A Woman Applying Mehndi To Her Nails Only

The basic straight-forward usage and application of Mehndi by women on their hands and feet is permissible. However, according to our Darul-Iftaa, the application of Mehndi by females on their nails only (whilst excluding the palm) is a practice that must be avoided due to the following reasons:

1.    Such a practice goes against the ideal Sunnah method of applying Mehndi. The ideal Sunnah method is for women to apply Mehndi on their hands in a way that the Mehndi encompasses the entire hand (from the finger tips up to the wrists) as explained by Rasulullah ﷺ.

The following narration is recorded in Musnad Bazzaar) volume 12 page 318).

عَن ابْنِ عُمَر قَالَ: دَخَلَ عَلَى النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيه وَسَلَّم نسوة من الأنصار فقال: يانساء الأنصار اختضبن غمسا وَاخْفِضْنَ، ولاَ تُنْهِكْنَ فَإِنَّهُ أَحْظَى عِنْدَ أَزْوَاجِكُنَّ وَإِيَّاكُنْ وَكُفْرَ الْمُنَعَّمِينَ قَالَ مَنْدَلٌ: يَعْنِي الأَزْوَاجَ.

Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Umar رضي الله عنه says, A group of Ansaari women came to Rasulullahﷺ, and then Rasulullahﷺ  a dressed them, saying, “O women of the Ansaar, apply Mehndi to your hands evenly (i.e. in a way that it evenly encompasses  the full hand)….’’

Imaam Tabaraani has recorded a similar narration in Mu’jamul Awsat) volume 8 page 89) and in Mu’jamul Kabeer (volume 25  page 138). 

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ هَارُونَ، نا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى، حَدَّثَتْنِي عَمَّتِي حمادةُ بِنْتُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ عَمَّتِهَا آمِنَةَ بِنْتِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ جَدَّتِهَا أُمِّ لَيْلَى، قَالَتْ: بَايَعْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَكَانَ فِيمَا أَخَذَ عَلَيْنَا: أَنْ نَخْتَضِبَ الْغَمْسَ، وَنَمْتَشِطَ بِالْعَسَلِ، وَلَا نُقْحِلَ أَيْدِينَا مِنْ خِضَابٍ.

Ummi- Layla رضي الله عنها said, “We took Bay’ah (pledged allegiance) to Rasulullahﷺ, and from amongst the pledges he took from us were; that we will apply Mehndi to our hands evenly (on the entire hand and not only on the finger tips or finger nails)….” 

2.     Hadhrat Umar has prohibited women from applying Mehndi on their nails and finger tips only.

The narration of Hadhrat Umar رضي الله عنه , is recorded in Musannaf Abdur Razzaq)volume4 page318) and in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaibah (volume9 page485).

عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنْ بُدَيْلٍ الْعُقَيْلِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعَلَاءِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شِخِّيرٍ قَالَ: حَدَثَتْنِي امْرَأَةٌ أَنَّهَا: سَمِعَتْ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، وَهُوَ يَخْطُبُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: “يَا مَعْشَرَ النِّسَاءِ” إِذَا اخْتَضَبْتُنَّ، فَإِيَّاكُنَّ النَّقْشَ، وَالتَّطْرِيفَ وَلْتَخَضِبْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ يَدَيْهَا إِلَى هَذَا، وَأَشَارَ إِلَى مَوْضِعِ السِّوَارِ.

Abu Alaa Yazeed narrates that a woman said to him that she heard Hadhrat Umar رضي الله عنه while delivering a sermon, saying “O women! Beware of Naqsh and Tatreef (Tatreef means applying Mehndi only to the finger tips or nails). When anyone of you apply Mehndi then she should apply Mehndi until here” and Hadhrat Umar pointed towards the wrists.

3.     In adopting such a practice, there will be Tashabuh-Bil-Kufaaraat (imitation with the Kufaar and Fussaq women) who apply cutex and nail polish on their nails only, and as Muslims we are prohibited from imitating them. Rasulullahﷺ said,

عن ابنِ عُمَرَ، قال: قال رسولُ الله – صلَّى الله عليه وسلم -:، مَن تَشَبَّه بقومٍ فهو منهم

“Whoever imitates a nation will be amongst them”