“Is nail polish a barrier between me and my Wudu?” This is the most frequently asked question today by every woman. And actually, it’s a great confusion from the start. Some Islamic scholars believe that nail polish doesn’t harm your wudu and it’s not necessary to remove it for performing Salah. 

However, many scholars believe the opposite. You will find a lot of conflicting stances that state “No nail polish is not allowed to be put on”, “your wudu is not validated with nail polish on” …. And so on…!

But have you ever thought what is the reason behind that?

Why can’t we perform wudu with nail polish on? Or is there any hadith that validates if nail polish is prohibited for making ablution?

Let’s discuss the issue in detail today and find out some valid answers by considering hadiths, Quranic verses, and other quotes by Ulma-e-Islam.

 

Answer According to Quranic Verse

Let’s discuss the answer in the light of the Quran.

Nail polish is not haram in Islam. It’s something that ornaments your nails and makes them look beautiful. So, in actuality, there is nothing inherently wrong with nail polish itself. But the issue is, when you wear nail polish, your nails are fully covered with an extra thick layer. This means, when you perform wudu, the water will not be able to enter your nails.

In the Holy Quran, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says:

“O, you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles”.
Al-Ma’idah ayat 6

Now when you read this verse in detail, you will find that there are mainly four obligatory fardh actions of Wudu. You need to wash your hands up until the elbows. But if your nails are polished and covered with a thick layer, then wudu will definitely not be valid because applying nail polish will create an extra layer that serves as a barrier and prevents water from coming into contact with your skin.

Now, as a result, your wudu is not completed because there is an abrogation of your fardh. 

 

According to the Prophet PBUH

The prophet (peace and blessing be upon him said) to Abu Dharr: “If you find water, then let it touch your skin, for that is good.” [Narrated by Abu Dawood].

Water must touch your skin and clear dirt from every part of your body. If it isn’t the case, your wudu is definitely not performing well. And your salah won’t be accepted in this state. 

Imam al-Shaafa’i Rahimahullah said:

“If there is on him any mastic or anything thick that will prevent the water from reaching the skin, his washing of that part for wudhu’ is not valid, unless he removes it or removes enough so that he knows that there is no barrier to the water touching the skin.”  

 

So, Is There Any Solution?

The next question people ask is, “if nail polish is not allowed for wudu, then what’s the solution? Are women not even allowed to wear nail polish at any time of the day?”

Well, that’s the point. If nail polish is not allowed, then how a woman can ornament their nails? After all, she cannot wear and remove nail polish 5 times a day.

So, the solution is simple.

In today’s advanced era, you will find a category in nail polishes that are “breathable”. These nail polishes do not obstruct the flow of water to your skin. This nail polish is very light and water can easily enter through the skin and clear all the dirt. So, these types of nail polishes are definitely not prohibited for wudu.

Moreover, you can apply the nail polish after completing the wudu. It is totally acceptable. However, if there is an issue due to which your wudu ‘breaks’ at any time of the day, then you will be required to remove your nail polish and complete your Wudu again. But this feels very cumbersome to remove it and then perform wudu. That’s why, if you are a Muslim praying 5 times a day, then it is recommended to avoid nail polish and use it during your menstrual days.

Also, you need to note that, if any impure which is haram in our religion is used in the nail polish, then it is completely prohibited to apply it on your nails. For example, alcohol. There are a lot of cosmetics that have alcohol in them. When you use them on your face, hair, or nail, your wudu or Salah will not be accepted because it is haram in Islam. 

So, the main issue is nail polish causes a firm layer on your nails due to which water cannot get enter and as a result, your wudu is not completed. If you want to perform wudu and salah in the best manner, then it is recommended to avoid nail polish for wudu. You can apply it afterward or just use the breathable ones.

That was our opinion regarding the issue. Allah knows the best.

 

Can You Put on the Nail Polish While Reading the Quran?

As I mentioned earlier, there are lots of companies that develop breathable, Halal, or Islamic nail polishes. They usually call it halal because it is okay to wear it and do wudu with it. It simply allows water to reach your nails and it doesn’t cause any harm to your wudu. This means you can put on nail polish while reading Quran or doing wudu.

 

Conclusion

According to the above Hadiths and Quranic verses, it is evident that nail polish is not allowed for wudu. You can apply it afterward and then pray salah. 

If you want more details on the issue or are interested to explore everything about Quran, Hadiths, and Islam, then you can simply register yourself at QulQuran which is the best Islamic school online and allow you to learn Quran from the expert male and female tutors who are always available to assist.