Fiqh of Nails: Men and Women

It is mentioned in Hashiya al-Tahtawi, Sharh Maraqi-al Falah as follows:

(The issues mentioned below apply to women also)

“From the completion of cleanliness is clipping nails and shaving hair. It is mentioned in Khaniya and Khulasa in Kitab al-Istihsan as follows:

A person who has fixed his time to clip his nails or shave his head on a Friday, the scholars say, if he severely delays until the following Friday and goes beyond his fixed time, it is offensive (makruh). Because whoever has long nails he will have a confined sustenance and earning. If one goes beyond the limit and delays taking the bless words of the Ahadith, then is mustahab, (preferable) as it has been reported by Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) that ‘whoever clips and pares nails on Friday, Allah will give him refuge from the calamities until the following Friday and three days extra.’

It is mentioned in the Book of Istihsan of Quhistani from Zahidi as follows:

‘It is preferable (mustahab) to clip ones nails, trim ones moustache, shave ones armpits and cleans ones once every week. The day of Friday is preferable (mustahab) then every fifteen days and beyond forty days is sinful.’

It has been mentioned in a hadith that whoever pares and clips ones nails on Friday, Allah will remove illness from one and give one cure.’

Also, it has been mentioned, that, ‘whoever uses a siwak (toothstick) on Friday and trims ones moustache, pares ones nails and plucks out hair of the armpits, then he has made Janna compulsory upon him.’

It has been narrated from Thawri the clipping nails on Thursday is preferable. Some scholars have said it a means for richness. But the Ahadith regarding the preferability of Friday are more, so this will not contradict it. The evidence of the ahadith shows that clipping should be done before the Salat-al-Jumu’a. And what is mentioned in some books regarding the preferabilty of clipping of the nails etc after the salat, in order that one can prepare for Jumu'ah, is justification and explanation against the clear text of the Qur’an. (which commands one to prepare for the Salat al-Jumu’ah and this can be ONLY done before, not after)

The nails should be clipped according to the order mentioned in this famous poem as follows as mentioned in Sharal-Shar’a:

Pare your nails with sunna and adab

Starting from the right and ending on your left

It is mentioned in Fath al-Bari that Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal has mentioned this method.

Sharaf Damyati narrates from some scholars that whoever clips ones nails indifferent (from what is mentioned) will not have sore eyes. He has experienced this for a long time.

But the mentioned method of clipping nails has been disproved by Ibn Daqiq al-Id.

He has mentioned that, there is no basis for all of this, and also to show that it is preferable has no evidence. But it can be refuted as beginning with right hand and foot has a basis. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) use to like beginning with the right in all his purifications, wearing the shoes and all other matters’ (Bukhari and Muslim). And also to begin with the hands before the feet like in wudhu.

Whatever is mentioned regarding clipping the nails of Ali (Allah be pleased with him) etc is all baseless e.g. manifesting of a gangrenous sore in clipping the nails on Friday; taking away of blessings on Sunday; gaining honor and status on Monday; ruin and danger on Wednesday; bad traits on Thursday; richness on Thursday and forbearance and knowledge on Friday.

Clipping the nails means to remove the excess of the nail of the finger with a scissor, knife etc. It is offensive to remove nails with the teeth, as it creates leprosy and insanity. Also it is offensive to remove nails during the state of major ritual impurity (janaba).

The meaning of ‘clipping and paring the nails’ is that dirt can accumulate beneath the nails, thus causing an impurity. It can reach such a stage that it can prevent water from reaching the parts that is compulsory to reach in tahara (purification).

(Allam Tahtawi, Hashiyaa l-Tahtawi, Sharh Maraqi-al -Falah pgs 429, 430)