Allah SWT has granted the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wasallam) such grandeur and superiority; such attributes and qualities that nobody else has been given anything even remotely similar like them. His is the ultimate beauty. The body of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was matchless. It was very fine and exquisite. The fragrance which naturally emanated from his body would not only make the surroundings fragrant, but would revivify the very soul of all those who were present with him (Sallallahu alaihi wa aaliihi wasallam). His sweat was more fragrant than musk or any other perfume. It was known that he had taken such path because his fragrance spread on the path. Someone would come to that path, smell the fragrance and say, “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) passed from here!”
Few traditions related to Prophetic(ﷺ) fragrance are being mentioned below:
Hadith #1
Hazrat Jabir b. Samura(Radiyallahu Anhu) reported:
{Sahih Muslim,Kitab Al-Fad’ail,Hadith #5929}
“I prayed along with Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) the first prayer. He then went to his family and I also went along with him when he met some children (on the way).He began to pat the cheeks of each one of them. He also patted my cheek and I experienced a coolness or a fragrance of his hand as if it had been brought out from the scent bag of a perfumer.”
Hadith #2
Hadrat Usama ibn Sharik (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrates: “I came to see the Prophet while his companions were with him, and they seemed as still as if birds had alighted on top of their heads. I gave him my salam and then sat down…The Prophet then stood up and the people stood up. They began to kiss his hand, whereupon I took his hand and placed it on my face. I found it more fragrant than musk and cooler than sweet water.”
{Recorded by Abu Dawud (#3357), Tirmidhi (#1961 hasan sahih), Ibn Majah (#3427), Hakim (4:400 Sahih),Hafiz al-Khatib in Kitab al-Jami’ (1:90 #314), Imam Ahmad (4:161 #16831) and Bayhaqi in his Shu’ab (#1528).See also Bukhari’s Sahih (#3289) and Tabarani’s Mu’jam al-Awsat (4:348-49 #4398) }
Hadith #3
Hadrat Anas ibn Mâlik(Radiyallahu Anhu), said on more than one occasion, “I have never touched any silk or brocade that is softer than the palm of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, nor have I ever smelled musk or scent more fragrant than the fragrance of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him.”
{Sahih Bukhari ,Book of Fasting, Hadith #1872 , Sahih Muslim , Kitab Al-Fada’il,Hadith #5760}
Hadith #4
Hadhrat Umme Sulaim (May Allah be well pleased with her) says, “The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) used to rest in our house and take some rest. She would collect the sweat of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and use it as a fragrance.
{Sahih Muslim, Vol 2,Kitab Al-Fada’il, Pg No:257, Zujajatul Masabeeh, Vol 5, Pg No: 32/33}
The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked her, “O Umme Sulaim , What are you doing?”
She said, “O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), this is Your sweat which we use as a fragrance and this the best fragrance.”
In Sahih Muslim’s narration of this Hadith, she says, “O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), we seek blessings from it for our children. “
He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “What you are doing is right.”
A Few More traditions about Fragrances
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), liked and used perfume , this he did so that people would imitate him, for his body was naturally fragrant and he was in no need of perfume, and companions(RA) used to collect his perspiration to perfume themselves with it. If fragrance was presented to him, he would never refuse it. There’s no extravagance in perfume (in Islam). In other words if you buy expensive perfume, you don’t look at it like you are wasting money, because perfume is actually considered sadaqah(charity), for other people. In other words, if you put on perfume, initially you’ll smell it ,but after that , when you come up to people they smell it. So really the point of perfume is the other people and for that reason you should buy good scent. The Prophet (peace be upon him) wore the best perfume.
Best Scent Available
Hadrat Al-Aswad related that Hadrat ‘A’isha(Radiyallahu Anha) said, “I used to perfume the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with the best scent available so that I saw the gleam of the scent on his head and beard.”
{Sahih Bukhari , The Book of Dress ,Hadith #5579}
The Indian Aloeswoord (Oudh)
Hadrat ‘Ubaydullah(Radiyallahu Anhu) related that Hadrat Umm Qays bint Mihsan(Radiyallahu Anha) said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘You must have this Indian aloes(oudh). It contains seven remedies. It is snuffed by someone with a sore throat, and it is put in the side of the mouth of someone with pleurisy.’
{Sahih Bukhari , The Book of Medicine ,Hadith #5368}
Fumigation of Camphor & Aloeswood (Oudh)
Hadrat Nafi’ reported that when Hadrat Ibn Umar(Radiyallahu Anhu) wanted fumigation he got it from aloeswood(Oudh) without mixing anything with it, or he put camphor along with aloeswood(Oudh) and then said: “This is how Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) fumigated.”
{Sahih Muslim ,The Book Concerning the Use of Correct Words, Hadith #5601 }
Fragrance of Paradise
It is related from Hadrat Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The first group to enter the Garden will be like the moon on the night of the full moon, then those who follow them will be like the brightest planet in light. They will not need to urinate or defecate or spit nor blow their noses. Their combs will be golden and their perspiration will be like musk. Their braziers will burn fragrant aloes-wood(Oudh)
{Sahih Bukhari ,Book of the Prophets , Hadith #3149}
