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Is Whudu taken with “Halaal” nailpolish valid?

Q. I would like to know what is the fatwa regarding the ‘halaal’ nail polish that has become the latest buzz among muslim women. (There may be grammatical and spelling errors in the above question. Questions are published as received)

A. To date, the Jamiat has not approved any nail polish that is suitable for Wudhu. It is a condition that water reaches the surface of the finger nails and toe nails for Wudhu to be valid. Nail polish prevents water from reaching the surface of the nail and it is therefore necessary to remove before making Wudhu. The Wudhu will not be valid if the nail polish remained on the nail at the time of making Wudhu.

The requirements for Wudhu is to WASH the hands and not for the water to permeate (merely as a minimum) and the evidence is as follows:

Wash both hands up to the wrists three times.

أوس بن أبي أوس رضي اللّه عنه قال: رأيت رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه وسلم توضأ، فاستوْكف ثلاثاً. رواه أحمد، والنسائي،

Aus ibn Aus al-Thaqafi who said, “I saw the Messenager of Allah make ablution, and he washed his hands three times.” [Ahmed, Nasai]

Jamiat (South Africa) tested it and found that the water DOES NOT permeate and reach the nails

There have been concerns raised about a certain nail polish product claiming to be water permeable, thus allowing water to reach the surface of the nails. Due to this claim, some people have been misled into assuming that this nail polish is Halaal (in the sense that it is suitable for Wudhu without the need to remove it).

Due to the numerous requests from concerned Muslim sisters, the Jamiat looked into this particular product and conducted multiple tests. The results turned out to be negative and it was concluded that the nail polish is not water permeable and it prevents water from reaching the surface of the nail.

Hence, this particular type of nail polish that is being marketed as Halaal nail polish is not acceptable for Wudhu.

And Allah Knows Best

Mufti Suhail Tarmahomed

Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

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14 thoughts on “Is Whudu taken with “Halaal” nailpolish valid?

  • Foz ahmed

    Hv done the experiment on halal nail paints my self. Water does penetrate through if you use and wash according to instructions Its been certified by muslim organisations that gives other halal certifications too.

    Reply
  • Shabnam

    Salam which product range was tested?

    Reply
    • Asiya

      Vivian condor nail polish holds a certificate to say its halal from a scholar only 1 coat is recommended

      Reply
  • Firdouse

    Assalamu alaikkum … as Long as what I realised is that halaal polish means still we are not able to use it .. halaal means the product may not used anything with pig oil but will still prevent from touching the nail while wudhu..

    Reply
  • Ayesha khan

    Why do u ladies want to imitate non muslims by using all these colorful nail polishes. Be proud of our religion, dont. Rather use nail henna

    Reply
  • Asak as a founder of a The Halal Cosmetics Company, I would like to confirm the following.
    The water permeable nail polish is halal in terms of the ingredients used, however when applied, tests prove that the polish only allows water to permeate with a single coat. Unfortunately a single coat will not give the required coverage. Furthermore if a basecoat or top coat is applied, again water cannot penetrate through the polish.
    We know this because we have conducted these tests on brands currently available, so even though a halal certificate has been rightly issued.
    The point here is not about the ingredients it is about whether it is suitable for completing wudhu.
    The 2nd option is Peel off nail polish, which has halal ingredients and very safe to use even for children from the age of 8 upwards as it is chemical free also. However it is not water permeable and needs to be peeled off before wudhu.
    I guess currently these are the best options available for consumers looking for halal nail polish, they just need to bear in mind that it will need to be removed before wudhu.

    Reply
  • This way of reasoning also applies to false nails and nail extensions. Please educate women on this matter.

    Reply
  • Fairul

    Salam to all, in my point of view, the “halal” certified for the ingredients use to produce it… got nothing to doe abt wudhu… i’m not an expert or anything more… just assumption… maybe i’m wrong mayb i’m right… its up to the individual…

    Reply
  • Is it that important for u to wear nail polish? Surely its far more important (well for me anyway) that we perform our wudhu correctly with minimul doubt in our minds. If this ‘halal’nail polish is questionable surely its better to avoid it. We are comitting so many sins as it is knowingly and unknowingly so why add another. May allah swt guide us.

    Reply
    • Rafiah Onar

      Agreed with you 100%.

      Reply
    • Totally agree with the above, it is said that if their is doubt stay away, so if you’re questioning it so much there is definitely a doubt, if your wudhu is not accepted then your salaah is not accepted either and this you will only find out when it’s too late.

      Reply
  • Rafiah Omar

    Hey! people…. don’t be fooled, use your logic! This products may have all the ingredients that are halal, true. But how on earth does this fact make it permissible for wudhu when it is not water permeable!!! Simple logic✌️

    Reply
  • Zubair

    I’m not female however I don’t understand. Mendi is sunnah or mentioned as being good to use. Why emulate the non Muslim “nail polish” method,……..wont it be on the day of judgement i.e You will be with those that you followed.

    Reply

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