Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu. Shaykhs, will I be sinful if I do not cut my nails before the 40th day due to injury? The matter is serious. I have a hot fracture in the thumb of my right hand, and I experience pain even by touching cloth. Holding a nail cutter and cutting the nails of the other hand is impossible for me at this time. And holding it with my left hand and cutting the nails of my right hand is also almost impossible due to the pain that I feel if pressure is put on that hand. And when nails are cut, it is not a light touch as that of a cotton. Also, I do not have anyone around who can cut them for me, and even if I would get someone, then I could still only get the nails of my left hand cut. And specifically the thumb of right hand, I may not be able to cut its nail for maybe three months or even more due to a fracture in it, and it is right in the nail window area. Please advise. Also, as for hair removal, if I could not do it with my left hand as I am right handed, and the hair removal machine is a bit heavy and hard to manage with my left hand, and I do not use cremes due to an ingredients issue, then what should I do? Also, I can barely raise my finger in Tashahhud, and I may not be able to move it up at all, is my prayer valid if I keep my hand flat straight and do not raise my finger at all in Tashahhud? As soon as you can respond, please do. May Allah reward you, respected shaykhs.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
Cutting the nails and other characteristics of the Fitrah (natural human predisposition) are recommended and not obligatory according to the majority of the scholars, contrary to some of them. If a person does not cut his nails for more than forty days, even without an excuse, he is not sinful, but he misses a Sunnah. If someone has an excuse, then he is not sinful with greater reason.
We advise you to try to cut what you can of your nails without causing any harm to you, even if you seek the help of others, and remove whatever you can of the hair that we are ordered to remove. If you are unable to do this, then there is no harm on you and you are not sinful.
You may cut your nails and remove the hair when you recover, Allah willing.
As regards pointing with your index finger in Tashahhud, it is a Sunnah, and the prayer does not become invalidated by leaving it.
Allah knows best.