The Sunnah Method of Trimming the Nails
Question
Is the manner of trimming the nails mentioned in the Sunnah?
Answer
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
Trimming the nails is obligatory, and its general method
Trimming the nails is an obligatory act. The manner of it described in the Sunnah is as follows:
◈ Begin trimming with the right hand.
◈ Then move to the left hand.
The basis of this order is the authentic hadith narrated from Hadrat Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ liked to begin from the right side in putting on his shoes, combing his hair, purifying himself, and in all his affairs.”
Narrations regarding the order of the fingers
Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, may Allah have mercy on him, in Ghunyat al-Talibin
mentions a particular order:
In the right hand:
◈ Begin with the little finger
◈ Then the middle finger
◈ Then the thumb
◈ Then the finger next to the little finger
In the left hand:
◈ The thumb
◈ The middle finger
◈ The little finger
◈ The index finger
◈ And finally the finger next to the little finger
However:
There is no original basis for this specific order in the Sunnah.
The weakness of a narrated hadith
Some people narrate the following hadith:
«من قص اظفاره مخالفا لم یر فی عینیه رمداً»
(Whoever trims his nails in the opposite direction will not see an eye disease)
This narration is extremely weak.
Imam al-Sakhawi, may Allah have mercy on him, says: “I have not found this hadith.”
In books of the muhaddithin such as
and
this narration is counted among the most abominable fabrications.
In
considering it recommended to trim the nails in the opposite direction on the basis of this narration is declared questionable.
A legal ruling cannot be founded on a narration of this kind.
From an authentic hadith it is established that:
“Beginning from the right side is recommended in every good deed, except for impure matters.”
The importance of trimming the nails
Imam al-Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him,
says:
Trimming the nails is a Sunnah by unanimous agreement.
The word “taqlim” is the verbal noun of the form “tafil” derived from “qalm”, meaning “to cut.”
Imam al-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
◈ Trimming the nails of the hands is more recommended before trimming the nails of the feet.
The order should be as follows:
➊ Begin with the index finger of the right hand
➋ Then the middle finger
➌ Then the finger next to the little finger
➍ Then the little finger
➎ And finally the thumb
In the left hand, starting from the little finger, cut the fingers in sequence
◈ Then trim from the little toe of the right foot to the little toe of the left foot
The legal status of this order
The scholar annotating Nayl al-Awtar says:
This order is open to question, because recommendation is a legal ruling that cannot be established without evidence.
Neither the Prophet ﷺ’s practice of it nor that of the Companions is established.
Only this much is established: that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ liked to begin from the right side.
What has been stated regarding the order of the fingers is merely personal preference (istihsan).
Imam al-Ghazali also said the same and mentioned an unreliable hadith.
ھذا ما عندي، واللہ أعلم بالصواب
