Can a woman perform ablution while nail polish is on her fingernails?

Answer

Praise Be to Allah and Peace Be Upon His Messenger.

Referring to your question, I would like to start by saying that nail polish is considered adornment which should not appear to strange men, but to a husband. If it is used at home, and the only man who can see it is the husband, then it is allowed. However, it is important to say that nail polish covers all nails and prevents water from reaching nails, and thus the water used in ablution will not wash the nails. In this case, ablution performance is incomplete. Therefore, once a woman wants to perform ablution, she has to remove the nail polish first. Some women think that if a woman puts the nail polish on her nails after performing ablution, they can perform ablution the other time while it is on. However, this is not true as nail polish is an adornment and can be safely removed. It is not like the plaster which is used if one is injured or has a broken arm or leg.

The Palestinian Verdict House received a question which is similar to yours. It was about a newly married woman who puts on makeup at home to please her husband, and about the ruling on performing ablution and prayers. The Verdict House’s answer was if she puts makeup only at home where the husband is the only man who can see her, then there is nothing wrong. Allah says: “And not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands.” An-Nur: 31

However, a woman should pay attention once she performs ablution. First, The water used in ablution should reach every part (face, arms, head, and feet). The other thing that a woman should care about is that the makeup itself. It should not be made from impure substances.