Is Prayer with Acrylic Nails on Valid?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

I wear acrylic nails to prevent me from biting my nails. I remove them during my periods. Are my prayers valid?

Answer

I pray you are well.

Your prayers with the acrylic nails on will not be valid. This is because they prevent the validity of your wudu and ghusl. You’ll also have to make up any prayers you prayed with them on. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]

See if you can find an alternative method of stopping yourself from biting your nails. Keeping them short through regular clipping, as per the Sunna, may aid in this. You’ll also be rewarded for this, seeing it is one of the acts of the Fitra (the default state humans were created to be in) the din encourages: “From the Fitra are shaving the pubic region, clipping one’s nails, and trimming one’s beard.” [Bukhari]

May Allah make the matter easy for you.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital and he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.