Islamic Ruling on Pubic Hair, Nails & Armpits New

Sunnah of Fitrah: Ruling on Shaving Pubic Hair, Armpit Hair, Nails & the 40-Day Limit

Question: What is the ruling regarding nails, armpits, and pubic hair? From how much of the area should hair be shaved? Can women use razors, etc.? And is the prayer valid for someone who delays this for more than forty days?

Answer..!

All praise is due to Allah..!

Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (ﷺ) that he said:

“Five things are part of the Fitra (nature): Circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, trimming the nails, plucking the armpit hair, and trimming the mustache.”

(Sahih Muslim: Hadith Number-26)

Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) states that the Prophet (ﷺ) set a time limit for the people that they should trim nails, trim mustaches, and shave pubic hair within every forty days.

(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith Number-2758)

Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) states that a time limit has been set for us regarding trimming mustaches, cutting nails, removing pubic hair, and plucking armpit hair, that we should not leave them for more than forty days.

(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith Number-2759)

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith Number-258)

Meaning, it is necessary to trim nails, shave pubic hair, and pluck armpit hair once within forty days. Although one can do this every other week if desired, one must not delay more than forty days.

Because of the Prophetic command (ﷺ) that one should not delay beyond forty days.

(Sahih Muslim: Hadith Number_ 258)

The limit of Pubic Hair (Zair-e-Naaf)

Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) says in “Fath al-Bari”:

Imam Nawawi says: (Al-Anah) Pubic hair refers to the hair on the private part and around it, and similarly, the hair around a woman’s private part is called pubic hair.

And it is narrated from Abu al-Abbas bin Surayj that:

The hair found around the opening of the anus.

So, from this collective discussion, it is obtained that shaving all the hair found on and around the front and back private parts is Mustahabb (recommended).

And Abu Shamah (may Allah have mercy on him) says:

Removing hair from the front and back passages is Mustahabb.

Rather, removing hair from the back passage is better so that excrement etc. does not get stuck in it.

(Sheikh Saleh Al-Munajjid)

The term “Zair-e-Naaf” (Below the navel) is used metaphorically. In the Hadith, the word “Anah” is used for these hairs, which linguists have translated as “the hair growing around the woman’s private part.”

“Anah” actually refers to the bone upon which this hair grows. It is adequately explained in obstetrics/midwifery.

Therefore, the limit for cutting pubic hair is that hair should be cut only from the place where women generally have hair.

(The woman is mentioned in this issue because men generally have hair all over their body, while women have hair only on this specific part.

Or, if you press the lower part of your stomach, you will feel a bone.

Simply start cutting hair from where this bone begins because this bone is called Anah. Hair should be shaved from this bone up to the area around the private part.)

In the explanation of “Anah”, linguists have used these words:

الشعر المنبت حول فرج المرأۃ

Meaning, the hair growing around the woman’s front private part is Anah, meaning the hair above the pelvic bone and below the navel is called Thunna.

(Al-Ain Vol 8, Pg 217)

Remember, there is no specific strict limit for pubic hair, meaning if one shaves a little higher or lower, there is no sin. Therefore, according to one’s need, one can shave around the private part as far as it seems appropriate.

Women can use razors and blades for pubic hair

Some people have declared the use of blades etc. as Haram (forbidden) for women, while this is incorrect. In the era of the Prophet (ﷺ), women and men used to shave hair using iron.

Therefore, a woman can use any iron object (scissors, razor, blade, etc.) to clean her unwanted hair.

The evidence for this is that narration of Sahih Bukhari:

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: When you reach home at night, do not go to your women (wives),

لِكَيْ تَمْتَشِطَ الشَّعِثَةُ وَتَسْتَحِدَّ الْمُغِيبَةُ

Until the woman whose husband has been absent (in travel or out of the house) uses the iron (i.e., shaves pubic hair) and the disheveled woman combs her hair.

(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith Number_5246)

From this blessed Hadith, permission for a woman to use iron is clearly proven, and the instruction to shave hair is also given in the Hadith.

In any case, the command for men and women is to shave the pubic hair (Anah), and shaving them with iron, i.e., a razor or blade, is the Sunnah. However, if any man or woman does this using creams, powders, sprays, etc., instead of iron, there is no harm in it.

(See: Al-Mawsu’ah Al-Fiqhiyyah (14 / 83))

Men and women should pluck armpit hair

Remember that the purpose is not just to remove pubic and armpit hair, but to remove them in a specific way required and desired. That is why Islamic Shariah has used distinct words: that armpit hair should be plucked and pubic hair should be shaved.

The Shariah has commanded plucking armpit hair. Therefore, the Sunnah is to pull them out from the root.

If someone cannot bear the pain or finds plucking difficult, they can remove it with a razor or cream.

Allah the Exalted says:

﴿اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ﴾

"So fear Allah as much as you are able."

[At-Taghabun: 16]

Also see Kitab al-tarajjul [Pg 150]

[And Al-Majmoo’ [288/1]

Keeping Long Nails

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) states that:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) set a time limit for us regarding trimming mustaches, cutting nails, plucking armpit hair, and shaving pubic hair, that we should not leave them for more than forty days.”

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith Number-258)

Therefore, the person who does not trim nails opposes one of the Sunnahs of Fitra (nature), and the wisdom in this is cleanliness and purity, as dirt collects under the nails.

Some people make excuses saying we keep them clean, whereas this also involves avoiding resemblance to the Kuffar (disbelievers) who keep their nails long.

And also to avoid resemblance to animals and wild beasts that have long claws.

See: Fatawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Daimah lil-Buhooth Al-Ilmiyyah (wal-Ifta_ 5 / 173)

Today, the majority of women are involved in resembling wild animals and disbelievers by keeping long nails and then coloring them with different types and colors of nail polish. This sight looks extremely ugly and wrong, and every person of intellect and sound nature feels disgust towards it. Similarly, it is a bad habit of some people to keep one nail long.

All of this is a clear and manifest opposition to the Sunnah of Fitra.

Ruling on the Prayer of the one who leaves hair and nails for more than forty days

Cutting nails, plucking armpit hair, and shaving pubic hair are included in the Sunnah of Fitra.

And one should not let them remain for more than forty days; rather, it is necessary to shave them before that. We have read the Ahadith regarding this above.

However, saying that the prayer of the one who leaves these hair or nails for a period of more than forty days is not valid, this Fatwa is baseless. There is no evidence for this statement.

Rather, saying so is ignorance and lack of knowledge of Shariah rulings.

See: Fatawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Daimah lil-Buhooth Al-Ilmiyyah wal-Ifta (5 / 126)

We pray to Allah the Exalted that He grants us peace and safety. Allah the Exalted is the One who guides to the correct and straight path.

(And Allah the Exalted knows best what is right)

Reference: https://alfurqan.info/problems/251