Can You Wear Perfume To Mosque

Can You Wear Perfume To Mosque

A mosque is a sacred place of prayer and worship for Muslims, followers of Islam. There are certain rules everyone going to Mosque should know and follow, like taking off their shoes before entering and wearing modest clothes covering their skin. However, what about wearing perfume, is it allowed?

Whether you can wear perfume to a mosque depends on your faith and gender. If you are a Muslim man or aren’t Muslim, you can wear perfume to a mosque. It’s not only allowed but even encouraged. However, if you’re a Muslim woman, you cannot wear perfume to a mosque.

If you’re interested in understanding the reason and nuisance behind the difference in restrictions based on faith and gender, we recommend you read this article. We’ll explain why Muslim men and non-Muslims can wear perfume, while Muslim women cannot.

Can Muslim Men Wear Perfume To Mosque

Muslim men can wear perfume to mosques because neither Quran nor hadiths restrict it. Quite the opposite, Muslim men are encouraged to wear perfume because cleanliness is an important virtue in Islam.

Most hadiths tell us that the Prophet (peace be upon him) frequently used fragrant oils and also encouraged others to apply fragrance. For example, according to the hadith collection Sahih al-Bukhari by Imam al-Bukhari, the Prophet (peace be upon him):

“Anyone who takes a bath on Friday and cleans himself as much as he can and puts oil (on his hair) or scents himself; and then proceeds for the prayer, all his sins in between the present and the last Friday will be forgiven.”

Can Muslim Women Wear Perfume To Mosque

Muslim women cannot wear perfume to a mosque. A woman wearing perfume is halal only if it’s in private and in front of her husband. Otherwise, it’s considered haram, and many hadiths advise women against wearing perfume.

Abu Moosa Hadith

“If a woman puts on perfume and passes by people so that they can smell her fragrance, then she is such and such”

It’s haram because women wearing perfume can tempt men and cloud their minds with desire.

Zaynab al-Thaqafiyyah Hadith 

He narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) specifically advised women not to wear perfume before going to the mosque:

“If any one of you (women) goes out to the mosque, let her not touch any perfume.”

Moosa ibn Yassaar Hadith

We can find this exchange between Abu Hurayrah and a woman passing by:

“He said:

‘O female slave of al-Jabbaar, are you going to the mosque?’

She said:

‘Yes’

He said:

‘And have you put on perfume because of that?’

She said:

‘Yes.’

He said:

‘Go back and wash yourself, for I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘If a woman comes out to the mosque and her fragrance is overpowering, Allaah will not accept any prayer from her until she goes home and washes herself.’’”

Can Tourists Wear Perfume To Mosque

Tourists and non-Muslims can wear perfume to a mosque, Despite it being allowed, we recommend you refrain from wearing strong scents and choose a fragrance with low projection and sillage. In addition to that, always remember to remain respectful and follow the proper etiquette.

Here’s a brief list of do’s and don’ts of visiting a mosque as a tourist:

DoDon’t
Remove Shoes Before EnteringWear Revealing or Tight Clothes
Remove Accessories (Hats, Sunglasses)Enter During Prayer Times
Donate If You WishTake Pictures During Prayer
Show RespectEat Inside
Cover Head (More Important For Women)Disturb Others

Best Perfume To Wear To Mosque

If you’ve decided to wear perfume to a mosque, we recommend choosing a light scent that is least likely to offend others inside. For scent profile recommendations, we can look at many hadiths that mention the favorite scents of the Prophet (peace be upon him):

Abu Hurayrah Hadith

He narrated, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“He who is presented with a flower of sweet basil should not reject it, because it is light in weight and pleasant in odor.”

At-Tirmidhi Hadith

He narrated, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“The best scent is the perfume of musk.”

He also narrated this exchange between Muhammad ibn ‘Ali and Aisha:

“I asked Aisha:

‘Did the Messenger of Allah wear perfume?’

She said:

‘Yes, the perfumes used by men: musk and amber.’”

From these narrations, we can assume that the best perfume to wear to the mosque should have musk, amber, and basil notes. You can specifically look for a perfume with such a scent profile.

However, we can recommend one unisex perfume that will perfectly blend with the sacredness of the mosque and won’t offend fellow visitors:

This fragrance by Nishane, one of the leading perfume brands in Turkey was created by Cécile Zarokian in 2019. It features warm spicy accords with tasteful hints of amber and musk scents.

Ani has top notes of ginger, bergamot, and pink pepper, middle notes of cardamom, black currant, and Turkish rose. Finally, everything is tied up by base notes of vanilla, benzoin, sandalwood, cedar, patchouli, ambergris, and musk.

You can get a 100ml (3.38 Fl. Oz.) bottle for about $150.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

(Q): Can You Wear Perfume To Church

(A): Yes, you can wear perfume to church regardless of your gender or faith. None of the major denominations restrict wearing fragrances to church or when praying. However, you should still be conscious of your perfume of choice and stick to something light.

(Q): Is It Necessary To Wear Perfume To Mosques?

(A): While it’s allowed for Muslim men and non-Muslims, wearing perfume to the mosque is not necessary. It’s your personal decision and you should focus on respecting the sacred place of prayer and worship.

Final Words

Muslim men and non-Muslims can wear perfume to a mosque, while Muslim women cannot. We hope this article helped you understand the basis for such a difference in standards between faiths and genders.

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