Philosophy of Fragrance (II)

II. The Ritual of Fragrance

1. **Olfactory Metaphors in the Quran**
– The initial scent of Kynam’s coolness is like the refreshing breeze that the Prophet
Muhammad felt while ascending through the seven heavens, carrying the clarity of paradise’s
streams; the middle notes’ honeyed sweetness resemble the ‘paradise with rivers of milk and
honey’ described in the Quran, where sweet syrup drips from honeycombs mixed with the
fragrance of dates; the base notes of frankincense evoke the solemn warmth of the agarwood
that burns year-round in the sacred mosque of Mecca, reminding one of the piety felt when the
forehead touches the ground in prayer.
– The rising blue smoke during incense burning resembles the wing patterns of angels in Arab
miniatures; as the Hadith states, ‘Fragrance is the garment of faith,’ the smoke of Kynam is a
shared olfactory prayer between the East and West.

2. **Mystical Associations**
– The changing scent of Kynam: the sharpness of the top notes is like ‘the initial awakening,’
the sweetness of the middle notes is akin to ‘the ecstasy of unity with the divine,’ and the
stability of the base notes represents ‘eternal peace’; each whiff of fragrance is an inner
pilgrimage.
– Persian poet Rudaki once wrote, ‘Fragrance is the language of the soul’; the three
transitions of Kynam’s scent resemble the ‘Maqam’ modes in Arabic music, moving from high
and soaring to gentle and deep, narrating the dialogue between nature and divinity.