Role of fragrance in prayer
Fragrances have strong emotional associations. The way you smell and what you smell outside can evoke from soft to a sublime range of emotions within you! Rightly why attars are regarded as pathways to spirituality and prayer.
The ritual of using attars in prayer has a story in almost every religion. Muslims burn bakhoor in their homes, especially on Friday before prayers and most mosques (masjids) also burn bakhoor, often before every prayer. In Islam, applying attar is also a part of personal hygiene, and the Prophet commanded that cleanliness of body and mind are the marks of a true Muslim. In other religions, like Judaism, fragrances are recited upon with sacred blessings; and in Buddhism, Christianity, Jainism and others, scents are known to elevate the praying mood and meditation.
Applying attars before the Friday prayer is considered almost sacrosanct. The Prophet said about Jumu'ah, “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen Islam as your religion.” (Quran 5:3), thus applying attars ensure your praying mood is unperturbed. Regardless of your choice of scent, oud, floral or others, every fragrance evokes emotions differently for every individual. Fragrances can be used as attars either to your body and/or the prayer mat, or as bakhoors to aromatize your surroundings. Non alcoholic mist sprays can also be used to fragrance prayer mats and rooms. The Prophet said that mosques be set up in each neighborhood and that they are purified and perfumed, thus iterating the role of perfumes, attars and bakhoors as a devotion to Allah.
Depending on which fragrance speaks to you before the Friday prayer, we have a range of oud based attars and bakhoors and mist sprays with different blends for you:
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