Why Men Wearing Nail Polish is Not Haram in Islam
C.J Ahmed-13.05.2023
Nail polish is not only endemic to women. Even men wear nail polish and there is nothing haram for a man to wear nail polish. Without the intention of imitating women, you can definitely put on nail polish.
Below is the detailed refutation on those who say that men wearing nail poish is haram,
Beautifying yourself is encouraged in Islam. In a hadith, the prophet (Sal) said,
“Allaah is beautiful and loves beauty"
(Sahih Muslim)
In this hadith narrated in Sahih Muslim the companion asked the Prophet (Sal) on liking to wear beautifully and it was then the prophet (Sal) said that Allah loves beauty. The next argument that Islam encourages a Muslim to put kohl in to the eyes.
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 Abbaas, 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 single out sexes. The prophet (Sal) gave e general advice meaning that for both men and women can put kohl. Some try to argue that men who put on makeup resemble women and imitating women is effeminacy and is haram in Islam. They will often quote the below hadith,
“Ibn ‘Umar said: “The Messenger of Allaah (Sal) said:
‘Whoever imitates a people is one of them."
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
This argument is completely wrong because nowadays men who put kohl are looked down and 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)
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 nail polish 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.
Wearing nail polish is not haram for men.
Nail polish is not only endemic to women. Even men wear nail polish and there is nothing haram for a man to wear nail polish. Without the intention of imitating women, you can definitely put on nail polish.
Below is the detailed refutation on those who say that men wearing nail poish is haram,
Beautifying yourself is encouraged in Islam. In a hadith, the prophet (Sal) said,
“Allaah is beautiful and loves beauty"
(Sahih Muslim)
In this hadith narrated in Sahih Muslim the companion asked the Prophet (Sal) on liking to wear beautifully and it was then the prophet (Sal) said that Allah loves beauty. The next argument that Islam encourages a Muslim to put kohl in to the eyes.
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 Abbaas, 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 single out sexes. The prophet (Sal) gave e general advice meaning that for both men and women can put kohl. Some try to argue that men who put on makeup resemble women and imitating women is effeminacy and is haram in Islam. They will often quote the below hadith,
“Ibn ‘Umar said: “The Messenger of Allaah (Sal) said:
‘Whoever imitates a people is one of them."
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
This argument is completely wrong because nowadays men who put kohl are looked down and 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)
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 nail polish 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.
Wearing nail polish is not haram for men.