Take care of your nails after the sunnah

Islam considers that it is part of the fitra (primordial nature) of the human being to shorten one's nails. In addition to the fact that it is a gesture of elemental and natural hygiene, it also allows to differentiate from the claws of animals as well as some religious and pagan practices foreign to Islam.

The Prophet (salaallahu 'alayhi wa salam) said in a hadith reported by Bukhari and Muslim:

"There are five natural practices: circumcision, moustache cutting, nail cutting, armpit hair removal and shaving pubic hair."

Cut the nails according to the sunnah at least every 40 days

 Nail clipping in the sunnah should traditionally be done at least every 40 days.

Muslim mentions in a hadith of Anas: "The Messenger of Allah (salaLLahu 'alayhi wa salam) has set us a 40-day deadline for the cutting of the moustache, the cutting of the nails, armpit hair removal and shaving pubic hair."

Nail cutting method according to sunnah

According to the explanations of Imam An Nawawi, the cutting of nails in the sunnah should be conducted as follows:

• Start cutting the nails of the right hand by the index finger.
• Then in order to cut those of the middle finger, the ring finger, the little finger and finally that of the thumb.
• Then start the left hand with the finger nail and finish with the thumb.

Colour nails in henna

 Colouring her nails in henna is a practice directly recommended by the Prophet (salaLLahu 'alayhi wa salam) to Muslim women. Indeed this latter, at the sight of the hand of a woman, told her, according to a hadith reported by Ahmad: "Dye your fingertips with henna, because if one of you abandons the dye with the henna, her hands will become like those of men."

Bury the nails

You may not be aware of this, but one of the things you can do about nails in the sunnah is to bury them after cutting them.

 It is reported that Mil bint Al-Ashari Mashruh said, "I saw my father cut his nails before burying them and I saw the Messenger of Allah (salaLLahu 'alayhi wa salam) doing the same thing." (Bukhari)

 So, ready to switch to sunnah mode for your nails and collect all the baraka?