Perfumery is more than crafting something beautiful — it touches the soul. Fragrance was beloved to our Beloved Prophet ﷺ, who taught that even when others enjoy the scent we wear, it is an act of charity. I have always wanted my work to be more than simply creating perfumes for profit; each creation must carry intention and meaning. For that reason, I have kept my pricing conservative and chosen to give a portion of every sale to charity. But I knew I could do more. So I created Baqāʾ, an attar made for a cause very close to my heart. All donations from this project go directly to Revive for their Gaza appeal, while I have personally covered every cost — from materials and equipment to delivery and all other expenses — so that 100% of contributions reach the charity. From the beginning, it mattered to me that the blend itself linked back to Palestine, not just in intention but in substance, so the majority of the materials are drawn from plant species that grow naturally there.

I also felt it was important that the attar contain something physically from the land itself. For this reason, I created an in-house absolute resinoid from olive heartwood sourced from the West Bank. The wood was infused in food-grade ethanol for three months, after which the tincture was filtered and the ethanol evaporated. This resinoid was included not for fragrance but purely as a symbol — a small, tangible piece of Palestine within the attar, embodying its spirit or soul. Olive heartwood is not strongly aromatic, and its ethanol-extracted absolute resinoid does not dissolve easily in oil, so only a very small amount was used. Its presence is symbolic rather than olfactory, a quiet way for Baqāʾ to carry a true, physical connection to the land.

Many of the materials used in Baqāʾ are extremely rare and costly, and no expense was spared in its making. Several of the ingredients are things I have held and cared for over many years, used here with intention and care, knowing that they cannot be replaced. With time, natural materials change in subtle ways, softening and smoothing, and behaving differently than they do when young. Time alters the materials quietly, changing how they sit alongside others and how they reveal themselves in a blend.

The opening of Baqāʾ is shaped by a collection of rare florals — honeysuckle, jasmine sambac, and narcissus — supported by violet leaf and bitter orange. Together, these materials create an airy floral introduction that feels cool and gently diffusive, with an almost mint-like freshness rather than overt sweetness. These florals are among the rarest and prized in perfumery, which also makes them highly susceptible to adulteration, particularly honeysuckle. Violet leaf, narcissus, and jasmine sambac are equally precious, and I take great care to source every material from only the most reputable vendors. Using these authentic, high-quality ingredients ensures that the delicate freshness, complexity, and integrity of the opening are fully preserved.

The heart of Baqāʾ is rich with green notes of olive fruit and olive leaf, resting in the creamy embrace of Mysore sandalwood. The olive fruit absolute is soft, warm, slightly sweet, and quietly comforting, while the olive leaf absolute is bright, energetic, and vividly green — together they form a harmonious, verdant centre. This is supported by lavender, pine, cistus, and orris, each chosen to complement and elevate the olive heart.

The lavender used is a high-elevation French lavender essential oil that I have held since 2019. It is bright and clean in character, without the overt herbaceousness that some lavender oils can display. This is the same oil I used as the central material in my Coeur de Lavande blend, prized for its clarity and poise rather than force. The pine absolute is rich and complex, a far cry from sharp or “screechy” pine oils. Its deep emerald-green colour reflects its character, and it works beautifully with the lavender, forming a bridge from the airy florals of the opening to the deeper, woodier heart of the attar.

The Mysore sandalwood used is my 2017 vintage oil, offering a classic, creamy woody profile. For orris, I blended two exceptional forms: a Germanica CO₂ extract and the last of my very special vintage orris pallida butter, which I have been saving . I acquired this orris butter from the late Bruce Bolmes of SMK Fragrance- I don’t know the age of the orris butter but it was described as vintage when I bought it all the way back in 2012. It is incredibly potent, complex,and beautiful- its presence adds a refined powdery elegance to the heart of the blend.

Another rare treasure I have been saving for years is a remarkable ambergris absolute, also sourced from SMK. This came from a very rare grade known as “pink whale ambergris,” named for its subtle pink hue and rounded bumps when found, sourced from a single beach in New Zealand. Bruce Bolmes crafted the absolute using a phytonic solvent to create a concrete, which was then washed in ethanol, filtered, and gently baked to remove all traces of alcohol. The resulting scent is beautifully marine, subtly animalic, and quietly addictive. I used the last of this precious material in Baqāʾ, where it helps the other notes meld seamlessly while adding a delicate sparkle to the composition.

In the base, two distinct types of kinam weave together in harmony — one offering deep, earthy resonance, the other a refined, mentholated clarity — pairing beautifully with the warm resinous character of Omani frankincense. Oak contributes a smoky, mysterious facet, while a generous amount of musk adds a luminous, luxurious dimension, lifting the composition and allowing it to bloom in a way only musk can. The musk used is from my three-year-infused Siberian musk grains in vintage 2002 Mysore sandalwood oil, a perfume of remarkable depth even on its own.

This is a one-time-only batch of 27 bottles, never to be made again. All donations go directly to Revive for their Gaza appeal, providing vital aid to the people of Gaza. 100% donation policy, zakat and sadaqah eligible.

The fundraiser will run through Ramadan and is for pre-order only — the blend is currently maturing and will be ready in May.

• 25 bottles are available to reserve for the first 25 UK-based donors contributing £200 or more.
• 1 bottle will be awarded to the largest donation worldwide.
• 1 bottle will be given to the winner of a prize draw, open to all donors worldwide, regardless of donation size.

Reserve your bottle now and support the cause

I chose the name بقاء (Baqāʾ), which means endurance or remaining, to reflect both the character of the fragrance and the spirit it honours. Like the attar itself, the name evokes persistence — a presence that unfolds gently, lingers with dignity, and carries memory and place within it. Baqāʾ is intended to endure on the skin as it endures in thought, a subtle reminder of the steadfastness and resilience of the Palestinian people. Free Palestine.

Full list of ingredients used in Baqāʾ

Material	Type
Honeysuckle	Absolute	Found in Palestine
Narcissus	Absolute	Found in Palestine
Olive Fruit	Absolute	Found in Palestine
Olive Leaf	Absolute	Found in Palestine
Olive heart wood	Absolute resinoid	From Palestine
Orris Germanica	CO2 Extract	Related species Iris haynei found in Palestine
Orris Pallida	Essential Oil	Related species Iris haynei found in Palestine
Violet Leaf	Absolute	Found in Palestine
Bitter Orange	Essential Oil	Found in Palestine
Lavender	Essential Oil	Found in Palestine
Cistus	Essential Oil	Found in Palestine
Pine	Absolute	Found in Palestine
Oak	CO2 Extract	Found in Palestine
Jasmine Sambac	Absolute	Found in Palestine
Neroli (Orange Blossom)	Essential Oil	Found in Palestine
Cultivated Kinam	Essential Oil
Cultivated Kinam	CO2 Extract
Frankincense	Essential Oil
Sandalwood	Essential Oil
Ambergris	Absolute
Musk	Infusion in Sandalwood Oil
Benzyl Benzoate	Natural	Small amount used to dissolve heavy absolutes
TEC	Natural	Small amount used to dissolve heavy absolutes