Friday 

Five Senses

Scent was an easy one with which to finish, having such a close association with the Prophet.

Walking through my garden on a spring day, the scent of the flowers hangs in the air to surprise and delight whoever wanders within range of their perfume. It is said that of all the senses, it is smell that has the strongest and subtlest power to evoke old memories.

Smells can be so repellant that they make us nauseous, yet mix the right blend of smelly substances and you have something precious. People love perfume. In his youth Prophet Muhammad was a merchant, and one of his preferred trading commodities was perfume, something of little practical use, yet the tiniest drop of which can spread delight.

He also used to say that his three favourite things were Prayer, the company of women, and sweet smells. For the Prophet, prayer was an experience to be compared with the pleasures of smelling perfume on the breeze. So, if during your day you catch the fragrance of flowers in the air or the scent of your beloved, think of a prayer with that sweetness of experience. That's how Muhammad liked to pray.