THE ORIGIN OF MUSK

THE ORIGIN OF MUSK

Musk is the odiferous substance of famed fragrance, used as perfume. It is obtained from the stomach of the male deer.

There is an interesting story about the origin of musk in the stomach of the deer. When Hadhrat Nabi Aadam (alayhis salaam) was expelled from Jannat and sent down to earth, he laid in Sajdah for many years crying profusely in repentance. It is narrated that birds would drink of the sweet tears shed by Nabi Aadam (alayhis salaam). One day it was revealed to a deer that a noble servant of Allah Ta’ala was in the vicinity. The deer immediately set off in search of the ‘noble servant’. It was the desire of the deer to visit the noble servant to gain benediction. When the deer saw Nabi Aadam (alayhis salaam), it was struck with awe and reverence, and stood for a considerable time in a vigil of silence admiring this new noble creation of Allah Ta’ala.

After the deer had made ziyaarat of Nabi Aadam (alayhis salaam), it returned to the other animals. A variety of animals assembled around the deer and commented on the wonderful fragrance which exuded from this deer. The animals excitedly enquired about the fragrance. The deer was unable to explain the wonderful fragrance which its body was emitting. However, the deer concluded that the fragrance was the barkat of Nabi Aadam (alayhis salaam). So the deer explained that it had developed the wonderful fragrance after having visited a noble servant of Allah Ta’ala. All the animals rushed to the scene where Hadhrat Aadam (alayhis salaam) was absorbed in Sajdah. They all stood for a long while. After they departed, they realized that they had not gained the fragrance which the deer’s body exuded.

Dejectedly they asked the deer for an explanation. Why were their bodies not emitting the fragrance? They too had made ziyaarat of Nabi Aadam (alayhis salaam). The deer, being inspired by Allah Ta’ala, said: “I made ziyaarat of Allah’s servant with no motive other than gaining benediction while you went to him with the motive of gaining fragrance.”

Thus, the origin of musk was in Ikhlaas (sincerity).