BAKHOOR AND ISLAM
EARLY HISTORY
Bakhoor is a scent that has been around for centuries but very few people are familiar with its origin. Bakhoor refers to an Arabic term meaning fumes and is given to a substance that releases a lovely aroma when burnt in a bakhoor burner. As evident from its Arabic name, its origin is also Arabic as it was introduced to the world by the Arabic itinerant tribe, who used to set a camp and burnt Agarwood chips, a type of bakhoor category. This serves two purposes: it freshened the air with its beautiful smell and was beneficial for repelling mosquitos and insects. Later this trend of using Bakhoor Alphabets was adopted by Egyptians who used bakhoor for keeping the foul smell away and they used to believe that it beat back evil spirits and demons. Nowadays even after thousands of years, people of the Middle East especially Dubai use Bakhoor in their homes, offices, and malls because of the benefits it brings. Islam has always been a driving force and a source of motivation for its believers, therefore the linking of Bakhoor and Islam is one of the most important encouragement for Arabs and the core reason why this way of scenting is so popular in the Middle East.
BAKHOOR AND ISLAM:
Bakhoor and Islam has a solid correlation for thousands of years. Using bakhoor is a Sunnah as it was evident from the Hadith and references that the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ not only used Bakhoor but they also encouraged its use in the homes and especially in the Mosques, particularly on the day of Jummah.
Why Do Muslims Burn bakhoor?
People of the Arabic world are mostly Muslims hence one of the major reasons for using bakhoor is the cultural aspect, as it is an ancient culture of the people of the Middle East and its hub Dubai to use bakhoor. They are doing this for centuries and Bakhoor is known for its use as this from a traditional point of view is an important part of the life of Middle Easterners. For them, it is like their identity that they use to represent themselves, and when a foreigner visits Dubai they feel welcomed and get a taste of this aromatic substance that is surely something new for them.
The second reason is the religious aspect, where Bakhoor is a Sunnah and it is a self-satisfaction and spiritual fulfillment of the Muslims to follow the path of prophet Muhammad ﷺ and to get the blessings of Allah Almighty.
Bakhoor and Ramadan:
There is a common misconception among Muslims regarding the use of Bakhoor in Ramadan as inhaling smoke is forbidden during fasting. The use of Cigarettes and any other tobacco-related product is strictly forbidden during Ramadan during the fasting period. The question that arises here is whether it is allowed to use Bakhoor in the month as Bakhoor when burnt also releases a smoke that may invalidate fasting, but it does not actually. Smoke from cigarettes is intentionally inhaled to satisfy the craving of the lungs and when that is mixed with blood it negatively affects the brain. Bakhoor smoke on the other hand is an aspect of the bakhoor burning. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has encouraged the use of bakhoor in Masjid which means that it is allowed to be used. Moreover, the Jumma prayer is held at noon time in the middle of fasting and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ guided us to use Bakhoor, especially on this day which shows that using bakhoor doesn't invalidate the fast, but the smoke of Bakhoor should not be inhaled directly. Direct and intentional inhaling of the smoke may invalidate the fast.
The scent used in Makkah and Haram:
It is a thing of great curiosity for the visitors Muslims who enter the premises of Haram and Makkah and feel a beautiful smell that surrounds their senses, but what scent is the one that deems calm and takes a person to the voyage of the past that explains the ancient and heritage aromatic environment of the feelings that Muslims felt for centuries. The answer is simple and easy as bakhoor is used to spread the scent everywhere and to make the air smell good but the scent that has the loudest note in that is the smell of Agarwood. Now Agarwood or Oud is itself a very renowned smell and is considered the most expensive smell in the world. The use of Agarwood as an effective component of the bakhoor makes bakhoor a very expensive yet beautiful smell that is used to scent makkah and Al-Haram. The scent of the Oud-based bakhoor is what is commonly referred to as a heavenly smell and puts the people in a state of the mental piece.
Medicinal Benefits Of Oud-based Bakhoor In Islam:
Oud-based Bakhoor is very popular among Middle Easterns as when burnt in a bakhoor burner it makes the clothes and furniture smell like Oud. Oud as mentioned in the history of Islam and according to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has many advantages first of all this scent is used to treat the irregularity in menses of the women and helps to stabilize it, it is also used to treat urinary diseases and is mentioned to cure them, another benefit is the inhaling of the Oud smoke is beneficial for removing the excess bacteria and germs of the intestine. Oud is also responsible for normalizing the body heat and its strong smell increases the emotional senses and feelings of motivation. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ also recommended its use for the treatment of skin, stomach, and liver disorders.
FINAL WORDS:
Bakhoor is undoubtedly an inseparable part of the daily life of Muslims because of the advantages it brings and its high use and demand in offices and homes even the Al-Haram and Makkah. The medicinal advantages mentioned are in use for centuries and were advised by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Oud-based bakhoor are very popular but they should be bought from trustworthy sellers as this Oud and Bakhoor market is full of frauds and cheats. Trustworthy sellers such as Oud Dubai are renowned names in the field of bakhoor and Oud and are referred to as reliable brands where you can find not only the Oud based Bakhoor and Oud but also the different flavors and mixtures giving a wide variety of bakhoor to choose from.














