Introduction
Perfume is not haram for a woman in itself. It becomes haram when she goes out wearing a scent that non mahram men can notice, because the ulama explain that this is a cause of fitnah, draws attention to her, and may move desire. This is why the hadith gives a severe warning about a woman who applies perfume and passes by men so they smell her scent.
For her husband, perfume is recommended, because it increases love, closeness, and good companionship.
Among women, mahrams, or in a private setting where unrelated men will not smell it, it is permissible.
The ruling is on whether the scent reaches non mahram men in public places, such as roads, markets, masjids, or workplaces.
Al Munawi explains that the severe wording is because such perfume can expose a woman to the causes of zina and invite attention from those who may seek it. Ibn Baz and Ibn Uthaymin explain the same meaning: if men can smell it in public, it is prohibited. If the scent stays within a permissible setting, such as with her husband, women, mahrams, or a private journey where men will not smell it, then there is no harm.
The difference between the woman and the man is that, for the woman, the basic rule concerning her is to remain in her home and use adornment there, where no fitnah occurs through her and no harm results from it. As for the man, he leaves his home, works, travels through the land, and mixes with people in gatherings, markets, and other places.
Also, a man’s fitnah through a woman is stronger than a woman’s fitnah.
If he becomes attached to a woman, he can seek her out and use ways to tempt her.
Usually, the woman is the one sought, not the one seeking. If something towards a man occurs within her, then the modesty and chastity upon which she was created usually prevent her from seeking him.
It is known from the proofs of the Sharia, and it is also something seen in reality, that men being drawn into fitnah through women is stronger and greater than women being drawn into fitnah through men.
Someone may ask why has perfume not been made haram for a man, even though women may also be tempted by his scent, if this question was a valid objection, the same would be said about many ruling made specific to women in order to close the way to men being tried through them.
For example, someone would say: Why was hijab made obligatory upon women and not men, because there are attractive men that would cause fitnah to women?
Another example is when Allah says:
فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ
“Do not be soft in speech, lest the one in whose heart is disease should desire.” (al Ahzab 32)
Al Suddi and others said: This means making speech soft when addressing men.
So, why don’t they also say, “Why is it that only women have to control their speech infront of non mahram men, when men with deep voices may also cause fitnah?”
In Islam, men have their rulings and women also have their rulings, we should not object to the rulings of the prophet ﷺ, rather we should accept them whole heartedly because of our love for him and Our Lord. When a Muslim learns more about who the prophet ﷺ was, how he lived his life, and how he treated those around him, you will love who he was and thus, makes it easier to follow his teachings and rulings, and try to follow the Sharia in our day to day lives the best we can.
Hadiths Regarding Perfume
The First Hadith
From Abu Musa al Ashʿari, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Any woman who applies perfume, then passes by people so that they may smell some of her scent, is an adulteress.” (Reported by al Nasa’i, 2/283, and also by Abu Dawud, 2/192, al Tirmidhi, 4/17 with the commentary of al Mubarakfuri, al Hakim, 2/396, Ahmad, 4/400 and 413, Ibn Khuzaymah, 3/91/1681, and Ibn Hibban, 1474 in Mawarid. Al Tirmidhi said: “Hasan sahih.” Al Hakim said: “Authentic in chain.” Al Dhahabi agreed with him. I say: Its chain is hasan. Also recorded as Sunan Abi Dawud 4173, Jamiʿ al Tirmidhi 2786, Sunan al Nasa’i 5126, and Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah 1681.)
The Second Hadith
From Zaynab al Thaqafiyyah, that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“When one of you goes out to the masjid, she must not go near perfume.” (Reported by Muslim and Abu ʿAwanah in their Sahih collections, the authors of the Sunan, and others. Also recorded in Sahih Muslim 443.)
The Third Hadith
From Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Any woman who has used incense must not attend Isha with us.” (Reported by Muslim and Abu ʿAwanah in their Sahih collections, the authors of the Sunan, and others. I have spoken about its chains in al Thamar al Mustatab, then in al Silsilah al Sahihah, 1094. Also recorded in Sahih Muslim 444 and Sunan al Nasa’i 5128.)
