Musk in embalming perfume: those who permitted it

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) placed in his own embalming perfume (hunut) a pouch of musk, or musk in which there was one of the hairs of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) was asked whether musk could also be included in the perfume applied to the deceased. He said: "Is it not the most fragrant of your perfumes?"

It is narrated from Muhammad bin Sirin that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) was asked: Can musk perfume be brought near the deceased (can it be applied to him)? He said: "Is it not the most fragrant of your perfumes?"

Qatadah said: I asked Sa'id bin al-Musayyib whether musk perfume could be applied to the deceased. He said: "There is no harm in it."

Jabir bin Zayd was also asked about that, and he said: "There is no harm in it."

Abd al-Malik said: Ata was asked: Can the deceased be perfumed with musk? He said: "Yes. Do people not use it for fumigation?"

Harun bin Sa'd said: Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) left instructions that musk be applied as perfume after his death, and said: "It is the leftover musk of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)."

It is narrated from al-Sha'bi that when Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) took part in the campaign of Balanjar, he received a pouch of musk in his share of the spoils. When he returned, he left the pouch in the safekeeping of his wife. Then, when he fell ill with the illness in which he died, he said to his wife as he was dying: "Show me the pouch that I left in your safekeeping." She brought it to him. He said: "Bring me a clean vessel." She brought it, and he said: "Dissolve it (in water), then sprinkle it around me, for creatures from among the creation of Allah come to me who do not eat food but perceive scent." Then he said: "Go out from me, and then come back and look in on me." She said: I went out, and when I came back, his soul had departed from this world.

Nafi' said: Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to apply musk as perfume to the deceased.