The Musk

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع يَقُولُ‌ كَانَتْ لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع أَشْبِيدَانَةُ[2] رَصَاصٍ مُعَلَّقَةٌ فِيهَا مِسْكٌ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ وَ لَبِسَ ثِيَابَهُ تَنَاوَلَهَا وَ أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا فَتَمَسَّحَ بِهِ.

Ali ibn al-Husayn, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, had an Ashbidana (musk container) of lead that was kept hanging with musk in it and when he wanted to go out he dressed up, took that container and musk to take musk thereof and rubbed on himself.’” (Ashbidana is an Arabicized word from the farsi word Mushk-dan )

‌ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص كَانَ يَتَطَيَّبُ بِالْمِسْكِ حَتَّى يُرَى وَبِيصُهُ فِي مَفَارِقِهِ‌[1]

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to your cause, would use musk and its marks could be found on his joints.’”

كَانَتْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص مُمَسَّكَةٌ إِذَا هُوَ تَوَضَّأَ أَخَذَهَا بِيَدِهِ وَ هِيَ رَطْبَةٌ فَكَانَ إِذَا خَرَجَ عَرَفُوا أَنَّهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص بِرَائِحَتِهِ.

had a musk container. When making wudu he would take it in his hand while wet. When coming out people noticed his coming because of the perfume and fragrance.’”

أَخْرَجَ إِلَيَّ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ ع مَخْزَنَةً فِيهَا مِسْكٌ مِنْ عَتِيدَةِ آبَنُوسٍ‌[2] فِيهَا بُيُوتٌ كُلُّهَا مِمَّا يَتَّخِذُهَا النِّسَاءُ.

“Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), once took out for me a musk container in which there was musk in an Abnus (a container made of a certain wood) container which had sections with things that women keep.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْمِسْكِ هَلْ يَجُوزُ اشْتِمَامُهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّا لَنَشَمُّهُ.

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from al-Muttalib ibn Ziyad from abu Bakr ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Ash‘ariy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about smelling musk. He (the Imam) said, ‘We smell it.’”

كَانَتْ لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع قَارُورَةُ مِسْكٍ فِي مَسْجِدِهِ فَإِذَا دَخَلَ لِلصَّلَاةِ أَخَذَ مِنْهُ فَتَمَسَّحَ بِهِ.

“Ali ibn al-Husayn, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, had a bottle of musk in the Masjid. When he came for Salat (prayer) he would take it and rub on himself.’”

كَانَ يُرَى وَبِيصُ الْمِسْكِ فِي مَفْرِقِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص.

“Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), has said, that marks and traces of musk could be seen on the joints of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.”’

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْمِسْكِ فِي الدُّهْنِ أَ يَصْلُحُ قَالَ إِنِّي لَأَصْنَعُهُ فِي الدُّهْنِ وَ لَا بَأْسَ. - وَ رُوِيَ‌ أَنَّهُ لَا بَأْسَ بِصُنْعِ الْمِسْكِ فِي الطَّعَامِ.

“I once asked him (the Imam) about musk and if it can be applied with oil. He (the Imam) said, ‘I apply it with oil and it is not harmful.’ It is narrated that it is not harmful to use musk with food.”’