Wood of Oud has been a part of Arabic culture for thousands of years. As rare and as precious as gold, it has a great cultural significance in ancient civilizations around the world. A common house in Gulf countries may lack a very important piece of furniture, but it is hard to imagine a home without Oud. Its smoke is thought to have the power that bonds an Arab to his roots and origins. Oud is dark resinous wood that is also valued in many other cultures for its distinctive fragrance, and thus is used for incense and perfumes. It forms in Aquilaria and Gyrinops trees and the finest types of Oud come from the high mountainous areas of India, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. An interesting aspect related to formation of Oud is that it forms when a tree becomes infected with a type of mold. Prior to infection, the heartwood is relatively light and pale colored; however, as the infection progresses, the tree produces a very dense, dark, resin embedded heartwood in response to the attack. The infected trees are left for a period of 60 years to up to more than a century before good quality Oud can be extracted from them. There are different types of Oud wood. The ones that are considered the best are the Indian and Cambodian. Small pieces of Oud called Mabsoos are burned in incense burners to perfume the home and clothing with a rich thick smoke. There are also mixtures commonly referred to as Bokhoor. They usually include Oud as well as some other materials such as Musk, Rose essential oil and Amber. The use of Oud is not only limited to burning the wood for incense. Different scents are formed by combining one or more type of Oud wood. Extracts from Oud are used by some of world's best and most expensive perfume brands. Abdurahman Al-Hobaishi, an expert related to the market of Oud for more than a generation, shared his views by saying that Oud is very important for all events. “Our tradition demands that, we use Oud at weddings, parties and family gatherings. It is a sign of welcoming the guests and no occasion is complete without the presence of Oud” says Al-Hobaishi. He also concluded that the introduction of modern brands of perfumes may have affected the interest of younger generation in Oud. It is still the most popular type of fragrance in the market. This is due to the fact that every company or shop has its own unique product. While a normal consumer spends from SR200 to SR2000, the cost of one kilogram of Oud may vary massively between SR5000 and SR35000. Al-Hobaishi also shared a few tips for those who are new to buying Oud wood. A good quality Oud is darker, heavier and its smoke tends to form a bluish color. Another phenomenon that identifies fine Oud is that its incense does not burn the eyes or cause irritation to the throat. Oud is usually burned in a Mabkhara, a traditional incense burner. The easiest way to describe the shape of Mabkhara is by referring to Jeddah's King Fahad Fountain. The tallest fountain in the world that reaches 853 feet above Red Sea is quite similar in shape with a traditional incense burner. The column of water shooting up from the fountain takes a similar shape of smoke rising from the incense. It is customary in many Arab countries to pass the Mabkhara amongst the guests starting from the eldest person in the Majlis (congregation) or from the first person sitting on the right. This is done as a gesture of hospitality. Jamal Yassin Zaitooni has been a local business owner of Oud in Taif City for over three decades. He travels to several countries throughout the year to import the top most quality wood of Oud. Speaking to Saudi Gazette Jamal Zaitooni said: In 70s and early 80s he was amongst those who provided Oud to many top official as well as members of the Saudi Royal Family. “Taif was considered the summer capital of Saudi Arabia and the government used to move to Taif during summer. Whether it was for welcoming world's Presidents and Diplomats or for exchanging gifts, Oud was a basic component for all high ranking visits” says Zaitooni. Today even after many years the smoke of Oud he sells would rise in mosques and houses all over the Kingdom. He has clients from cities such as Jeddah and Riyadh. This is in addition to a huge number of consumers within Taif due to the fact that the city is surrounded by tribal areas and therefore the need of Oud is immensely high. Zaitooni's clients greatly admire the types of mixtures produced by his factory and do not mind paying a little bit extra to fulfill their specific demands. The consumption of Oud reaches its peak in the holy month of Ramadan. Usually one person in each neighborhood would take the responsibility of providing Oud for the whole month to the mosque in the area. __
