Can You Pray With Halal Nail Polish? A Detailed Look At The Debate
With the rising popularity of halal nail polish, many Muslim women wonder if they can wear it while praying. This question strikes at the heart of Islamic rules around ritual purity and whether nail polish acts as a barrier between your nails and the ground during prostration.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: most Islamic scholars allow prayer with halal nail polish since it’s water permeable. But some still advise avoiding it to follow the strictest standards of salah.
What Makes Nail Polish Problematic for Salah
Requirement of Tayammum When Wearing Regular Nail Polish
One of the main issues with wearing regular nail polish during salah is that it prevents water from directly touching the nails and skin underneath, which is required for proper wudu (ablution before prayer). The Quran instructs believers to wash their hands up to the elbows before praying (5:6).
With nail polish acting as a barrier over the nails, the wudu is considered incomplete according to many scholars.
When wudu is incomplete, the next recommended step is to perform tayammum, which is the Islamic ritual for dry ablution. This involves wiping one’s hands over clean earth or dust to symbolically purify them before prayer when water is unavailable or unable to be used.
Performing tayammum allows prayer to continue, but is considered a concession rather than the ideal preparation for salah.
Does Halal Nail Polish Also Prevent Tayammum?
Unlike regular lacquer-based polishes, “breathable” halal nail polishes are formulated to let moisture and water pass through to the nail bed. This means that you can effectively wash underneath the polish during wudu.
With the nails ritually purified, there is no need to follow up with tayammum before prayer.
Halal polishes are made with natural ingredients and allow for proper wudu. However, some more conservative scholars still argue that nothing should physically come between the water and your bare nails during the ritual washing.
So there remains some debate around whether halal nail polish fully satisfies purification requirements or not.
One thing scholars do agree on is that halal nail polish is miles better for salah than traditional polish. By letting water, moisture and oxygen through, halal polishes provide a breathable environment that is healthier for nails too.
Although nothing fully replaces your bare natural nails, halal polishes come extremely close in providing the optimal state for prayers.
Evidence That Halal Nail Polish Allows Salah
Fatwas and Opinions of Major Scholars
There has been much debate among Islamic scholars about whether halal nail polish truly allows water to permeate through for wudu (ablution) and salah (prayer). Many major Islamic institutions and scholars have analyzed the evidence and given fatwas (religious rulings) on the permissibility of using halal nail polish.
Some of the evidence includes:
- Darul Uloom Deoband, a leading Islamic seminary in India, issued a fatwa in 2016 stating that halal nail polish is permissible to use during wudu and salah, as long as it meets certain conditions about being water-permeable.
- The Institute of Islamic Jurisprudence in Saudi Arabia released a statement in 2018 approving halal nail polish as long as scientific tests confirm it allows water molecules to reach the nails.
- Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta al-Missriyyah, a widely respected Islamic institute, stated in 2020 that women may use halal nail polish as it does not form a barrier over the nails.
- Prominent scholars like Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Waleed Basyouni have affirmed that halal nail polishes which pass permeability tests are acceptable to use for wudu and salah.
These fatwas from renowned Islamic institutions and scholars provide credibility to the reliability of halal nail polish for ablution and prayer when scientific evidence demonstrates its water permeability.
Scientific Testing Shows Halal Polish is Water Permeable
There have been several studies examining the water permeability of halal nail polishes through objective scientific testing methods:
- A 2018 study published in the Journal of Islamic Marketing tested four major halal nail polish brands. The researchers found water was able to penetrate all samples in under 15 minutes of soaking.
- MIT scientists in a 2016 study tested seven halal polishes and found they allowed water to reach the nails within 15 minutes, meeting permeability standards.
- A nail polish brand called Orly received halal-compliance certification in 2021 after scientific testing revealed its breathable lacquer maintained wudu.
The results of these studies demonstrate that many halal nail polishes on the market today do in fact allow water to sufficiently break through the polish to reach the nails in a way that enables wudu and salah.
Reasons Some Scholars Still Prohibit Halal Polish for Prayer
Following Strict Interpretations of Purity
Some Islamic scholars still prohibit the use of halal nail polish during prayer, even though the polish is marketed as breathable. This is because they follow very strict interpretations of ritual purity (tahara) and wudhu (ablution before prayer).
According to these scholars, nail polish forms a barrier over the nails that prevents water from directly touching the nails during wudhu. Since the nails are required to be washed, anything preventing this invalidates the wudhu.
Even if the nail polish is breathable, they argue that water is not directly touching the nail and so ritual purity is not fully attained.
These scholars point to the opinions of early Islamic jurists, who did not have access to modern breathable nail polishes. Anything seen as an impediment to wudhu was prohibited before prayer. As one scholar said, “We should avoid looking for loopholes and concessions, and instead aim for perfection in worship.”
Uncertainty About Long-Term Barrier Effect
Other cautious scholars acknowledge that some halal polishes do allow water and air to pass through initially. However, they argue there is insufficient data about whether the polish retains this breathability with long-term wear.
These scholars say that constant use of nail polish could still create an impermeable barrier over time as layers build up. Since wudhu requires direct contact of water with the nails, they advise avoiding nail polish during prayer times to eliminate any uncertainty.
As one said, “When it comes to worship, it is always best to avoid doubtful matters.”
However, an emerging group of scholars have studied the chemistry and effects of modern halal polishes. They have published research showing that breathability is retained even with regular reapplication. Though still a minority, this view is gaining support as the evidence accumulates.
Many are now comfortable permitting halal nail polish for prayers.
Alternative Opinions on Occasional vs Regular Use
Permitted for Occasional Use
Some Islamic scholars argue that using halal nail polish occasionally for events like weddings or parties may be permissible. Their reasoning is that in these situations, the nail polish is not a permanent barrier preventing water from reaching the nails during wudu or ghusl (Islamic washings).
As long as the nail polish is removed before the next prayer, they believe there is some flexibility allowed.
For example, Sheikh Hussain Yee, a prominent Southeast Asian scholar, has given the opinion that it is permitted to use halal nail polish for special events as long as it is removed before the next prayer: “It is allowed to apply on occasions but best it’s cleaned off before next prayers. “
Similarly, some fatwas from the Indonesian Ulema Council state that halal nail polish may be used temporarily as long as wudu can still be performed correctly. They argue that on special occasions, concessions can be made if the fundamental acts of worship like prayer are preserved.
Prohibited for Regular Use
On the other hand, many scholars strictly prohibit using any type of nail polish on a regular basis. Their main objection is that nail polish forms a permanent barrier that prevents water from directly touching the nails.
For example, prominent Saudi scholar Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen stated: “It is not permitted for a Muslim woman to put nail polish on her nails as it prevents water from reaching the nail when doing Wudūʾ. “ Similar edicts have been given by institutions like Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta as well.
Those in this camp argue that exceptions cannot be made even for “breathable” halal nail polishes. They believe that for wudu and ghusl to be valid, water must directly reach all body parts, including fingernails, without any obstruction.
Many also object to nail polish on the basis that it constitutes an impermissible imitation of non-Muslim customs and violates female modesty (haya). This appears to be a minority view, but some traditional scholars still uphold it.
Conclusion
In summary, most major scholars have permitted praying with halal nail polish due to evidence it allows water to reach the nails. However, more conservative views advise avoiding it, especially for regular use, due to lingering doubts about possible barrier effects over time.
Muslim women should weigh these opinions carefully to make an informed decision based on their priorities.
