Using Perfume By Women
For women, wearing a strong perfume to allure men is prohibited because Quran (verse 24:31) tells women not to reveal their beauty and attraction (زینت) when going out in public. (Zeenat = A thing with which, or by which, one is adorned, ornamented, decorated, garnished, embellished, beautified etc; Lane’s Lexicon). Wearing a strong perfume clearly falls under Zeenat. 24:31 Tell the acknowledging women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts, and that they should not show off their attraction except what is apparent , and let them cast their clothes over their cleavage. Let them not show off their attraction except to their husbands, or their fathers, or fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or the sons of their brothers, or the sons of their sisters, or their children that come after them, or those who are still their dependents, or the male servants who are without need, or the child who has not yet understood the nakedness of women. Let them not strike with their feet in a manner that reveals what they are keeping hidden of their attraction. Repent to God, all of you acknowledgers, so that you may succeed. It is not appropriate to attribute this hadith to Prophet PBUH. Adultery (zina) is a specific act of sin that is self-explanatory and well-understood, and is discussed in detail in Quran in chapter 24. It has its own specific punishment and evidentiary requirements, all described in detail by Allah in Quran. This hadith is problematic on so many levels. While wearing a strong perfume in public for women goes against the commandment in verse 24:31, in no conceivable universe can it be equated with zina. How can a woman be called zania when she did not commit zina? Wearing a strong perfume in public by a woman is sinful, but it is not equal to zina at all. No person can be called zani or zania unless 4 people give testimony against them that they committed zina. 24:4 And as for those who accuse chaste women [of adultery], and then are unable to produce four witnesses [in support of their accusation], flog them with eighty stripes and ever after refuse to accept from them any testimony – since it is they, they that are truly depraved! As per the above verse, anyone who calls a woman zania just because she wore a strong perfume would be liable to be lashed 80 times. Wearing a strong perfume to allure men in public is a different sin and zina is a different sin, entirely of another level. Please note that not everything that is written in Arabic and attributed to Prophet becomes Prophet’s saying. First of all, we need to weigh it according to the criterion of Quran. We should avoid attributing this kind of sayings to Prophet, as there were many later lies and fabrications which people attributed to Prophet. Not only this hadith goes against Quran, it tries to mock the sanctity of Prophet as well by attributing such a senseless quotation to him. Allah has already warned us to be careful of people who would invent and spread lies: 6:112 We have permitted the enemies of every prophet, human and Jinn devils, to inspire in each other fancy words in order to deceive. Had your Lord willed, they would not have done it. You shall disregard them and their fabrications. 6:113 That is so the hearts of those who do not acknowledge the Hereafter will listen to it, and they will accept it, and they will take of it what they will.