Back to search

Does Umrah become invalid if nail polish (manicure) is discovered after its completion, and does that necessitate a blood sacrifice (dam)?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Nail polish prevents water from reaching the skin, so ablution (wudu') is not valid with its presence. Therefore, according to the majority of scholars, if a woman performs Tawaf for Umrah while wearing nail polish, her prayer and Umrah are invalid. She must refrain from the prohibitions of ihram until she performs a valid Tawaf, Say, and shortens her hair. If she committed prohibitions of ihram out of ignorance, then for acts of destruction like cutting hair and nails, there is a fidyah (expiation). For acts of luxury, there is nothing due. The Hanafis and some Hanbalis hold the view that Tawaf is valid without purification, and consequently, the Umrah is valid, though a sacrificial animal (dam) is required. The prayers performed with nail polish must be repeated due to the invalidity of the ablution, contrary to the view of Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy