Using Perfume
Total Hadiths 12
What Do Authentic Hadiths Teach Us About Using Perfume in Islam?
Applying fragrance is a beautiful practice highlighted in Islamic tradition. According to authentic narrations, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) kept a special container called a sikkah specifically for perfuming himself. Fragrance is highly valued, and the Prophet (ﷺ) explicitly advised that if someone offers you perfume, you should never refuse it, as it smells wonderful and is light to carry. However, the texts also outline clear boundaries for public modesty. The Prophet (ﷺ) gave stern warnings regarding women wearing strong perfume in public settings where passing crowds can easily catch the scent. Furthermore, the narrations state that if a woman applies perfume specifically for going to the mosque, her prayer will not be accepted until she returns home and takes a complete bath to wash it off.
حَدَّثَنَا النُّفَيْلِيُّ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ أَبُو عَلْقَمَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي يَزِيدُ بْنُ خُصَيْفَةَ، عَنْ بُسْرِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَيُّمَا امْرَأَةٍ أَصَابَتْ بَخُورًا فَلاَ تَشْهَدَنَّ مَعَنَا الْعِشَاءَ " . قَالَ ابْنُ نُفَيْلٍ " عِشَاءَ الآخِرَةِ " .
Narrated AbuHurayrah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If a woman fumigates herself with perfume, she must not attend the night prayer with us. Ibn Nufayl said: Isha' means night prayer.
[1] Meaning, the later of the two night prayers, 'Ishā' as opposed to Maghrib .Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 4175In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 17English translation : Book 34, Hadith 4163
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَكْرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عُمَرُ بْنُ عَطَاءِ بْنِ أَبِي الْخُوَارِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ يَحْيَى بْنَ يَعْمَرَ، يُخْبِرُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ، أَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ يَاسِرٍ، - زَعَمَ عُمَرُ أَنَّ يَحْيَى، سَمَّى ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلَ فَنَسِيَ عُمَرُ اسْمَهُ - أَنَّ عَمَّارًا قَالَ تَخَلَّقْتُ بِهَذِهِ الْقِصَّةِ . وَالأَوَّلُ أَتَمُّ بِكَثِيرٍ فِيهِ ذَكَرَ الْغُسْلَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِعُمَرَ وَهُمْ حُرُمٌ قَالَ لاَ الْقَوْمُ مُقِيمُونَ .
The tradition mentioned above (No. 4164) has also been transmitted by Ammar ibn Yasir through a different chain of narrators. This version has: Ammar said: I used khaluq. The first version is more perfect; it mentioned "taking a bath". Ibn Jurayj said: I said to Umar (a transmitter): They might be wearing ihram (robe of pilgrim)? He replied: No, they were residents.
[1] A kind of perfume containing saffron.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 4177In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 19English translation : Book 34, Hadith 4165
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، وَهَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، - الْمَعْنَى - أَنَّ أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْمُقْرِئَ، حَدَّثَهُمْ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ طِيبٌ فَلاَ يَرُدَّهُ فَإِنَّهُ طَيِّبُ الرِّيحِ خَفِيفُ الْمَحْمَلِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone is presented some perfume, he should not return it, for it is a thing of good fragrance and light to bear.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 4172In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 14English translation : Book 34, Hadith 4160
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، أَنَّ حَمَّادَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ، وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَاهُمْ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ التَّزَعْفُرِ لِلرِّجَالِ وَقَالَ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ أَنْ يَتَزَعْفَرَ الرَّجُلُ .
Anas Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade men to use saffron. Isma'il version has: "(forbade) man to use saffron."
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 4179In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 21English translation : Book 34, Hadith 4167
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ، عَنْ شَيْبَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ كَانَتْ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سُكَّةٌ يَتَطَيَّبُ مِنْهَا .
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) had sikkah with which he perfumed himself.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 4162In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 4English translation : Book 34, Hadith 4150
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ مَيْسَرَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَلْمٌ الْعَلَوِيُّ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، دَخَلَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَعَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ صُفْرَةٍ - وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَلَّمَا يُوَاجِهُ رَجُلاً فِي وَجْهِهِ بِشَىْءٍ يَكْرَهُهُ - فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ قَالَ " لَوْ أَمَرْتُمْ هَذَا أَنْ يَغْسِلَ هَذَا عَنْهُ " .
