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I was taught not to wear any makeup/nail polish while praying salah. I see lots and lots of women doing so and come to mosque with nail polish and makeup

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I was taught not to wear any makeup/nail polish while praying salah. I see lots and lots of women doing so and come to mosque with nail polish and makeup. Please advise.

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Answer:

 

Adornent makeup nail polish in prayer

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Islam does not forbid or prohibit a believing woman from adorning herself with aids of beauty like make-up, nail-polish, etc. if she wishes to do so.  The believing woman, who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day, must be careful not to display her beauty and adornments in front of non-mehram men; but she may apply as much make up or nail-polish or any other adornment she wishes in front of her mehrams, especially her husband.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verses 31-33:

31      O children of Adam!  Adorn yourself with beautiful adornment (or apparel) at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink, but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters.

32      Say: ‘Who hath forbidden the beautiful (gifts) of Allah which He hath produced for his servants, and the things clean and pure (which He hath provided) for sustenance?,  Say: ‘they are in the life of this world for those who believe, (and) purely for them on the Day of Judgment.’  Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who understand.

33      Say: ‘The things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are: ‘shameful deeds whether open or secret; sins and trespasses against the Truth or reason; assigning of partners to Allah for which He has given no authority; and saying things about Allah of which ye have no knowledge.’

 

There is absolutely no harm or restriction if a woman offers her prayers in her full-make up or nail-polish.  The only issue with nail-polish, when applied on the nails does not allow water to touch the nails; whereas one amongst the obligatory conditions of wudu is to wash one’s hands in such a way that no part of it must remain dry.  If the woman does the wudu first, and then applies the nail-polish, there is absolutely no harm in her offering her prayers. 

 

Your Statement: I see lots and lots of women doing so and come to mosque with nail polish and makeup.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.50

It is better for women to pray in their houses than to attend congregational prayers in the mosques. However, they may go to the mosque and attend the congregational prayer if they avoid wearing or using any attractive or tempting adornment or perfume.

Ibn 'Umar reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Do not prevent the women from going to the mosques, although their houses are better for them."  Abu Hurairah relates that the Prophet said: "Do not keep the slave girls of Allah from the mosques of Allah. And they are to go out un-perfumed."  These two ahadith were related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud.  Abu Hurairah also reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Any woman who uses some scent should not be present with us during the night prayer." This is related by Muslim, Abu Dawud, and an-Nasa'i.

Ahmad and at-Tabarani record that Umm Humaid as-Sa'diyah came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and said: "O Messenger of Allah (saws), I love to pray with you." The Prophet (saws) said: "I am aware of that, but your salah in your residence is better for you than your salah in your people's mosque; and your salah in your people's mosque is better than your salah in the [larger] congregational mosque."

 

If the woman coming to the mosque to offer her prayers completely covers herself and is able to hide her adornments of beauty like make-up and nail-polish from non-mehram men, there is absolutely no harm in her applying these adornments when praying in congregation; although her prayers at her house is better for her than her prayers in the mosques.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

Burhan

 


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