QUESTION:
What is the ruling regarding the burning of Lobaan in the home? Many people do this on a Thursday and they have specific beliefs of chasing out evil spirits. Is this innovation or are there rulings regarding the burning of Lobaan?
ANSWER:
There is no problem burning Lobaan in the home to remove any unpleasant smell, or to perfume the home. This can be done at any time and not necessarily on a Thursday. It is mentioned in the Hadith Sharif that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam would burn Oudh sticks, and he encouraged it. Hadrat Abdullah Bin Umar Radiallahu Anhu would burn pure Oudh and camphor mixed with Oudh as fragrance, and he stated that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam would burn Bakhoor (incense/Loban). [Muslim – Hadith no. 2254]
Rasululullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam also advised that Masjid be perfumed with Bakhoor and scented on the day of Jumuah. [Ibn Majah]
Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam also advised that the deceased be perfumed with Bakhoor. He mentioned, “When you perfume the deceased with Bakhoor, then perfume him three times.” [Ahmad]
Hadhrat Umm Qais Bint Mihsan narrates that “I heard Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam saying, “Treat with the Indian incense, for it has healing for seven diseases; it is to be sniffed by one having throat trouble, and to be put into one side of the mouth for one suffering from pleurisy.” [Saheeh al-Bukhari, Hadith no. 5368, Kitab al-Tibb]
Rasullullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Cupping (Hijama) and Qust al-Bahri (Sea Incense Costus) are the best of your remedies”. He added, “You should not harm your children by treating tonsillitis by pressing their tonsils, rather use Qust al-Bahri (Sea Incense Costus)”. [Saheeh al-Bukhari, Hadith no. 5371, Muslim, Hadith no. 1577, Nasa’ie, Hadith no. 1577, Musnad Ahmad]
However, we haven’t located any narration which states that Bakhoor or Lobaan repels evil such as Jinn or Blackmagic, hence maintaining such beliefs is incorrect.
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date: 15 Rajab 1445 / 27 January 2024
