Overview
Oud and Bukhoor are aromatic materials used for fumigation and perfuming, and their use is bound up with the Prophet's Mosque, the Grand Mosque and the Saudi market. [1][3][4]
The finest grades of bukhoor and oud are used for fumigation and perfuming, [1] and composite bukhoor blends oud with ambergris, musk and Taif rose. [4]
Fumigation and Perfuming at the Prophet's Mosque
The General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque carries out daily fumigation and perfuming in the galleries, courtyards and prayer halls of the Prophet's Mosque. [1]
The work covers the use of the finest grades of bukhoor and oud in the corridors, entrances and prayer halls, together with the perfuming of the carpets, galleries and other facilities. [1]
In Ramadan the perfuming of the Prophet's Mosque and of those who visit it continues daily with the finest grades of perfume and bukhoor. [2]
Receiving Pilgrims with Incense Burners at the Grand Mosque
The reception teams of the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque spread across the doors and entrances of the galleries of the Grand Mosque, carrying incense burners and natural roses to perfume the passages and receive pilgrims on the Day of Sacrifice. [3]
Oud and Bukhoor in the Saudi Market
Stores selling oud, bukhoor and oriental perfumes in Riyadh see growing interest from shoppers during Ramadan. [4]
Much of the oud is imported from India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia, [4] and among the composite bukhoor products are blends of oud with ambergris, musk and Taif rose. [4]
A kilogram of natural, rare oud reaches into the hundreds of thousands of riyals, while an ounce of treated oud ranges between 100 and 6,000 riyals depending on quality. [4]
The Incense Route in AlUla
The temporary Bayt Al-Luban was inaugurated within the Incense Route experience in the old town of AlUla, as part of a Saudi–Omani cultural partnership, and it receives its visitors for six months, until 26 June 2026. [5]
The experience introduces visitors to the stories of the exchange of goods, perfumes and bukhoor and to the role of this route in carrying cultures between peoples, [6] and Wadi Dukkah, the home of frankincense, is one of the sites of the Land of Frankincense inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. [5]
The experience took the award for Best Cultural and Artistic Event within the Saudi Events Awards for 2025. [5]
Darb Al-Bukhoor in Al-Aqiq Governorate
Al-Aqiq Governorate organised a hike on Darb Al-Bukhoor (the Elephant Trail) at the Jurb Centre, within the Al-Baha Winter 2026 programme, with the participation of more than 75 participants. [7]
The event is held on Monday, 16 February, from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. [8]
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How are oud and bukhoor used at the Prophet's Mosque? A: Daily fumigation and perfuming is carried out in its galleries, courtyards and prayer halls with the finest grades of bukhoor and oud, with the perfuming of the carpets, galleries and facilities, and it continues in Ramadan with the perfuming of the mosque and those who visit it. [1][2]
Q: How are pilgrims received with incense burners at the Grand Mosque? A: The reception teams spread across the doors and entrances of its galleries, carrying incense burners and natural roses to perfume the passages on the Day of Sacrifice. [3]
Q: What does composite bukhoor consist of? A: It blends oud with ambergris, musk and Taif rose. [4]
Q: Where is oud imported from, and what are its prices in the Saudi market? A: Much of it is imported from India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia. A kilogram of natural, rare oud reaches into the hundreds of thousands of riyals, and an ounce of treated oud ranges between 100 and 6,000 riyals depending on quality. [4]
Q: Where is the Incense Route experience held? A: In the old town of AlUla, where the temporary Bayt Al-Luban was inaugurated and receives its visitors for six months, until 26 June 2026. [5]
Conclusion
The presence of oud and bukhoor joins worship, the market and cultural tourism, from the daily fumigation at the Prophet's Mosque and the perfuming of the Grand Mosque to the stores of Riyadh, the Incense Route experience in AlUla and the Darb Al-Bukhoor event in Al-Aqiq Governorate. [1][3][4][5][7]
Related topics
- EventIncense Trade RouteThe Incense Trade Route is a trade artery established by the caravans from the south of the Arabian Peninsula between Makkah and Madinah, on to the Levant to the north and Al-Ahsa and Bahrain to the east. Stations along its course include Qaryat al-Faw, AlUla and the Hegra site, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is reviving this legacy today through cultural and tourism projects.
- HistoricThe Prophet's MosqueThe Prophet's Mosque is the mosque of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Madinah, built in the first year of the Hijrah over an area of 1,050 square meters. Several constructions followed across the Islamic eras, and the mosque saw its widest expansions in the Saudi era.
- HistoricThe Grand Mosque (Al-Masjid Al-Haram)The Grand Mosque (Al-Masjid Al-Haram) is the mosque at the centre of which stands the Kaaba in Makkah, and successive states and restorations followed upon its construction across the ages. In the Saudi era it witnessed major expansions and construction works, most notably the Third Saudi Expansion and the raising of the capacity of the Mataf and the courtyards.
- HistoricAlUla Old TownAlUla Old Town is a historic settlement in the centre of AlUla Governorate, preserving an earthen urban fabric of hundreds of houses, markets and historic passageways. It was selected among the Best Tourism Villages in the World for 2022.
- HistoricTaif RoseThe Taif rose is a rose cultivated in the mountainous areas of Taif Governorate in western Saudi Arabia, where more than 2,200 farms produce over 550 million roses a year. Rose water and rose oil are extracted from it by traditional distillation, and the harvest is accompanied by an annual festival, research activity and training.
- HistoricMajlisThe Majlis is a social space in Saudi society for receiving guests and exchanging conversation, where members of the community gather to settle disputes, offer condolences and hold wedding celebrations, and where Saudi coffee is served in line with long-inherited customs. The Majlis and Arabic coffee were inscribed on UNESCO's lists of intangible cultural heritage.
- CityRiyadh (city)Capital of Saudi Arabia and seat of the Riyadh Region emirate, beside Diriyah, home to Qasr Al-Hukm and Masmak Palace.
Sources & references
- Saudi Press Agency (SPA) — daily fumigation and perfuming at the Prophet's Mosque and its components
- Saudi Press Agency (SPA) — perfuming and fumigating the Prophet's Mosque in Ramadan
- Saudi Press Agency (SPA) — receiving pilgrims with incense burners and roses at the Grand Mosque
- Saudi Press Agency (SPA) — oud and bukhoor stores in Riyadh, import sources, prices and the components of composite bukhoor
- Saudi Press Agency (SPA) — the inauguration of Bayt Al-Luban, the Incense Route experience in AlUla, its award and the duration of its reception of visitors
- Saudi Press Agency (SPA) — the content of the Incense Route experience in AlUla
- Saudi Press Agency (SPA) — the Darb Al-Bukhoor (Elephant Trail) hike in Al-Aqiq Governorate
- Saudi Press Agency (SPA) — the date of the Darb Al-Bukhoor hiking event