Wearing Perfume for Your Husband

It is reported that ‘Umar b. Al-Khattāb came out one Eid. Passing by a group of women, he could smell the scent of perfume from one of them. He asked, “Who is the one wearing this scent? By Allāh, if I knew who she was, I would do such-and-such (punish her). A women is only to wear perfume for her husband, and if she goes out, she wears her older (scruffier) clothes or the older clothes of her servant.” And so it was rumored amongst the women that the woman [who was wearing perfume in public] got up from that gathering having soiled herself (out of fear).

Ibn Abī Shaybah, Al-Musannaf article 6387.

From the Manners of a Wife with her Husband

It is reported that the wife of Imâm Sa’îd b. Al-Musayyib – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

We only ever used to speak to our husbands like you address your commanders and leaders: [we would supplicate for them when talking to them] “May Allâh keep you right!”, “May Allâh keep you well!”

Abû Nu’aym, Hilyatu Al-Awliyâ` 5:198.

After the death of his wife Umm Sâlih, Imâm Ahmad – Allâh have mercy on them, used to praise her. He once said:

In the thirty years she was with me, we never had a single word of disagreement.

Al-Khatîb Al-Baghdâdî, Târîkh Baghdâd 16:626.

Lowering the Gaze

It is reported that Salmân Al-Fârsî – Allâh be pleased with him – said:

I would rather die and be resurrected, die and be resurrected, and again die and be resurrected than to see the private part of a Muslim’s body or for a Muslim to see mine.

Imâm Ahmad, Al-Zuhd p192. 1st ed. 1983. Dâr Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmîyah. Beirut, Lebanon.

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh b, ‘Umar – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

Verily, part of disregarding the trust upon you is to look inside [other people's] apartments and houses.

Ibn Abî Al-Dunyâ, Kitâb Al-Wara’ article 71.

It is reported that Anas b. Mâlik – Allâh be pleased with him – said:

If a woman passes in front of you, lower your eyes until she has passed by.

Ibid. article 72.

It is reported that Al-’Alâ b. Ziyâd – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

Let not your sight follow the nice looking back of a woman [as she passed], for indeed the look causes the desire in the heart.

Ibid. article 77.

It is reported on the authority of Al-Wakî’ b. Al-Jarrâh:

We went out one Eid with Sufyân Al-Thawrî and he said, “The first thing we will do on this day of ours is to lower our gaze.”

Ibid. article 66.

It is reported that Hassân b. Abî Sinân – Allâh have mercy on him – went out one Eid and when he returned home his wife said, “How many beautiful women have you looked at today?” After she kept asking him, he said, “Woe to you! I have looked at nothing but my toe from when I went out to when I returned to you.”

Ibid. article 68.

The Trick of the Eyes

Quran 40:19. Allah knows the fraud of the eyes and what the breasts hide.

Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal [Quran, Ghâfir (40):19]

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh b. ‘Abbâs – Allâh be pleased with him – said, explaining this verse:

A man is with a group of people when a woman passes. He shows them that he has lowered his gaze from looking at her. But when he sees they are not paying attention, he looks at her. If he fears they will notice, he lowers his gaze, but Allâh has seen in his heart that he wishes he could see her body (private areas).

Hunâd b. Al-Sarî, Al-Zuhd article 1428.

The Crown and the Weight [wives]

It is reported that ‘Abd Al-Rahmân b. Abzâ – Allâh be pleased with him – said:

A righteous woman with a man is like a great gold-leafed crown on the head of a king, and a bad woman with a man is like a heavy weight upon an old man.

Ibn Abî Al-Shaybah, Al-Musannaf article 17428.

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