For many Muslim women, cosmetics are not just about appearance. They are connected to faith, prayer, and daily life. To understand this topic, we must begin with the highest authority: the Quran. The Quran asks and says four key points:
“Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants?”
“Do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, ‘This is lawful and this is forbidden.’”
“Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you.”
Allah declared what is haram for you, one by one.
So, the Qur’an briefly says: You cannot declare forbidden what Allah did not declare as haram. Allah already declared what is haram, one by one. If you say something is haram while the Qur’an does not declare it anywhere, then your tongue is not truthful. Allah does not want to create difficulty. His intention is clarity and purification.
From this, we understand: There is no declaration that says nail polish is haram or cosmetics themselves are haram. On the contrary, the Qur’an says adornment is not forbidden. So no one has the authority to declare it haram. And whoever does, speaks without truth. There is no need to create difficulty. Only Allah has the authority to declare what is haram.
Now, in the Hadith layer as the second authority:
And in both, the emphasis is on cleanliness. The narration states: “The ablution of the person who left a dry spot was not accepted.”
A man performed ablution but left a dry area the size of a nail on his foot. When the Prophet, peace be upon him, saw him, he said: “Go back and perform your ablution properly.”
The man returned, performed ablution again, and then prayed. The Prophet, peace be upon him, saw people leaving their heels dry during ablution and said: “Woe to the heels from the fire.”
Incomplete washing was not accepted.
Another narration says: A man performed ablution but a nail-sized area remained dry. The Prophet told him to repeat his ablution. In both hadiths, the emphasis is clear: Do not leave even a very small dry area.
At that time, not washing the feet properly meant bringing dirt into the mosque. So the real intention was thorough cleaning.
Now consider this: In that period, henna, oil, and beeswax were used and even encouraged by the Prophet. And these substances also create a layer on the body. So clearly, there is no rule that says: If something forms a layer, water cannot pass and therefore it is forbidden.
If Allah declared all haram things one by one and layer-forming substances are not among them, then we cannot declare them haram. There is also no verse that says water must reach the skin. What both the Qur’an and the hadiths emphasize is simple: Wash thoroughly.
If keeping your footwear clean can be sufficient without washing the feet every time, then why should removing nail polish every time be mandatory?
In summary: Fiqh and modern scientific realities. Classical fiqh was developed in a world where modern cosmetics did not exist. It was based on a simple assumption: If something covers, water cannot pass. But modern technology is changing this assumption. Permeability is not yes or no. It is a spectrum.
Modern materials can be microporous, allowing water molecules and air to pass. The Qur’anic command of washing is not a molecular test. It is an act of cleanliness and intention.
The Qur’an does not change. But fiqh, human interpretation, can be updated with time and knowledge.
The MineVital Approach
Respecting every woman’s personal faith sensitivity, we offer two different options: