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Growing long nails

8 April 2025 · 10 Shawwāl 1446 AH

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Question

It is a fashion for women to grow long nails of at least one finger. According to sharī’ah, is this allowed?

– Sr. Jabeen Akhtar, Sheffield

Answer

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) has mentioned 10 things that are human nature, according to a ḥadīth record by al-Bukhārī (5889, 5890, 5891, & 6297), Muslim (257, & 261), and others. Among them is the cutting of the nails. So, growing long nails is against the sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), as well as the sunnah of all other Prophets and is also against human nature. Muslim women, before adopting a trend or fashion, should check it according to the Islāmic sharī’ah and not blindly follow the non-Muslims.

📚 Source: Islāmic Verdicts (Fatāwā Ṣirāṭ-e-Mustaqīm) – Shaykh Mahmood Ahmed Mirpuri (1/261)

❓ Question: Is letting fingernails grow long for the sake of beauty forbidden?

✍🏻 Answer: It is not allowed to allow the fingernails to grow long. In fact, it has been commanded to cut them every week, or, at the most, every forty days.

📚 Source: Islāmic Fatāwā Regarding Women – Compiled by Muhammad bin Abdul-Aziz al-Musnad (fatwā by Shaykh ibn Jibrīn, question: 353 (1/376-377))

FatāwāIssues for Women

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