Use of Perfumes in the State of al-’Ihram

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must not touch any perfume or oil in the state of Ihram. Avoid perfumes in your food, hold your nose from sweet smelling things but you must not hold your nose against bad smells; it is not proper for one in the state of Ihram to enjoy sweet smelling perfumes.”’

"The one in the state of Ihram must not touch any items of fragrance or plants, nor should he derive pleasure from it, and neither should he smell a pleasant odor. So whoever is tested with any of that should give in charity an amount equivalent to what he has done, to the best of his ability."

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘If one in the state of Ihram eats saffron knowingly or food in which there is perfume, he must slaughter one animal as offering. If it is due to forgetfulness then there is nothing on him and he must only ask Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, to forgive him.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘One in the state of Ihram must hold his nose from sweet smelling things, but not from bad smelling ones.’”

smells of perfumes from perfume sellers between al- Safa’ and al-Marwah is not harmful and one is not required to hold his nose.’” H 7243, Ch. 92, h 6

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about perfumes, if using saltwort, which has a certain perfume and I wash my hands therewith while I am in the state of Ihram, is permissible. He (the Imam) said, ‘When you are about to assume the state of Ihram, look into your luggage and keep aside what you need.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You must give charity of something as expiation for your use of saltwort to wash your hands.’”

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is in the state of Ihram and his cloth comes in contact with perfume. He (the Imam) said, ’It is not harmful. He can wash it clean with his own hands.”’

“I once said to abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), that while in the state of Ihram, I ate Khabis (a certain sweet mix) until I was full. He (the Imam) said, ‘When you complete all of your acts and are about to leave, buy one dirham of dates and give it as charity. It will be expiation for whatever may have happened in your Ihram which you do not know.’”

“I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), about a man who is in the state of Ihram and uses a salt which is mixed with saffron. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not proper for one while in the state of Ihram to use a thing which has saffron or any other kind of perfumes.’”

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), considered one’s sleeping on a yellow bed or yellow Mirfaqah (comforter), in the state of Ihram detestable.” (It perhaps is because of saffron dye)

“It is detestable for the person in a state of Ihram to sleep on a yellow bed or yellow Mirfaqah (comforter).”

“You must not touch any fragrance while you are in the state of Ihram, or anything in which there is saffron, and do not taste any food with saffron in it.”

“I once asked abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) about a man who in the state of Ihram washes his hand with saltwort. He (AS) replied, ‘My father (a.s.) would wash his hands with white Hurud (saltwort).”

“It is not harmful to smell ‘Idhkhir (a green plant with a certain fragrance), lavender cotton, tulip, wormwood and similar things, while you are in the state of Ihram.”

“I once asked Ibn Abi ‘Umayr about apple, citron and lotus and things with sweet fragrance. He said, ‘Hold back from smelling while you eat them.’” (It seems like it is Ibn Abi ‘Umayr’s Fatwa)

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is in the state of Ihram and eats citron. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can eat.’ I then said, ‘It has nice fragrance.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Citron is food and it is not a fragrance.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about henna (privet). He (the Imam) said, ‘A person in the state of Ihram can touch and treat his camel with it. It is not a perfume and it is not harmful.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of my clothes which are fumigated along with my clothes for Ihram and I find the smell in it. He (the Imam) said, ‘Spread it in the air so winds can dispel the smell.’”