Is My Wudu Valid Finding a Speck of Dark Substance in My Nail after the Prayer?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
I noticed a speck of some dark substance under my nail today after Isha. I’m not sure if it’s food, dirt, or something that got stuck from scratching on my forehead along with dandruff.
Please tell me if my wudu was invalid and if I need to repeat my prayer.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
I pray you are well. Thank you for your question and seeking guidance.
If dirt is underneath one’s nails, it is not deemed a barrier; thus, your wudu is valid.
However, you have to ask yourself if the dark substance did not prevent water from reaching the nail area. Sometimes, we have soft items stuck between our nail bedding, which does not act as a barrier or prevent water from getting in.
One of the conditions of the validity of wudu is water completely encompasses the skin and wets the area. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah]
Related:
Wet Dreams and Ritual Purity: A Reader
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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
