We glide on the allure of Al-Mustafa’s SallAllahu alaihi wasallam Attar.
Golden droplets burst, exploding from the memory of
his every step, his every word, his every smile, his every nuance, his every touch,
his every breath;
LIGHT MANIFEST.
Frenzied senses ignite as seeds
dispersing across the arid desert
of the heart.
How bland are musk and amber in comparison with this caressing breeze.
A fragrance that extracts stubborn cries of repentance.
Awakening and rustling a dormant Iman
Transforming into star-filled bubbles
Effervescing.
Infectious.
Perfumed.
Oh my heart, sit with a person
who understands the heart.
Sit under a tree
which has fresh flowers.
In the market of perfume sellers
don’t wander like you’re jobless.
Sit with a shopkeeper
who has sugar in the store.
Not every eye has eyesight.
Not every sea contains a jewel.
Rumi
A scavenger, walking down the street of the perfume-sellers, fell down as if dead. People tried to revive him with sweet odours, but he only became worse. Finally a former scavenger came along, and recognized the situation. He held something filthy under the man’s nose and he immediately revived, calling out: ‘This is indeed perfume!’
Idries Shah’s Tales of the Dervishes.
In the realm of the Unseen
there exists a sandal wood, burning.
This love
is the smoke of that incense.
SubhanAllah! During the past few days I have been mulling over this entry. Going to Khalid’s tiny perfume “shop”, a tiny two square meter structure in the space under an escalator in a busy shopping mall, to take these pictures and buy some Attar, and pondering over poems referring to perfume. Then the other day while walking to Masjid Nabawi I saw smoke rising from some contraption in the middle of a roundabout. I was curious as to what this was, never having seen anything like it before, apart from when the council fumigates around Haram with kerosene which produces smoke like fumes. Initially I thought it was someone in difficulty, so I hastened my pace. As I came closer the heady fumes carried the scent of a rich Bakhour emanating from this unique mobile incense burner, proudly attended by a very old man! I bought some of his mix from the large brass container and requested taking a photo, which he was so happy about. I continued on my way.
When I came to the shade of a building I checked the photos I had taken….seeing that my shadow was impeding the amazing contraption, so I turned back with the intention of asking if I could take more time in setting up the position of his cart for better shots
But he was nowhere to be seen! In the space of a few minutes he had disappeared….I scanned the entire open area. The whole scene was as if it was an illusion. Gone up in the smoke from this burner. All that remained was the perfume trapped in my Abaya and the Bahkour I purchased from him filling the space around me as I type this. Ajeeb!
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And when you are immersed in the Fragrance of Madinah, (a 1 hour 38 minute Youtube presentation of the Seerah of the Prophet SallAllahu laihi wasallam) Insha’Allah seek Khalid out for all your perfume purchses, as do so many of the illustrious Shuyukh.
All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.
