Is it permissible to use perfume on the body before entering Ihram?
Chapter on Mentioning Ihram
Al-Mughni
Book of Hajj
Primary text
It is prescribed to apply perfume to the body before entering Ihram. This applies to perfumes whose essence remains, such as musk (misk) and ghaliyah, and those whose scent lingers, such as 'ud (agarwood), incense (bukhūr), and rosewater. This view is held by Ibn Abbas, Ibn al-Zubayr, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, Aisha, Umm Salamah, Muawiyah, Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, Urwah, al-Qasim, al-Sha'bi, and Ibn Jurayh. The practice of Aisha indicates she perfumed the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) before he entered Ihram, and her testimony confirms the visible trace of perfume while he was in Ihram.
Supporting text
A view exists, held by 'Ata, Malik, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and Ibn 'Umar, that perfume is prohibited upon entering Ihram. Their evidence rests on the report where the Prophet (peace be upon him), upon being asked about a man who entered Umrah while covered in perfume, commanded him to wash the perfume off three times and remove his cloak, performing the Umrah as he would Hajj. This ruling is derived from the prohibition on initiating perfume use during Ihram, implying prohibition of its continuation. However, the narration supporting permissibility is considered later in time than the narration regarding the man in the cloak, thus rendering the latter abrogated.