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
A man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he had the mark of yellowness (of saffron). The Prophet (peace be upon him rarely mentioned a thing which he disliked before a man. When he went away, he said: Would that you tell this man that he should wash this off him.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 4182In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 24English translation : Book 34, Hadith 4170
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، مَوْلَى أَبِي رُهْمٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ لَقِيَتْهُ امْرَأَةٌ وَجَدَ مِنْهَا رِيحَ الطِّيبِ يُنْفَحُ وَلِذَيْلِهَا إِعْصَارٌ فَقَالَ يَا أَمَةَ الْجَبَّارِ جِئْتِ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ . قَالَ وَلَهُ تَطَيَّبْتِ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ . قَالَ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ حِبِّي أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " لاَ تُقْبَلُ صَلاَةٌ لاِمْرَأَةٍ تَطَيَّبَتْ لِهَذَا الْمَسْجِدِ حَتَّى تَرْجِعَ فَتَغْتَسِلَ غُسْلَهَا مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ الإِعْصَارُ غُبَارٌ .
AbuHurayrah Narrated from:
A woman met him and he found the odour of perfume in her. Her clothes were fluttering in the air. He said: O maid-servant of the Almighty, are you coming from the mosque? She replied: Yes. He said: For it did you use perfume? She replied: Yes. He said: I heard my beloved AbulQasim (ﷺ) say: The prayer of a woman who uses perfume for this mosque is not accepted until she returns and takes a bath like that of sexual defilement (perfectly). Abu Dawud said: Al-i'sar means dust.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 4174In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 16English translation : Book 34, Hadith 4162
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا ثَابِتُ بْنُ عُمَارَةَ، حَدَّثَنِي غُنَيْمُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا اسْتَعْطَرَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ فَمَرَّتْ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ لِيَجِدُوا رِيحَهَا فَهِيَ كَذَا وَكَذَا " . قَالَ قَوْلاً شَدِيدًا .
Abu Musa Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If a woman uses perfume and passes the people so that they may get its odour, she is so-and-so, meaning severe remarks.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 4173In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 15English translation : Book 34, Hadith 4161
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَطَاءٌ الْخُرَاسَانِيُّ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ يَعْمَرَ، عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ يَاسِرٍ، قَالَ قَدِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي لَيْلاً وَقَدْ تَشَقَّقَتْ يَدَاىَ فَخَلَّقُونِي بِزَعْفَرَانٍ فَغَدَوْتُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَىَّ وَلَمْ يُرَحِّبْ بِي فَقَالَ " اذْهَبْ فَاغْسِلْ هَذَا عَنْكَ " . فَذَهَبْتُ فَغَسَلْتُهُ ثُمَّ جِئْتُ وَقَدْ بَقِيَ عَلَىَّ مِنْهُ رَدْعٌ فَسَلَّمْتُ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَىَّ وَلَمْ يُرَحِّبْ بِي وَقَالَ " اذْهَبْ فَاغْسِلْ هَذَا عَنْكَ " . فَذَهَبْتُ فَغَسَلْتُهُ ثُمَّ جِئْتُ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَرَدَّ عَلَىَّ وَرَحَّبَ بِي وَقَالَ " إِنَّ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ لاَ تَحْضُرُ جَنَازَةَ الْكَافِرِ بِخَيْرٍ وَلاَ الْمُتَضَمِّخَ بِالزَّعْفَرَانِ وَلاَ الْجُنُبَ " . قَالَ وَرَخَّصَ لِلْجُنُبِ إِذَا نَامَ أَوْ أَكَلَ أَوْ شَرِبَ أَنْ يَتَوَضَّأَ .
'Ammar bin Yasir Narrated from:
I came to my family at night (after a journey) with my hands chapped and they perfumed me with saffron. In the morning I went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and gave him a greeting, but he did not respond to me nor did he welcome me. He said: Go away and wash this off yourself. I then went away and washed it off me. I came to him but there remained a spot of it on me. I give him a greeting, but he did not respond to me nor did he welcome me. He said: Go away and wash it off yourself. I then went away and washed it off me.I then came and gave him a greeting. He responded to me and welcomed me, saying: The angels do not attend the funeral of an unbeliever bringing good to it, nor a man who smears himself with saffron, nor a man who is sexually defiled. He said: He permitted the man who was sexually defiled to perform ablution when he slept, ate or drank.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 4176In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 18English translation : Book 34, Hadith 4164
حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الأُوَيْسِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، عَنْ ثَوْرِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ يَاسِرٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " ثَلاَثَةٌ لاَ تَقْرَبُهُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ جِيفَةُ الْكَافِرِ وَالْمُتَضَمِّخُ بِالْخَلُوقِ وَالْجُنُبُ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَتَوَضَّأَ " .
'Ammar bin Yasir Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The angels do not come near three: the dead body of the unbeliever, one who smears himself with khaluq, and the one who is sexually defiled except that he performs ablution.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 4180In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 22English translation : Book 34, Hadith 4168
