Answered by: Alimah Sofia Mirza
Question:
I just wanted to ask the ruling as to whether women are allowed to wear perfume in public. If they are, what would the response be to the following ahadith?
1) Jami’ Tirmidhi (2786)
2) Sunan Abi Dawud (4173)
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
It is clear from the Ahadith you have referenced that women should not be going wearing perfume that is so strong in a way that the scent will be smelt by the men she passes and it is a means of attraction for them, she will be sinful for this and should only do this for her husband,1 if the odour is minimal and is not so strong that it will be smelt by other men it will be permissible to do so such as deodorants.
Only Allah knows best
Written by Alimah Sofia Mirza
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
1 Tuhfatul Awadhi, Darul Kutub al Ilmiyyah, Vol 8, Pg.58
قَوْلُهُ (كُلُّ عَيْنٍ زَانِيَةٌ) أَيْ كُلُّ عَيْنٍ نَظَرَتْ إِلَى أَجْنَبِيَّةٍ عَنْ شَهْوَةٍ فَهِيَ زَانِيَةٌ (إِذَا اسْتَعْطَرَتْ) أَيِ اسْتَعْمَلَتِ الْعِطْرَ (فَمَرَّتْ بِالْمَجْلِسِ) أَيْ مَجْلِسِ الرِّجَالِ (يَعْنِي زَانِيَةً) لِأَنَّهَا هَيَّجَتْ شَهْوَةَ الرِّجَالِ بِعِطْرِهَا وَحَمَلَتْهُمْ عَلَى النَّظَرِ إِلَيْهَا وَمَنْ نَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا فَقَدْ زَنَى بِعَيْنَيْهِ فَهِيَ سَبَبُ زِنَى الْعَيْنِ فَهِيَ آثِمَةٌ