Fiqh
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Perfume
Question
As-salamu alaykum Dr Peerbaye,
I understand that there is a strong warning against women wearing perfume in a way that allows non-mahram men to smell it.
However, if a woman is working during summer, where there is a lot of heat and sweating, and she has no facility to change her clothes regularly, would it be permissible for her to use a small amount of perfume solely to avoid bad body odour, without intending to attract attention and using a fragrance that is not strong?
Jazakallah khairan. Please post anonymously.
I understand that there is a strong warning against women wearing perfume in a way that allows non-mahram men to smell it.
However, if a woman is working during summer, where there is a lot of heat and sweating, and she has no facility to change her clothes regularly, would it be permissible for her to use a small amount of perfume solely to avoid bad body odour, without intending to attract attention and using a fragrance that is not strong?
Jazakallah khairan. Please post anonymously.
Answer
Wa ‘alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
First of all, we ask Allah to preserve you upon obedience to Him, to make your affairs easy for you, and to reward you for your concern in trying to observe the limits prescribed by Islam.
As a general principle, the believer willingly submits to the guidance of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, with the conviction that Allah does not prescribe anything except with wisdom and for our ultimate benefit.
Allah says:
فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا ٦٥
“But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.”
[Surah al-Nisa’ 4:65]
Allah also says regarding obedience to the Messenger ﷺ:
وَمَا نَهَىٰكُمْ عَنْهُ فَٱنتَهُوا ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ ٧
“And whatever the Messenger has given you – take; and what he has forbidden you – refrain from. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.”
[Surah al-Hashr 59:7]
The Prophet ﷺ also said:
فَإِذا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عن شيءٍ فاجْتَنِبُوهُ، وإذا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ فَأْتُوا منه ما اسْتَطَعْتُمْ.
“When I forbid you from something, then avoid it; and when I command you to do something, then do of it as much as you are able.”
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah – Sahih al-Bukhari
Perfume itself is not prohibited
Perfume is not inherently prohibited for women. A woman may use perfume in appropriate circumstances, such as in her home, for her husband, or in situations where its fragrance will not be perceived by non-mahram men.
The concern arises when she goes into a public or mixed environment wearing a fragrance that can be noticed by unrelated men.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
كلُّ عينٍ زانيةٌ، والمرأةُ إذا استعطَرَت فمرَّت بالمَجلسِ، فَهيَ كذا وَكذا. يعني زانيةً
“Every eye commits zina, and when a woman applies perfume and passes by a gathering, she is such-and-such,” meaning: “an adulteress.”
Narrated by Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari – Jāmi‘ al-Tirmidhi
The expression “adulteress” in this hadith is a severe warning concerning the temptation that may result from deliberately exposing men to her fragrance. It does not mean that the woman has committed the legal offence of zina for which the Islamic legal punishment of adultery applies.
The warning concerning women leaving their homes perfumed is further illustrated by the report of Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
مَرَّتْ بأبي هريرةَ امرأةٌ ورِيحُها تَعْصِفُ، فقال لها: إلى أين تُرِيدِينَ يا أَمَةَ الجبارِ؟ قالت: إلى المسجدِ. قال: تَطَيَّبْتِ؟ قالت: نعم: قال: فارجِعِي فاغتَسِلِي، فإني سَمِعْتُ رسولَ اللهِ ﷺ يقولُ: لا يَقْبَلُ اللهُ من امرأةٍ صلاةً خَرَجَتْ إلى المسجدِ ورِيحُها تَعْصِفُ حتى ترجعَ فتغتسلَ.
A woman passed by Abu Hurayrah and her fragrance was very noticeable. He asked her where she was going. She replied, “To the mosque.” He asked whether she had applied perfume, and she replied that she had. He then instructed her to return and remove it, mentioning that he had heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ warn against a woman going to the mosque while her fragrance was strongly noticeable.
Reported from Abu Hurayrah – Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah; graded hasan by Al-Albani
What about the situation mentioned in the question?
Your intention - to prevent unpleasant body odour because of heat and sweating - is understandable and legitimate. Islam encourages cleanliness and does not require a Muslim woman to remain with an offensive smell.
However, using perfume is not the only way of preventing body odour.
The important distinction is between:
1. Removing or preventing unpleasant odour, and
2. Adding a noticeable pleasant fragrance to the body or clothing.
The first is perfectly legitimate. The second becomes problematic when the fragrance can be perceived by non-mahram men.
Therefore, if ordinary perfume is applied - even in a small amount - but its fragrance can still be noticed by men at the workplace or while travelling to and from work, it should be avoided. The fact that the intention is merely to cover body odour rather than to attract men does not, by itself, change the ruling concerning an externally noticeable fragrance.
On the other hand, there is no reason to prohibit a hygiene product merely because it prevents bad odour. An unscented or fragrance-free deodorant or antiperspirant is fundamentally different from wearing perfume for fragrance.
Practical alternatives include:
• Unscented antiperspirant, which reduces sweating itself.
• Fragrance-free deodorant, which helps control the bacteria responsible for body odour without producing a noticeable perfume.
• Antibacterial or ordinary cleansing soap/body wash, together with proper washing and drying.
• Absorbent body powder, provided it does not leave a noticeable fragrance.
• Underarm sweat pads or garment shields, which absorb perspiration and help prevent both odour and visible sweat marks.
If a deodorant or hygiene product has only a very mild residual smell that is not normally perceptible to people around her and is being used for cleanliness rather than beautification or fragrance, it should not automatically be treated in the same manner as deliberately wearing noticeable perfume.
Therefore, in the situation described, the safer and more appropriate solution is not to use perfume to mask perspiration, but rather to use an effective fragrance-free deodorant or antiperspirant or another odour-control method.
This allows the woman to maintain cleanliness and avoid unpleasant body odour without falling into the prohibition concerning a noticeable fragrance in the presence of non-mahram men.
And Allah knows best.
Dr Hussein B. Peerbaye
Eemaan Foundation
Strengthening Faith, Serving Humanity