Is This Forbidden Nails Grow Long
What is the ruling on men or women letting their nails grow long? If it is forbidden, what is the wisdom behind this prohibition?
Answer:
Praise be to Allah.
Cutting the nails is part of the fitrah because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The fitrah is five things: circumcision, removing the pubic hair, trimming the mustache, cutting the nails, and plucking the armpit hairs.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim).
According to another hadith, ten things are part of the fitrah, including cutting the nails. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) set a time limit for us to cut our mustaches, trim our nails, pluck our armpit hairs, and shave our pubic hairs: we were not to leave it any longer than forty days.” (Reported by Ahmad, Muslim and al-Nisaa’i; this version narrated by Ahmad).
Whoever does not cut his nails is going against the fitrah. The reason behind this is cleanliness and hygiene because dirt can gather under the nails. It also serves the purpose of making us different from those among the kuffaar who allow their nails to grow long, and from animals that have claws and paws. (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 5/173).
Most women nowadays have fallen into the trap of resembling savage animals with their long claw-like nails, which they then paint with nail polish. This ugly appearance looks utterly repulsive to any intelligent person whose fitrah is sound. Another bad habit that many people have is to leave one nail long. All of this is contrary to the ways of the fitrah. We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound. Allah is the Guide to the Straight Path.
What is ‘fitrah’? I have never heard of this.
Answer:
Praise be to Allah.
Al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer: “Fitrah: the deen (way or religion) of Allah.” Al-Tabari’s tafseer (commentary) of the ayah (interpretation of the meaning): “[Iblees said] and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allah.” [al-Nisa 4:119]
Concerning the ayah (interpretation of the meaning), So set your face steadily and truly to the Faith: (establish) Allah’s handiwork according to the pattern (fitrah) on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not. [al-Room 30:30 Yusuf Ali’s translation], it was reported from some of the scholars of tafseer that the phrase the pattern (fitrah) on which He has made mankind means the design of Allah according to which He has created mankind.
This word (fitrah) was also mentioned in the hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah who said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Five things are part of the fitrah: removing the pubic hair, circumcision, trimming the mustache, plucking the armpit hairs, and trimming the nails.”” (Reported by al-jamaa’ah)
What is meant by these five things being part of the fitrah is that when they are done, this is by the natural pattern on which Allah made mankind and urged them to follow, so that they will be better and more perfect. This is the ancient Sunnah (way) which was followed by all the Prophets and which was enjoined by all the laws they brought. It is a natural and innate way. (Al-Shawkaani, Nayl al-Awtaar, Baab Sunan al-Fitrah).