Perfume is known to be one of the most powerful gifts one can give. Many of us are big perfume wearers, and many others don’t care about it.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to love cleanliness and good scent. It was highlighted, in many hadiths, his love for fragrance and good scent like musk, ‘ud and ambergris.

In one famous hadith, he said:

In this world, women and perfume have been made dear to me, and my comfort has been provided in prayer. (An-Nasa’i)

The Favorite Scents – Ambergris and Musk

A good smell was a good habit in the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He disliked going outside without wearing some of perfume. And if perfume was gifted to him, he would never refuse it.

Anas said:

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would not refuse perfume. (Al-Bukhari)

Prophet Muhammad’s wife, Aisha, used to shower him with his favorite perfume every time he goes out for prayer or meet his companions.

She said:

I would put a lot of fragrance on the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to the extent that you could see the shine on his blessed forehead and blessed beard.’

Among the scents Prophet Muhammad used to love were musk and ambergris. He said in a hadith:

The best scent is the perfume of musk. (At-Tirmidhi)

It was narrated that Muhammad ibn ‘Ali said:

“I asked ‘Aisha:

‘Did the Messenger of Allah wear perfume?’

She said:

‘Yes, the perfumes used by men: Musk and amber.’”

Anas reported:

I never smelt ambergris or musk as fragrant as the fragrance of the body of Allah’s Messenger and I never touched brocade or silk and found it as soft as the body of Allah’s Messenger. (Muslim)

A Sunnah to Follow

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to apply fragrance whenever he goes to pray especially on Friday prayer and advised his companions to do so.

Anyone who takes a bath on Friday and cleans himself as much as he can and puts oil (on his hair) or scents himself; and then proceeds for the prayer … all his sins in between the present and the last Friday will be forgiven. (Al-Bukhari)

Perfume was essential in the Prophet Muhammad’s daily life. He was always keen to keep clean and good scented.

It’s a good sunnah for men to practice!

(From Discovering Islam’s archive.)