The Fourth Hadith
From Musa ibn Yasar, from Abu Hurayrah:
“A woman passed by him while her scent was spreading strongly. He said: “O servant woman of the Almighty, do you want to go to the masjid?” She said: “Yes.” He said: “And for it you applied perfume?” She said: “Yes.” He said: “Then go back and wash, for I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “No woman goes out to the masjid while her scent is spreading strongly, then Allah accepts any prayer from her, until she returns to her house and washes.”” (Reported by al Bayhaqi, 3/133 and 246, through the route of al Awzaʿi from Musa ibn Yasar. Its chain is authentic if this Ibn Yasar is al Kalbi, their freedman from Madinah, because he narrated from Abu Hurayrah. But if he is the Jordanian narrator, then it is disconnected. This is closer, because they mentioned al Awzaʿi among those who narrated from him, unlike the first one, and this hadith is from his narration from him, as you can see. They also mentioned in his biography that he sent reports from Abu Hurayrah. And Allah knows best. Al Mundhiri attributed the hadith in al Targhib, 3/94, to Ibn Khuzaymah in his Sahih. Al Bayhaqi also reported it through another route from Abu Hurayrah. It has another route, or other routes, which I mentioned in my book referred to just now, then in the third volume of al Silsilah al Sahihah, 1031, Maktabat al Maʿarif, Riyadh. Also recorded as Sunan Abi Dawud 4174 and Sunan Ibn Majah 4002.)
Discussing The Ruling & Different Situations
The Reason For The Prohibition
The reason for its prohibition is clear. It contains the stirring of desire. The ulama also attached to it whatever carries the same meaning, such as beautiful clothing, visible jewellery, fine adornment, and likewise mixing with men. (See Fath al Bari, Ibn Hajar, 2/279.)
Ibn Daqiq al ʿId (d. 702AH) said:
“In it is the prohibition of applying perfume for a woman who intends to go out to the masjid, because it contains the stirring of men’s desire.” (Al Munawi quoted it in Fayd al Qadir while explaining the first hadith of Abu Hurayrah.)
If this is haram for a woman who wants to go to the masjid, then what would the ruling be for a woman who wants to go to the market, alleys, and streets? There is no doubt that it is more severely haram and greater in sin.
Al Haytami (d. 974AH) mentioned in al Zawajir, 2/37, that a woman leaving her house perfumed and beautified is from the major sins, even if her husband gave her permission.
Why Isha Was Specifically Mentioned
These hadiths are general and include all times. Isha was only specifically mentioned in the third hadith because fitnah at that time is more severe.
So no one should think from this that her going out at another time is permissible.
Ibn al Malak (d. 801AH) said:
“What is more apparent is that it was specifically forbidden because it is a time of darkness and the road being empty. Perfume stirs desire, so a woman at that time is not safe from complete fitnah. This is different from Fajr and Maghrib, because they are times when people can be seen clearly. It has already preceded that touching perfume prevents a woman from attending the masjid in an unrestricted way.” (Shaykh ʿAli al Qari quoted it in al Mirqat, 2/71.)
Now as for when she thinks it is most likely that it will not become noticeable to unrelated men, such as when she is in a place where there are only her mahrams (unmarriageable male relatives) or other women, or when it is slight, or when it does not last, as you mentioned regarding this sanitiser, then there is no problem in using it.
This is recommended and encouraged, because it is part of living together kindly in a good way. It is also more likely to increase love between the spouses and strengthen affection between them, when each of them pays attention to what the other loves.
Al Munawi (d. 1031AH) said in Fayd al Qadir: “As for applying perfume and beautifying oneself for the husband, then it is required and loved.
Some of the elders said: A woman beautifying herself and applying perfume for her husband is one of the strongest causes of love and closeness between them, and of removing dislike and aversion. This is because the eye is the messenger of the heart. If it finds a sight beautiful, it carries it to the heart, and love occurs.
