Darul Uloom Trinidad & Tobago

Question:

As Salaamu Alaikum,

Can you give me the source of the following, below it is from a response that you gave previously. As I mentioned it to someone and they questioned it’s authenticity. the one about the saliva, and the wives collecting his sweat and using it for perfume. If the writer was fully aware of the life of the Prophet (S.A) and his teachings, then he would know very well that the Sahabahs did many things in honour of the Prophet (S.A) and to show their deep love for him. They caught the water which he made wuzu with, and passed it over their bodies. They did not even allow his saliva to fall on the ground. His wives stored his perspiration in bottles and used it as perfume. The Companions laid their lives for his cause. In the battlefield, they would stand in front of him and take all the arrows on their chests, so that none will touch him.

Answer:

Wa Alaikumus Salaam,

With respect to the saliva not falling on the ground, this is evident in the tradition recorded boy Imam Bukhari regarding the incident at Hudaibiyah. He narrates as follows:

Urwah Bin Masood (a messenger of the Quraish) who was looking at the conduct of the companions of the Prophet (S.A) at Hudaibiyah, returned to the Quraish and said to them, ‘Oh my people! I have visited kings, and I have visited the Caesar, the chosroes and the Negus, but by Allah, I have never ever seen a king respected as the companions of Muhammad respected Muhammad. By Allah, he does not expectorate anything except it goes on the hands of a person from among them who will then rub it on his face and his skin’. (Sahih Al Bukhari) Hadith 2529. Ahmad Hadith 18166)

The same has been quoted by Shaikh Safi-ur- Rahman Al Mubarakpuri in his famous work Al Raheeq-Al-Makhtum ‘with the additions of the following: – ‘ Urwah Said, ‘If he gave instructions, they will hasten to carry out these instructions, when he performed ablution (wudhu), they would almost fight each other to get the water of the wudhu to rub on their bodies and would not let it fall on the ground. When he speaks, they would lower their voices’.  (The Sealed Nectar) Page 401 Darus Salam English print 2002; Pg. 384 (Arabic Print), Rabita Al Alam Al Islami 5th edition 1994).

With respect to collecting the sweat of the Prophet (S.A) and using it as perfume, this is evident in various traditions.

1)      Anas (R.A) narrates, ‘The Prophet (S.A) came to us and took the afternoon rest and perspired (while asleep). My mother (Umm Sulaim) brought a bottle and began to collect the sweat in it. When the Prophet (S.A) got up, he said, ‘O Umm Sulaim!  What is this that you are doing? She said, ‘This is your sweat which we mix in our perfume and becomes the most fragrant perfume’. (Sahih Muslim Hadith No. 6049 -Chapter- The fragrance of the sweat of the prophet (S.A) and gaining blessings with it).

2)      Anas bin Malik (R.A) narrates, ‘The Prophet (S.A) used to come to the house of Umm Sulaim and would sleep on her bed while she was not at home. Anas (R.A) says, ‘One day he came and slept on her bed. She then came (to her house) and it was said to her, ‘The Prophet (S.A) is sleeping in your house, lying on your bed’. She came and found him sweating, and his sweat was falling on a leather cloth spread on her bed. She then opened her scent-bag and began to fill the sweat in the bottles. The Prophet (S.A) was amazed at this, and said to her, ‘what are you doing, O Umm Sulaim”. She said, ‘we hope to achieve your barakah (blessings) for our children through it’. The Prophet (S.A) said, ‘you have done what is right’. (Sahih Muslim Hadith No. 6050

3)      Umm Sulaim used to spread a cloth for the Prophet (S.A) when he took the afternoon sleep at her place. When the Prophet (S.A) slept, she would collect his sweat and hair and put them in a bottle and kept them in a box. It is narrated that when Anas (R.A) was about to die, he left instructions that the sweat of the Prophet (S.A) which his mother collected in bottles, should be mixed with the perfume/balm which will be placed/rubbed on his deceased body. (Sahih Al Bukhair Hadith No. 5809).

From the above, it is evident that the sweat of the Prophet (S.A) used to be collected in bottles and used as itr (perfume). This was on account of the fact that the sweat of the Prophet (S.A) had a very sweet and pleasant scent better than any perfume.

While speaking about this, it is narrated from Aisha (R.A) that she said, ‘The sweat of the Prophet (S.A) would seem like lustrous pearls on His face, and its fragrance would be better than musk’. (Subul Al Huda War Rashad Fi Sira Khair Al Ibad. Chapter (19)-The sweat and perfume of the Prophet (S.A).

Anas (RA) is also reported to have said, ‘I have never smelt any fragrance better than the sweat of the Prophet (S.A) (Sahih Muslim Hadith No. 6047).

Umar bin Al Khattab (R.A) said, ‘The scent of the sweat of the Prophet (S.A) was the scent of Musk. May my father and mother be sacrificed for him – (Ibn Asakir- Subul Al Huda War Rashad-Chapter 19-The sweat and perfume of the prophet (S.A.).

These are some of the references which you have asked about.

And Allah knows best

Mufti Waseem Khan

16/11/2018