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Is the husband sinful if his wife perfumes herself outside the home despite his prohibition and the outbreak of quarrels between them? And what should he do if she does not heed the advice?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is authentically reported from the Prophet, peace be upon him, that if a woman applies perfume and passes by a gathering, she is a "fornicator." This hadith illustrates the seriousness of a woman perfuming herself outside her home due to the lust it incites in men, and looking at a woman is considered a form of zina (fornication/adultery). Therefore, it is not permissible for a wife to wear perfume outside the house where men can smell her fragrance, nor is it permissible for the husband to allow her to do so, as this falls under the category of religiously forbidden "dayatha" (cuckoldry/lack of protective jealousy). The husband must prevent his wife from going out perfumed. If she disobeys, she is considered rebellious (nashiz) and the ruling on disobedient wives mentioned in the Almighty’s saying applies to her: "As for those [wives] from whom you fear defiance, admonish them, forsake them in beds, and strike them..."

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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