A scent from heaven

I thought man in general has a very good sense of direction. Especially when driving. He doesn't need a map or even a co-pilot on their side to find certain destination or particular location. Even to find ordinary items like their tie pin, socks, car key or their children whenever they wanted it. They will almost certainly find it with pin-point precision. It is a pure instinct and come naturally for a man. Otherwise how a sperm, man's most potent biological super weapon precisely self-guided and landed on the exact spot, on the correct moment on one lucky female egg if not because they have their own natural global position system (GPS) and probably the head of their own.

So it is quite a revelation to me last night during a hasty preparation to the usual terawikh session, I just couldn't find my 'minyak kasturi' on its usual place. That was probably another dark side of man I guess. Their GPS is totally shut down whenever they are looking for something, especially that some thing is in the house, with their wife around.

In the house, man can never find anything they are looking for even if they are actually looking at it. This is one of a few time I actually if momentarily consider to have a second thought on men supremacy except their sexual libido. I always thought women in general and my wife especially has a very bad sense of direction, but I was wrong this time (this statement is made to save me from sleeping on the couch tonight :)

However, I don't want to indulge too much discussion, fearing the unimaginable consequences from our female counterpart, on the scientifically unproven theory above but on a real subject of interest which is 'minyak kasturi'.

Not until quite recently, I had no idea whatsoever how it is made and what 'minyak minyak' kasturi is all about. In fact, I seldom (read never) used or apply the 'minyak' or their closest attar relatives before. A personal preference really.

We thought we have a cyclopedic knowledge of everything. But we are not. Contrary to popular believe, minyak kasturi or a 'musk deer' as it is known in the other part of the world, is not extracted from any other part of plant such as from bark or flower (unlike any other perfumes), but from a part of the body of a male dear found mainly in a mountainous region close to the Himalaya.

In reality, minyak kasturi is actually extracted from a special gland , a musk gland (the first pic) that is more often than not found in between the genital and umbilicus of this special mammals (Mochus musciferus). As many other glands in other male species, this gland originally is to attract the opposite sex for their intimate companion of course. For animal lovers out there, to get this glands you don't have to kill the animal.

So you can imagine my excitement and interest when Ustaz Malik Jin (he is well known for his ability to dispel and dispose the unseen), who conduct a regular dhuha class and an alternative clinic in Subang Impian, explain in lengthy the heavenly origin, its remedial wonders and a scent of choice for our prophet Muhammad s.a.a.w. this minyak kasturi is. I was actually very excited when he told us that he has in his collection the original musk gland and also the minyak for all the jemaah to see and buy.

So why in the fist place after so many years I've decided to enter a new blissful transcendent phase of my life getting alliance with this gift from heaven? Obviously not because I wanted to attract the opposite sex as the other mammals naturally would do, but purely because I wanted to embrace this new experience and its spiritual benefits.

Minyak kasturi is believed to have many divine benefits. Among others are to sharpen ones mind, asthmatic relaxant, strengthen external organs (need to clarify which particular organ), to pacify anger and anxiety, to reduce nervous breakdown and so on and so on. The list is too long for me to pen it down here.

My last word of wisdom if there is any left inside my brain, before I get ready for another terawikh session tonight - as we are now entering the last phase of Ramadhan trimester, I hope most of us has already done with our lailatul-kamdar, but seriously seeking and striving very hard for the elusive and sought after Lailatul Qadar, the night of Decree, the night where so many sins are forgiven and so many fault are concealed. For it is the night of forgiveness.