Shumara al-Sunnah, Jhelum
✦ Answered by Scholars
Keeping long nails is an imitation of disbelieving nations, and it contradicts the natural disposition (fiṭrah) of Islam and the Sunnah of the Prophets.
الْفِطْرَةُ خَمْسٌ: الخِتَانُ ، وَالِاسْتِحْدَادُ ، وَقَصُّ الشَّارِبِ ، وَتَقْلِيمُ الأَظْفَارِ ، وَنَتْفُ الآبَاطِ
"The practices of natural disposition (fiṭrah) are five: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, and plucking the underarm hair."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 5891, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 257]
❖ Anas ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) said:
وُقِّتَ لَنَا فِي قَصِّ الشَّارِبِ ، وَتَقْلِيمِ الْأَظْفَارِ ، وَنَتْفِ الْإِبِطِ ، وَحَلْقِ العَانَةِ ، أَنْ لَّانَتْرُكَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً
"We were given a time frame for trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, plucking the underarm hair, and shaving the pubic area: not to leave them for more than forty nights."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 258]
❖ ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
مِنَ السُّنَّةِ قَصُّ الشَّارِبِ ، وَنَتْفُ الإِبْطِ ، وَتَقْلِيمُ الأَظْفَارِ
"Trimming the moustache, plucking the underarm hair, and cutting the nails are acts from the Sunnah."
[Al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī: 1/149 – Authentic isnād]
Only those whose natural disposition is corrupted would grow long nails. How many have entered the grave still bearing this sin?
What could be more shameful than people needing to trim your nails after your death — a point at which you are no longer responsible for your deeds? Trimming the nails of a deceased person is merely a formality.
✦ Follow the Prophetic example (Sunnah) — in this lies success both in this world and the Hereafter.
❖ The maximum time limit is forty days.
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) is reported to have:
كَانَ يُقَدِّمُ أَظْفَارَهُ وَيَقُصُّ شَارِبَهُ فِي كُلِّ جُمُعَةٍ
"He used to trim his nails and moustache every Friday."
[Al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī: 3/244 – Authentic isnād]
Hāfiẓ al-Sakhāwī (831–902 AH) stated:
لَمْ يَثْبُتُ فِي كَيْفِيَّتِهِ ، وَلَا فِي تَعْيِينِ يَوْمٍ لَّهُ ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ شَيْءٌ
"There is nothing authentically established from the Prophet ﷺ concerning the specific method or day for cutting the nails."
[Al-Maqāṣid al-Ḥasanah, p. 489, under ḥadīth no. 772]
✔ Summary
Keeping long nails is a deviation from the Sunnah and from the natural disposition (fiṭrah) prescribed by all Prophets. It is an act of negligence and forbidden in Islam. Regular trimming, preferably on Fridays and not exceeding forty days, is the correct Sunnah practice.
✦ Answered by Scholars
Ruling on Keeping Long Nails
It is prohibited (ḥarām).Keeping long nails is an imitation of disbelieving nations, and it contradicts the natural disposition (fiṭrah) of Islam and the Sunnah of the Prophets.
Evidence from the Prophetic Traditions
❖ Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:الْفِطْرَةُ خَمْسٌ: الخِتَانُ ، وَالِاسْتِحْدَادُ ، وَقَصُّ الشَّارِبِ ، وَتَقْلِيمُ الأَظْفَارِ ، وَنَتْفُ الآبَاطِ
"The practices of natural disposition (fiṭrah) are five: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, and plucking the underarm hair."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 5891, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 257]
❖ Anas ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) said:
وُقِّتَ لَنَا فِي قَصِّ الشَّارِبِ ، وَتَقْلِيمِ الْأَظْفَارِ ، وَنَتْفِ الْإِبِطِ ، وَحَلْقِ العَانَةِ ، أَنْ لَّانَتْرُكَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً
"We were given a time frame for trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, plucking the underarm hair, and shaving the pubic area: not to leave them for more than forty nights."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 258]
❖ ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
مِنَ السُّنَّةِ قَصُّ الشَّارِبِ ، وَنَتْفُ الإِبْطِ ، وَتَقْلِيمُ الأَظْفَارِ
"Trimming the moustache, plucking the underarm hair, and cutting the nails are acts from the Sunnah."
[Al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī: 1/149 – Authentic isnād]
Warning Against Keeping Long Nails
Keeping nails for more than forty days is ḥarām, impermissible, and a major sin. It contradicts the practice of the Prophet ﷺ and the Prophets before him, leading to destruction and ruin.Only those whose natural disposition is corrupted would grow long nails. How many have entered the grave still bearing this sin?
What could be more shameful than people needing to trim your nails after your death — a point at which you are no longer responsible for your deeds? Trimming the nails of a deceased person is merely a formality.
✦ Follow the Prophetic example (Sunnah) — in this lies success both in this world and the Hereafter.
Additional Points
❖ It is recommended (mustaḥabb) to trim nails every Friday.❖ The maximum time limit is forty days.
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) is reported to have:
كَانَ يُقَدِّمُ أَظْفَارَهُ وَيَقُصُّ شَارِبَهُ فِي كُلِّ جُمُعَةٍ
"He used to trim his nails and moustache every Friday."
[Al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī: 3/244 – Authentic isnād]
Hāfiẓ al-Sakhāwī (831–902 AH) stated:
لَمْ يَثْبُتُ فِي كَيْفِيَّتِهِ ، وَلَا فِي تَعْيِينِ يَوْمٍ لَّهُ ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ شَيْءٌ
"There is nothing authentically established from the Prophet ﷺ concerning the specific method or day for cutting the nails."
[Al-Maqāṣid al-Ḥasanah, p. 489, under ḥadīth no. 772]
✔ Summary
Keeping long nails is a deviation from the Sunnah and from the natural disposition (fiṭrah) prescribed by all Prophets. It is an act of negligence and forbidden in Islam. Regular trimming, preferably on Fridays and not exceeding forty days, is the correct Sunnah practice.
