What is the fiqh of trimming nails?

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. May His abundant blessing and most perfect of peace be on His Beloved Prophet, the best of creation, and his family, companions and followers.

Trimming the nails is from the prophetic traditions. The fuqaha explain that:

1. It is sunnah to trim them once every week, preferably before the Friday prayer.

2. To delay their trimming for 15 days is permissible,

3. After 15 days, i t becomes blameworthy and disliked.

4. To go beyond 40 days without trimming them is sinful .

[Tahtawi ‘ala al-Maraaqi]

And Allah knows best.

Yusuf Mullan
Toronto Shariah Program