Fatwa issued against women who apply nail-polish as it's un-Islamic
What's the story
A fatwa or decree was issued against Muslim women wearing nail polish before offering namaz by the Darul Uloom Deoband in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh on Monday.
The practice was termed un-Islamic and women were advised to apply mehendi on the nails instead.
Mufti Ishrar Gaura, a cleric at the seminary said women should completely remove nail polish before offering prayers.
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Information
Cleric explains reason behind the fatwa
Gaura told ANI applying cosmetics isn't prohibited in Islam and women can apply nail polish. But it should be removed as nail polish forms a layer and stops the "wudu water" (ritual purification) from washing their nails completely. In case of mehendi, this doesn't happen.
Reception
Advocate asks why fatwas aren't issued against men
Advocate and national president of the Rashtriyawadi Muslim Mahila Sangh Farah Faiz opposed the decree.
She complained fatwas were never issued against men who carried on to do things which Islam prohibited.
"The Darul Uloom is even in Pakistan, but they do not issue such orders there. Only the one based in India comes up with such fatwas all the time," she said.
Looking back
In the past too, fatwas have been issued against women
The Darul Uloom Deoband is infamous for issuing such fatwas against women. Earlier this year, it prohibited women from watching football matches.
"Football is played wearing shorts. So watching men playing with their bare knees is forbidden for women; it's against religious beliefs," senior cleric Mufti Athar Kasmi had said back then.
In January, it prohibited women from wearing designer or body-hugging burqas.