The Recommendation for Men to Smell Pleasant [wearing perfume]

It is reported from Abî Qilâbah that when Ibn ‘Abbâs – Allâh be pleased with him – went out to the masjid, the neighbors knew that he had passed due the pleasant scent [of perfume] that came from him.

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh [Ibn Mas'ûd] used to use perfume that had musk in it.

It is reported that ‘Uthmân b. ‘Ubaydillâh – the freedman of Sa’d b. Abî Waqqâs – said:

I used to see Ibn ‘Umar, Abû Hurayrah, Abû Qatâdah and Abû Usayd Al-Sâ’idî – Allâh be pleased with them – passing by us when we were still in school, and we could smell the scent of amber from them.

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh [Ibn Mas'ûd] could be recognized by the smell of his perfume as he approached.

It is reported from Nufay’ the freedman of ‘Abdullâh [Ibn Mas'ûd] that he said:

‘Abdullâh was one of the most pleasant scented people and wore the cleanest whitest thowb (garment).

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh b. Ja’far – Allâh have mercy on him – used to crush musk and apply it in his hair.

It is reported that Umm Razîn said:

I used to gift perfume to Ibn ‘Abbâs – Allâh be pleased with him. He said: “There is nothing the Quraysh like more.” She added, “And he would give us Al-Wars (a plant whose leaves are used to dye fabric).”

Ibn Abî Shaybah, Kitâb Al-Adab, articles 92 – 99.

July 22, 2011 | Attire, Manners and Conduct

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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.

September 2, 2010 | sins, tafsir, women

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Don’t ask the Polytheists

Abdullâh b. ‘Abbâs – Allâh be pleased with them – said:

O Muslims, how can you ask the People of the Book [about their scripture] when the Book of Allâh that was revealed to your Prophet – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him – is the most recent news of Allâh; you recite it complete and unaltered? Allâh has informed you that they replaced what Allâh wrote and changed the Book with their hands and said ‘This is from Allâh,’ to purchase with it a measly price (Quran 2:79). Does not the knowledge that has come to you forbid you from asking them? By Allâh, we have not seen a single man among them asking you about what was revealed to you.

Al-Bukhârî, Al-Sahîh hadith 2685, Chapter on not asking the Polytheists for testimonies or anything else. He also records it in other chapters.

May 4, 2010 | 'Aqîdah, Ahl Al-Kitab, da'wah, knowledge, Quran

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Wasted knowledge and rhyming prayers

Ibn ‘Abbâs – Allâh be pleased with him – said, “Address the people once a week, and if you must do so more often, then twice; and if you have to do even more, then three times; and do not make people tired or bored with the Quran. Let me not find you coming to the people to exhort them and tell them stories while they are speaking amongst themselves, thus interrupting their conversation and tiring them. Instead, listen, and when they tell you, address them when they desire to listen to your speech. And beware of making your supplications rhyme, stay away from this, for I found Allâh’s Messenger – peace and praise of Allâh be upon him – and his Companions doing nothing but [staying away from this].”

Al-Bukhârî, Al-Sahîh ‘What is hated about making supplications rhyme.’

Notes

In this narration, the illustrious Companion ‘Abdullâh b. ‘Abbâs gives some guidelines about being wise and aware of people’s condition when teaching them and calling them to Allâh. He advised that a person should not address the people and give talks to them too often, lest they become bored or fed up of hearing the Quran. This consideration is taken from the Sunnah of the Prophet – Allâh’s praise and peace be upon him – as related by Ibn Mas’ûd.

This tradition also expresses the dislike of trying to disseminate knowledge in a way that might be detrimental to its purpose. We are discouraged from spreading knowledge to those who do not desire it or those who are not enthusiastic to receive it and interrupting people while they are speaking. We are encouraged to teach knowledge to those who express their desire for it, because all this means it is more likely that the recipient will benefit from this knowledge.

The narration also warns against the practice of trying to make du’â (supplication) rhyme. This is because occupying oneself with putting together rhyming prayers conflicts with the state of being humble and imploring Allâh, which is how a person should be when supplicating. There is no contradiction between this disliked behavior and the fact that some of the Prophetic supplications and statements rhyme, because the Prophet never used to have to try and make them rhyme, but was effortlessly eloquent and at the same time fully humbled in front of Allâh.

Adapted from Ibn Hajr, Fath Al-Bârî.

September 17, 2009 | da'wah, knowledge, Manners and Conduct, supplication

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Do you have to make up fasts consecutively? [Fiqh of Fasting]

Ibn ‘Abbâs and Abû Hurayrah – Allâh be pleased with them – said, “There is no harm in making up [fasts of] Ramadân separately from one another.”

‘Abd Al-Razzâq, Al-Musannaf 4:243; Ibn Abî Shaybah, Al-Musannaf article 9114; Al-Dâraqutnî, Al-Sunan 2:193.

Abû ‘Ubaydah b. Al-Jarrâh – Allâh be pleased with him – said, when asked about making up missed fasts of Ramadân separately, “Allâh did not legislate upon you the breaking of the fast, and then cause hardship on you when making it up, so count the days [you excusably missed] and fast them as you wish.”

Ibn Abî Shaybah, op. cit. article 9133.

Anas b. Mâlik – Allâh be pleased with him – said, “If you wish, make up [missed fasts of] Ramadân consecutively, or if you wish, make them up separately.”

Ibid. article 9115.

September 15, 2009 | fasting, fiqh, Ramadan

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