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Pheromone Perfumes

Question

Bismillah Salam alekum wrwb I have a question: I would like to know if pheromone perfumes are halal or haram. I would be glad if you could give me a proof from quran or sunna. Barakallahu fikum ! Salam alekum wrwb

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

In principle it is permissible to apply all kinds of perfume, however, if a given perfume arouses one's sexual desires then it is not permissible to use it except with the following conditions:

1- Its use should be only restricted to the spouses. That is because if a man applies perfume which arouses desires to an extent that marriageable women may smell it, then this is inviting her to Zina (fornication and adultery). There are many similar cases in religion.

Some scholars  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them like An-Nawawi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him forbade looking at or being in seclusion with a young man who has no facial hair, and who may sexually move people, as this may arouse one's desires. Similarly, there are texts which forbid being in seclusion with a marriageable woman as this may lead a man to be tempted by her. Shaking hands with a marriageable woman is also forbidden in religion as this as well leads to temptation, and there are many examples like this.

Likewise, it is forbidden for a woman to apply perfume to an extent that marriageable men may smell her, whether this is a perfume which arouses one's desires or not. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: ''Any woman who applies perfume and passes by a group of people who may smell her perfume, is an adulterous woman.'' [Ahmad and An-Nasaa'ee].

That is because when a woman applies perfume when she goes out, she attracts other people's attention and causes them to be tempted by her. If she applies a perfume which arouses one's desires, then this is even more tempting and more evil.

2- Its use should not lead to any physical harm, like harming the nerves and the like. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "There should be no harm and no reciprocal harm." [Ahamd & Ibn Maajah].

3- The perfume should be free from intoxicants, whether it is arousing one's desires or else. Intoxicants are alcohol and alcohol is impure according to the view of the majority of the scholars  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them. For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 85635 and 83627.

Allaah Knows best.

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