Question: If nail polish is applied, is wudu valid? Please clarify with evidence.
Answer: If a woman has applied nail polish, her wudu will not be valid because the water cannot reach the skin of the nails due to the barrier created by the nail polish. For wudu to be valid, it is necessary that water reaches the skin. This is why the Prophet ﷺ instructed to perform wudu properly and thoroughly wash each part three times.
The specific evidence comes from a hadith in Sahih Muslim narrated by Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that they returned from Makkah to Madinah with the Prophet ﷺ, and when they reached water along the way, some people hurried in performing wudu, and because of their haste, their heels were dry (meaning the water did not reach them). The Prophet ﷺ said: “Woe to (dry) heels, because of Hell-fire. Make your ablution thorough.” (Sahih Muslim: 241)
From this hadith, we learn that leaving any part dry in wudu invalidates the wudu, and it can even lead to punishment. In another hadith from Sahih Muslim, Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man performed wudu and left a small part of his foot the size of a nail unwashed. The Prophet ﷺ saw it and said, “Go back and perform your wudu properly.” The man then repeated his wudu and performed the prayer. (Sahih Muslim: 243)
This clearly shows that if any part of the body required for wudu remains dry, the wudu is invalid. With nail polish, water does not reach the skin of the nails, leaving them dry. Therefore, wudu is not valid with nail polish. If a woman performs wudu and prays with nail polish on, her prayer will not be valid because the Prophet ﷺ said, “There is no prayer without purification.” (Sahih Muslim: 224)
Thus, if a woman has nail polish on, she must remove it completely before performing wudu to ensure the water reaches her skin. Only then will her wudu be valid.
Respondent: Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullah
Jeddah Dawah Center, Saudi Arabia
=Interpreter: Hasan Fuzail
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