If it sees an ugly sight, or something it does not like from appearance or clothing, it carries that to the heart, and dislike and aversion occur. For this reason, one of the pieces of advice given by Arab women to one another was: Beware that your husband’s eye falls upon anything from you that he does not find pleasant, or that he smells from you anything he finds unpleasant.”
Translation
“If a woman puts on perfume, then passes by a group of men so that they may smell her scent, then she is an adulteress.”
Reported from Abu Musa.
“If a woman puts on perfume” means that she uses fragrance, meaning perfume whose scent is apparent, on her body or clothing.
“Then passes by a group” means men.
“So that they may smell” means for the purpose that they smell it.
“Her scent” means the scent of her perfume.
“Then she is an adulteress” means that, because of this, she exposes herself to adultery, seeks its causes, and calls towards those who seek it. For this reason, she is called an adulteress in a figurative sense.
Gatherings of men are rarely free of someone whose heart has a strong desire for women, especially when perfume is present. Desire may overcome him, his resolve may become firm, and actual adultery may occur.
The same ruling as her passing by men applies to her sitting in their path so that they pass by her.
Reported from Abu Musa al Ashʿari. The author marked it as graded hasan.
Fayd al Qadir, al Munawi, 1/355
Shaykh Salih Al Uthaymeen’s Words In A Woman Applying Perfume Outside The Home
A woman going out perfumed to the market is haram, due to the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: “If a woman applies perfume, then passes by a gathering, then she is such and such,” meaning, an adulteress. This is also because of the fitnah found in that. (Reported by Abu Dawud, Book of Combing the Hair, chapter on what has come about a woman applying perfume to go out, number 4173. Also by al Tirmidhi, Book of Manners, chapter on what has come regarding the dislike of a woman going out perfumed, number 2786. Also by al Nasa’i, Book of Adornment, chapter on what is disliked for women from perfume, number 5126.)
As for when the woman will ride in the car, and her scent will not become noticeable except to someone before whom it is permissible for that scent to appear, and she will get out immediately at her workplace without men being around her, then there is no problem with this. That is because there is no prohibited matter here. In her car, she is as though she is in her house.
For this reason, it is not permissible for a person to enable his wife, or a woman under his authority, to ride alone with the driver, because this is seclusion. As for when she will pass beside men, then it is not permissible for her to apply perfume.
As for the adornment that she may show to women, then if it is from the permissible adornment that is customary among women, it is halal. As for what is not halal, such as when the clothing is very thin and shows the skin, or very tight and shows the attractive parts of the woman, then that is not permissible, because it falls under the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:
“Two types of the people of the Fire I have not seen…” He then mentioned: “Women who are clothed but naked, inclining and causing others to incline. Their heads are like the humps of leaning camels. They will not enter Jannah, nor will they smell its fragrance.” (Also recorded in Sahih Muslim 2128.)
Jalasat Ramadaniyyah, Ibn Uthaymin pg 49–51
First Situation: Applying Perfume And Leaving With It So That Non Mahram Men Smell It
This is haram. Rather, it is from the major sins.
Abu Musa narrated from the Prophet ﷺ that he said: “When a woman applies perfume, then passes by people so that they may smell her scent, then she is such and such.” He said a severe word, meaning: a woman guilty of zina. (Sunan Abi Dawud 4173. Jamiʿ al Tirmidhi 2786. Graded sahih by Ibn Daqiq al ʿId in al Iqtirah, 126, and by al Albani in Sahih al Tirmidhi)
Al Munawi said in Fayd al Qadir which was previously quoted: “She is a woman guilty of zina means: because by doing that she exposes herself to zina, seeks its causes, and calls towards being sought for it. For that reason, she was called a woman guilty of zina in a figurative way. Desire may overpower a person, and then real zina may occur. Her sitting in their path so that they pass by her is like her passing by men.” (Fayd al Qadir, al Munawi, 1/355)
Fayd al Qadir, by al Munawi 3/137.
Second Situation: Applying Perfume And Leaving While Thinking It Is Most Likely That Men Will Smell It
This is when she applies tib (perfume) and ʿitr (scent), then leaves, while thinking it is most likely that she will pass through gatherings where men will smell her perfume and scent. This is also haram, even if she did not intend to tempt men and even if that was not in her intention, because the action itself is fitnah (a cause of temptation and sin). The Sharia also contains evidence showing that it is haram and prohibited.
Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:
وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَائِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّابِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُولِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَى عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاءِ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِنْ زِينَتِهِنَّ وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“And tell the believing women to lower their eyes, guard their private parts, and not show their adornment except what normally appears of it. Let them draw their head coverings over their chests.
Let them not show their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, those whom their right hands possess, male attendants who have no desire, or children who are not aware of women’s private matters. Let them not strike their feet so that what they hide of their adornment becomes known. Turn to Allah all together, O believers, so that you may succeed.” (al Nur 31)
So He prohibited the woman from showing her adornment to unrelated men. Perfume is certainly part of her adornment, so it comes under the prohibition and the ruling of being haram.
Zaynab, the wife of ʿAbdullah ibn Masʿud, said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to us: “When one of you attends the masjid, she must not apply any perfume.” (Sahih Muslim 443)
If the Prophet ﷺ prohibited a woman from going out to the masjid with perfume, because men will usually smell some of her scent due to the closeness of the place and the lack of barriers between men and women, then it is even more fitting that a woman who goes out to markets and public gatherings is prevented from applying perfume. However, this is not counted among the major sins. Rather, it is from the clear forbidden acts.
Ibn Hajar al Haytami (d. 974AH) said in al Zawajir ʿan Iqtiraf al Kabaʾir:
Third Situation: Applying Perfume When She Thinks It Is Most Likely That Its Scent Will Not Reach Public Gatherings
This is when she applies ʿitr (perfume) and tib (scent), while thinking it is most likely that her perfume will not reach public gatherings and that men will not smell anything from it.
For example, she goes out in her husband’s car on a journey to an empty place, or to visit her family, or she goes out in her husband’s car to one of the private gatherings for women, or she goes out to the masjid in the car and gets out at the door of the women’s prayer area, which is completely separated from the men, then returns directly by car without passing through the roads, and similar situations where the woman does not expect at all to pass through any of the Muslims’ roads.
If her purpose in applying perfume is general cleanliness, which the Sharia commanded, then there is no problem for her in using perfume at that time, because the cause of prohibition is not present, namely the likely possibility that men will smell her perfume.
The Evidence For This
- The clear cause of prohibition from the earlier proofs is not present in this situation. There is no fitnah (temptation), and there is no stirring of desire.
- The Sunnah contains what shows that the women among the Sahabah used perfume when they thought it was most likely that it would not spread among men.
ʿA’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, said: “We used to go out with the Prophet ﷺ to Makkah, and we would smear our foreheads with sukk (a type of perfume) at the time of ihram (entering the sacred state for pilgrimage). When one of us sweated, it would flow down her face. The Prophet ﷺ would see it and would not forbid her.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1830. Graded hasan by al Nawawi in al Majmuʿ, 7/219. Graded sahih by al Albani in Sahih Abi Dawud)
This is understood according to the well known situation of the earlier time, when the caravans of women were separated from men, or when a woman would be in her howdah (covered camel carriage), not mixing with men and not passing through their places.
Shaykh Ibn Baz said: “A woman may not apply perfume when going out if it is a fragrance that men can notice, because this causes temptation and trial.
For this reason, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Any woman who has used incense must not attend Isha with us.”
A woman is something to be covered, and she is a source of trial. So, if she applies perfume with a scent that men can notice on the road, this becomes one of the causes of temptation and trial.
As for a fragrance that men do not notice, but is only among women, such that a woman may notice it when she kisses her, shakes hands with her, or gets up after being with her, while men do not notice it on the roads, then this does not cause harm. So she must be careful to use a fragrance whose scent does not reach men when she goes out.
As for inside the home, there is no problem. She may use whatever perfume she wishes among women, among her mahrams, and with her husband. She may use whatever Allah makes easy for her. However, when going out, she must avoid perfume that has a scent which men can notice on the roads.” (Majmuʿ al Fatawa, Ibn Baz, 10/40)
