Clipping the nails is a Sunnat of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and also a protection from diseases and illnesses. Generally it was the practise of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam to clip his nails either on Thursday or Friday.

Fortunate is the person for whom Sunnat has become nature. The moment the nails grow a little long, they do not delay in clipping  the nails. Generally it is Mustahab (preferable) not to clip the nails during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. If acting upon the Sunnat of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam has become nature, one will clip his nails as soon as his Qurbani is done as he will feel uneasy.

In 1979 some people claimed that Imaam Mahdi had appeared in Makkah Mukarramah. The Saudi government had taken certain people into custody in order to ascertain who is actually responsible for initiating these claims. Amongst the people that were taken into custody was Hadrat Maulana Saeed Khan Saheb R.A. Whilst in custody he was allowed to return home for an hour or so. In that hour Hadrat had clipped his nails and removed the moustache as practising upon this Sunnat of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam had become nature.

It is Sunnah to clip the nails on Thursday as well so that the day of Jumuah can be reserved for the direct Ibaadat of Allah Ta’ala. Clipping the nails is a Sunnat act which is also Ibaadt but an indirect form of Ibaadat.  According to some narrations, Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam used to clip his nails every fortnight. This narration actually refers to those occasions when Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam went out in Jihaad and was un-able to clip the nails on a weekly basis.

According to medical research, the stomach is infected or harmed by those germs that remain under the nails. The stomach plays an extremely vital role in the human body as the stomach is responsible for distributing the vitamins from the food that one has consumed to the various organs and limbs of the body (such as the vitamins required by the brain, eyes, ears, etc.).  Due to this important function of the stomach the Hakims advise that cold water or even more detrimental cold soft drinks should not be drunk during meals as this freezes the stomach of a person as a result of which the relevant vitamins cannot be distributed.

When a person smells food then saliva gathers in the mouth. The reason for the saliva gathering is that the stomach is in reality preparing itself  for digestion. By drinking ice cold soft drinks the digestive system is so to say shut off not allowing it to function any further.

Pre-dominantly food is prepared by women in the homes and restaurants. Generally restaurants have rules in place for hygienic purposes, but as the saying goes rules are meant to be broken, thus it is possible that sometimes the hands are not washed or sanitised prior to preparing the meals. If the women preparing the meals have lengthy nails then we can well imagine the condition of the food that we are consuming and the harms attached to it. When the germs beneath the finger nails enter the food particles then the stomach distributes germs instead of vitamins, thus the high number of stomach ailments and diseases.

Medical experts have also written that women that keep long nails are generally anaemic and suffer from more psychological problems. Many women that grow their nails use bright coloured cutex on their nails. These bright colours have an adverse effect on them mentally which extends to such an extent that one goes to the extent of considering suicide. Hadrat Sheikh Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Saheb R.A used to say, “If people regard poison as medicine then what cure can there be for such people?” In conclusion, we shouldn’t be concerned of scientific research but act upon the Sunnat as these are the teachings of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam which can only be beneficial.