.
A note on the bigger claims
Pages selling Ajwa sometimes attach claims about fertility, cholesterol, or protection from black magic, tied to hadith about the Prophet eating Ajwa dates. The historical and religious association is real; the medical claims built on top of it aren't backed by the kind of evidence that would let anyone call this a treatment. Enjoy Ajwa as a good date. For actual health conditions, see a doctor.
Storing after harvest
Room temperature in a sealed container is fine for a couple of weeks. In the fridge, 3-8°C, it holds well for months. Freezing extends that further — useful if you've bought a large batch around harvest season when prices are usually a little lower.
Where to buy in Malaysia
Supplier Kurma Green diamond brings in Ajwa from Madinah alongside other varieties, with grade and batch shown on the listing. See Kurma Madinah Green diamond for the full range, or their supplier page, Supplier Kurma Green diamond, for current stock.