Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother ASalaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

My Question is

" Is wudu acceptable when nail polish is on.? Or is it allowed when we do wudu and then put nail polish.till the next wudu if the nail polish is still on can we do wudu on our polished nails?"

"can we put mendi on nails if nail polish is not allowed and do wudu?"

Thank you

REgards,

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Henna nail polish and wudu

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

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 with nail polish on her nails.

Your Question: Is wudu acceptable when nail polish is on.?

One amongst the obligatory conditions of ‘wudu’ is to wash one’s hands in such a way that absolutely no part of it must remain dry….thus the absolute majority of the scholars in Islam are of the opinion that because the application of nail polish on the nails would prevent the water from reaching that part of the hand, the wudu of such a person would not be deemed valid in the Sight of Shariah.

Your Question: ….is it allowed when we do wudu and then put nail polish.

If one does wudu first and then applies the nail polish, there is absolutely no harm and their wudu would be considered absolutely valid.

Your Question: ….till the next wudu if the nail polish is still on can we do wudu on our polished nails?"

In the opinion of the majority of the scholars, the wudu done after the application of the nail polish would prevent the water from reaching every part of their hand….thus the wudu would not be deemed valid. If one has done wudu and then applied the nail polish, and if that wudu breaks…it would be necessary for the person to remove the nail polish before they perform the wudu again.

Your Question: …can we put mendi on nails if nail polish is not allowed and do wudu?

Unlike the nail polish which is a non-porous coating, the ‘henna’ or ‘mehndi’ is a porous die which allows water through it….thus the performance of wudu after one has applied ‘henna’ on their hands or nails is absolutely lawful.

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