The Oil of Frankincense

ذُكِرَتْ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الْأَدْهَانُ فَذُكِرَ الْبَنَفْسَجُ وَ فَضْلُهُ فَقَالَ نِعْمَ الدُّهْنُ الْبَنَفْسَجُ ادَّهِنُوا بِهِ فَإِنَّ فَضْلَهُ عَلَى الْأَدْهَانِ كَفَضْلِنَا عَلَى النَّاسِ وَ الْبَانُ دُهْنُ ذَكَرٍ[2] نِعْمَ الدُّهْنُ الْبَانُ وَ إِنَّهُ لَيُعْجِبُنِي الْخَلُوقُ.

“I once mentioned oils and viola oil and its excellence before abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.). He (the Imam) said, ‘Viola oil is very good oil. You must apply it; its excellence over other oils is like our excellence over other people. Oil of frankincense is fine oil, I however like al-Khuluq oil.”’

شَكَا رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع شُقَاقاً فِي يَدَيْهِ وَ رِجْلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ خُذْ قُطْنَةً فَاجْعَلْ فِيهَا بَاناً وَ ضَعْهَا فِي سُرَّتِكَ فَقَالَ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ يَجْعَلُ الْبَانَ فِي قُطْنَةٍ وَ يَجْعَلُهَا فِي سُرَّتِهِ فَقَالَ أَمَّا أَنْتَ يَا إِسْحَاقُ فَصُبَّ الْبَانَ فِي سُرَّتِكَ فَإِنَّهَا كَبِيرَةٌ قَالَ ابْنُ أُذَيْنَةَ لَقِيتُ الرَّجُلَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأَخْبَرَنِي

“Once, a man complained before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about cracks in his hands and feet. He (the Imam) said, ‘Take a piece of cotton, place frankincense oil in it and apply it in your belly button.’ Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar has said that I said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, frankincense oil in c

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ نِعْمَ الدُّهْنُ الْبَانُ.

‘Frankincense oil is a fine oil.’”