𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 (612)

Nail Care in Islam Question: This question is from a woman asking: What is the ruling on growing long nails? If the nails are long, are wudu and prayer still valid? Is it allowed for a woman during menstruation to keep them long or wear artificial nails? If these things are not allowed, what's the advice, as this practice has become widespread among women? Sheikh Rashad Adh-Dhali'ee hafidhahullah: With regards to growing nails, we have a clear rule from our Prophet ﷺ. As Anas reported in Sahih Muslim, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set a limit for trimming the nails, removing underarm hair, shaving pubic hair, and trimming the mustache, stating that these should not be left for more than forty days. In some narrations, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded us to do so. Based on this hadith, leaving the nails untrimmed for more than forty days is not permissible, because the Prophet ﷺ gave a maximum limit of forty days. Going beyond that means opposing this hadith and doing something forbidden. This indicates that trimming them within forty days is obligatory and leaving it beyond that is forbidden. As for what is best, scholars say it is preferable to trim the nails every week. Many scholars also recommended doing so on Friday, based on the hadith of Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih Al-Bukhari: “Whoever bathes on Friday and purifies himself as much as he can… will be forgiven from one Friday to the next.” His saying: “and purifies himself as much as he can,” includes all forms of cleanliness and purification such as shaving pubic hair, removing underarm hair, and trimming nails. These are all part of the natural practices of cleanliness (fitrah), and this is best. Also, leaving nails long — whether for men or women — is in reality a distortion of one's appearance. Out of His wisdom, Allah commanded people to trim them, because excessive length changes the natural form Allah created people upon. That is why the Prophet ﷺ described these acts as part of the fitrah (natural disposition). Human nature inclines toward cleanliness and removing such things, so keeping long nails goes against this natural state and also harms cleanliness and appearance. These practices of fitrah contain purity, cleanliness, and beautification of the appearance Allah intended for human beings. Keeping nails excessively long goes against cleanliness, purity, and good appearance. As for the validity of prayer and wudu: if the nails become very long and dirt builds up underneath them to the point that water cannot reach beneath the nails, then the wudu is not valid. Scholars pointed this out: when thick dirt under the nails prevents water from reaching the skin, wudu becomes invalid, and if wudu is invalid, then the prayer is also invalid. So the advice is for a person — man or woman — to follow the Sunnah in these matters. It is purer, cleaner, and better for them. Source: https://t.me/womensbenefits/1694