Why it is halal for guys to wear nail polish: Must read article
C.J Ahmed-13.03.2023
As far as Islam in concerned, there is no clear evidence from the Quran or authentic hadiths stating that painting the nails or in other words, putting nail polish is haram for men. The general argument against men putting on nail polish is that it imitates women and is a sign of effeminacy. What needs to be understood is that effeminacy is subjective and the very scholars who forbid men from putting on nail polish forbid Muslim women too from wearing nail polish citing various dubious reasons without a silver of evidence. The hadith on the prohibition of men imitating women is as follows,
Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, cursed men who imitate women and women who imitate men.
In another narration, Ibn Abbas said: The Prophet cursed men who copy women and women who copy men. (Sahih al Bukhari)
The above hadith is not specific but is a general statement and does not say that painting nails is haram for men or women. Nail polish has been used since ancient China as far back as 3000 B.C. and even in such a scenario, Islam is silent on this topic which makes it automatically halal. Silence is a mercy from Allah (swt). The prophet (sal) said:
"The Prophet (sal) said, “Verily Allah has obligated the obligations – so do not neglect them. And He has limited the limits – so do not transgress them. And His silence about things is from His mercy, not forgetfulness, so do not investigate them.”
(Ad-Darqutni No. 4/199 and Al-Baihaqi No. 10/122- Graded Hasan Sahih (Good and Authentic) by Sheikh Albani)
Nowadays men and women wear the same dress in parts of the world. Take for an example in Cambodia and Indonesia, men and women both wear the traditional sarong and when it comes to wearing jewellery, both men and women wear rings and even watches The word “imitating” is subjective and trying to put one’s own opinion is dangerous when there is clear evidence from the Sunnah to prove that it is halal. There is no doubt that wearing makeup is not haram for men and not all men put on makeup to resemble women and trying to prohibit something based on a scholar’s personal opinion cannot be accepted.
It is clear that we should only stick to the Quran and the authentic hadiths and blind following a scholar even after it is evident that the scholar's opinion has no clear evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah should not be accepted. After analyzing all the evidence from the authentic
hadiths, it is clear that there is no clear evidence to prove that it is haram for men to wear eyeliner and what is proven from the Sunnah of the messenger of Allah peace be upon him that he too wore Kohl which is a form of eyeliner. Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
“Verily, the best of the kohl that you use is antimony, for it brightens the eyes and grows the hair.”
(Sunan al-Nasai-Graded Sahih by Shiekh al-Albani)
Narrated by Ibn Abbas, May Allah be pleased with them: Said the Prophet of
Allah (Sal) said,
"Use Ithmid as a Kohl for it Yajlu (enhances, improves etc) vision and
Yunbitu ( Grows, tames etc) hair )."
( Al-Tirmidhi and graded Saheed by Al-Albaani in the ” Saheeh of
Al-Tirmidhi)
Narrated by Ali Bin Abi Taalib, May Allah be pleased with him, that the
Prophet of Allah (Sal) said :
" Use Ithmid (kohl) for it is “Munbit” ( Grows) hair, removes “Al-Qada”
(dirt, debris, germs etc), and acts as a “Masfah” (sieve, purifier, filter
etc) for the vision).
Reported by Al-Tabarani in ” Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabeer -Graded Hasan Sahih by
Almundiri, Al-Hafiz Al-Iraqy and Ibn Hajar in Fath-Albari (10/157) and
Al-Targheeb Wal-Tarheeb (3/89))
All of the above hadiths prove that the prophet (Sal) encouraged the Muslims
to put kohl in the eyes and none of these hadiths singled out men. The prophet (Sal) gave e general advise meaning that for both men and women can put kohl. Nowadays, men who put kohl which is a Sunnah or eyeliner are criticised and even mocked as effeminates. What needs to be understood is that it is your intention that matters and the prophet (sal) said,
. "Actions are according to what was intended"
(Bukhari)
Islam is a religion of ease and guys putting nail polish is not haram as long as the intention is not to mimic women and actions are judged according to the intention.
