Al Minah Al `Aliyyah (37)

The following persons are

excluded from using perfume :

 Someone in ihram –whether male or female- as after the pilgrim and who performs minor Hajj (‘umrah) entered ihram, and it is prohibited to use perfume even after the death of someone who died while in a state of Ihram because of what is recorded in the hadith of Ibn Abbas regarding the man who was killed by his camel while he was with the Prophet r and he was a Muhrim. Hence the Prophet r  said,

“Neither perfume him nor cover his head.”^[1]

 Also the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar which says:

“A man asked the Prophet r : ‘What (kinds of clothes) should a Muhrim (a Muslim intending to perform `Umrah or Hajj) wear?’ He replied, ‘He should not wear a shirt, a turban, trousers, a head cloak or garment scented with saffron or Wars (kinds of perfume).’”^[2]

The woman has been specified with two additional cases:

 1- For the widow in the period of waiting; she is prohibited from wearing any perfume for four months and ten days. The evidence for that is narrated by Umm ‘Atiyya (may Allah be pleased with her). “We were forbidden to mourn for more than three days for a dead person, except for a husband, for whom a wife should mourn for four months and ten days (while in the mourning period) we were not allowed to put kohl on our eyes, nor perfume our-selves, nor wear dyed clothes, except a garment of ‘Asb (special clothes made in Yemen). However, it was permissible for us that when one of us became clean from our menses and took a bath, to use a piece of a certain kind of incense. And it was forbidden for us to follow funeral processions.”^[3]

2- When she passes by men who are not her Mehram:  It is forbidden for her to be perfumed in this case. This is substantiated by the following ahadith: It was narrated by Al-Ash’ari t who said, The Messenger of Allah r said:

“Any woman who puts on perfume and passes by people so that they can smell her fragrance is considered to be like an adulteress.”^[4]

Zainab, the wife of ‘Abdullah (bin ‘Umar), reported,

“The Messenger of Allah r said to us: ‘When any one of you comes to the mosque, she should not apply perfume.’”^[5]

Abu Hurairah t narrated,

“The Messenger of Allah r said: ‘Whoever perfumes herself with scent should not join us in the ‘Isha’ prayer.’”^[6]

It is Sunnah to start with

right side in combing the hair:

‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated, “Allah’s Messenger r loved to begin with the right while putting on his shoes, combing his hair, in his purification and in all honorable affairs.”^[7]

It has already been mentioned that it is Sunnah to start with right side of the body and then the left side when taking a Ghusl, and the same applies when making ablution (Wudu). Moreover, it was aforementioned in detail that it is Sunnah to start with the right foot when putting on shoes. The third case that the Prophet r liked starting with the right is when combing the hair, including anointing it and Allah knows best.

‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says, "‘in all of his affairs’ means in everything, but these things are mentioned for honor as some scholars said."In Al-Bukhari it mentions that the Prophet r used to start everything honorable from the right (whenever it was possible in all his affairs and ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) specified those three things. There are other things that were mentioned in the Prophetic traditions such as entering the mosque, cutting the hair, eating and drinking. Regarding the things that cause harm, it is recommended to begin with the left side like in Istinja’ (cleaning with water after using the toilet), entering the bathroom and taking off the shoes and so on. The following is a ruling mentioned by Sheikh Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah be merciful to him): ”The right deserves to lead in doing good things and deserves to be delayed in doing harmful things.”^[8]