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1,001 Sayings and Deeds of the Prophet

Musk

No smell gets more mention in the hadiths than the scent of musk. It is everywhere; it will even be the smell of Paradise. It is obvious that the powerful aromatic substance, extracted since ancient times from the gland of the male musk deer, was a favourite fragrance of Muhammad.

A good pious person smells of musk, and if he has any to share, he will give you some free of charge—or you will be willing to pay him for it.

Narrated Abu Musa:

The Prophet said, "The example of a good pious companion and an evil one is that of a person carrying musk and another blowing a pair of bellows. The one who is carrying musk will either give you some perfume as a present, or you will buy some from him, or you will get a good smell from him, but the one who is blowing a pair of bellows will either burn your clothes or you will get a bad smell from him."

Bukhari 67.442

The blood of a martyr on Judgement Day will smell like musk.

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, "A wound which a Muslim receives in Allah's cause will appear on the Day of Resurrection as it was at the time of infliction; blood will be flowing from the wound and its color will be that of the blood but will smell like musk."

Bukhari 4.238

Rubbing "the place soiled with blood" using a cloth scented with musk three times was part of Muhammad's prescribed purification ritual after the end of "menses".

Narrated Aisha:

A woman asked the Prophet about the bath which is taken after finishing from the menses. The Prophet told her what to do and said, "Purify yourself with a piece of cloth scented with musk."

The woman asked, "How shall I purify myself with it?"

He said, "Subhan Allah (Glorious is God)! Purify yourself (with it)."

I pulled her to myself and said, "Rub the place soiled with blood with it."

Bukhari 6.311

Narrated 'Aisha:

An Ansari woman asked the Prophet how to take a bath after finishing from the menses. He replied, "Take a piece a cloth perfumed with musk and clean the private parts with it thrice."

The Prophet felt shy and turned his face. So I pulled her to me and told her what the Prophet meant.

Bukhari 6.312

A fasting person's bad breath “is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk” if the bad breath is the result of fasting.

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said, "Allah said, 'All the deeds of Adam's sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.'

Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.'

By Him in Whose Hands my soul is. the unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk.

There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting."

Bukhari 31.128

Near Muhammad's palace in the sky, there is a lake whose waters smell nicer than musk. Wow!

Narrated Abdullah bin Amr:

The Prophet said, "My Lake-Fount is (so large that it takes) a month's journey to cross it. Its water is whiter than milk, and its smell is nicer than musk, and its drinking cups are (as numerous) as the (number of) stars of the sky; and whoever drinks from it, will never be thirsty."

Bukhari 76.581

Muhammad’s cold hands, it was said, smelled nicer than musk.

Narrated Abu Juhaifa:

Once Allah's Apostle went to Al-Batha at noon, performed the ablution and offered a two Rakat Zuhr prayer and a two-Rakat Asr prayer while a spearheaded stick was planted before him and the passersby were passing in front of it.

(After the prayer), the people got up and held the hands of the Prophet and passed them on their faces. I also took his hand and kept it on my face and noticed that it was colder than ice, and its smell was nicer than musk.

Bukhari 56.753

The sweat of the people of Paradise will smell like musk.

Jabir reported:

I heard Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying that the inmates of Paradise would eat and drink but would neither spit, nor pass water, nor void excrement, nor suffer catarrah.

It was said: Then, what would happen with food? Thereupon he said: They would belch and sweat (and it would be over with their food), and their sweat would be that of musk and they would glorify and praise Allah as easily as you breathe.

Sahih Muslim 40.6798