As far as Islam in concerned, there is no clear evidence from the Quran or authentic hadiths stating that painting the nails or in other words, putting nail polish is haram for men. The general argument against men putting on nail polish is that it imitates women and is a sign of effeminacy. What needs to be understood is that effeminacy is subjective and the very scholars who forbid men from putting on nail polish forbid Muslim women too from wearing nail polish citing various dubious reasons without a silver of evidence. The hadith on the prohibition of men imitating women is as follows,
Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, cursed men who imitate women and women who imitate men.
In another narration, Ibn Abbas said: The Prophet cursed men who copy women and women who copy men. (Sahih al Bukhari)
The above hadith is not specific but is a general statement and does not say that painting nails is haram for men or women. Nail polish has been used since ancient China as far back as 3000 B.C. and even in such a scenario, Islam is silent on this topic which makes it automatically halal. Silence is a mercy from Allah (swt). The prophet (sal) said:
"The Prophet (sal) said, “Verily Allah has obligated the obligations – so do not neglect them. And He has limited the limits – so do not transgress them. And His silence about things is from His mercy, not forgetfulness, so do not investigate them.”
(Ad-Darqutni No. 4/199 and Al-Baihaqi No. 10/122- Graded Hasan Sahih (Good and Authentic) by Sheikh Albani)
Nowadays men and women wear the same dress in parts of the world. Take for an example in Cambodia and Indonesia, men and women both wear the traditional sarong and when it comes to wearing jewellery, both men and women wear rings and even watches The word “imitating” is subjective and trying to put one’s own opinion is dangerous when there is clear evidence from the Sunnah to prove that it is halal. There is no doubt that wearing makeup is not haram for men and not all men put on makeup to resemble women and trying to prohibit something based on a scholar’s personal opinion cannot be accepted.
It is clear that we should only stick to the Quran and the authentic hadiths and blind following a scholar even after it is evident that the scholar's opinion has no clear evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah should not be accepted. After analyzing all the evidence from the authentic
hadiths, it is clear that there is no clear evidence to prove that it is haram for men to wear eyeliner and what is proven from the Sunnah of the messenger of Allah peace be upon him that he too wore Kohl which is a form of eyeliner. Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
“Verily, the best of the kohl that you use is antimony, for it brightens the eyes and grows the hair.”
(Sunan al-Nasai-Graded Sahih by Shiekh al-Albani)
Narrated by Ibn Abbas, May Allah be pleased with them: Said the Prophet of
Allah (Sal) said,
"Use Ithmid as a Kohl for it Yajlu (enhances, improves etc) vision and
Yunbitu ( Grows, tames etc) hair )."
( Al-Tirmidhi and graded Saheed by Al-Albaani in the ” Saheeh of
Al-Tirmidhi)
Narrated by Ali Bin Abi Taalib, May Allah be pleased with him, that the
Prophet of Allah (Sal) said :
" Use Ithmid (kohl) for it is “Munbit” ( Grows) hair, removes “Al-Qada”
(dirt, debris, germs etc), and acts as a “Masfah” (sieve, purifier, filter
etc) for the vision).
Reported by Al-Tabarani in ” Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabeer -Graded Hasan Sahih by
Almundiri, Al-Hafiz Al-Iraqy and Ibn Hajar in Fath-Albari (10/157) and
Al-Targheeb Wal-Tarheeb (3/89))
All of the above hadiths prove that the prophet (Sal) encouraged the Muslims
to put kohl in the eyes and none of these hadiths singled out men. The prophet (Sal) gave e general advise meaning that for both men and women can put kohl. Nowadays, men who put kohl which is a Sunnah or eyeliner are criticised and even mocked as effeminates. What needs to be understood is that it is your intention that matters and the prophet (sal) said,
. "Actions are according to what was intended"
(Bukhari)
Islam is a religion of ease and guys putting nail polish is not haram as long as the intention is not to mimic women and actions are judged according to the intention.