Controversy of Hadith About Women and Perfume: a Harmonization Method in the Settlement of Mukhtalif Al-hadith
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study addresses the apparent contradiction between two hadiths regarding women and the use of perfume.The first hadith, narrated by Imam al-Darimi (no.2532), prohibits women from wearing fragrance when leaving the house.In contrast, the second hadith, narrated by Imam al-Nasa'i (no.3879), permits women to wear perfume provided its scent is not perceived by non-mahram men.The impetus for this research arises from contemporary practices where the use of perfume among women has become normalized.The study aims to reconcile these seemingly conflicting hadiths and clarify the conditions under which the use of perfume is permissible.Employing a qualitative methodology, the research relies on classical sources such as al-Kutub al-Tis'ah, Tahdhib al-Kamal, and various scholarly works.The hadith reconciliation is conducted through the al-jam' wa al-tawfīq method, which seeks to harmonize apparently contradictory texts.Analysis of the sanad (chain of transmission) and matan (text) of both hadiths, alongside scholarly opinions, reveals that the two hadiths are not contradictory but rather complementary when contextualized appropriately.The prohibition pertains to perfume worn with the intent to attract non-mahram attention, especially in public spaces.Conversely, the permissibility applies to cases where perfume is used in private or for acts of worship, without causing fitnah.In conclusion, the al-jam' wa al-tawfīq approach successfully harmonizes the hadiths both contextually and normatively.
Source: Al-Turath.
Language: English
Subfield: Religious studies
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4412471326