LUCKNOW: Darul-Uloom Deoband, an Islamic seminary, on Sunday issued a fatwa against Muslim women for cutting nails and applying nail polish. Calling the act ‘unisamic’, Mufti Ishrar Gaura said that women should use Mehendi on their nails rather than nail polish. He further clarified that Islam does not prohibit women from using beauty products, they can apply nail polish but before offering Namaz they have to completely remove it.

The cleric argued that a layer of nail paint hinders the wuzu water (ritual purification) from washing the nails completely. Darul Uloom Deoband, which is one of the largest Islamic seminaries in South Asia, is based in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district.

While talking to new agency ANI, Farah Faiz, an advocate and national president of Rashtriyawadi Muslim Mahila Sangh, said "they never issue a fatwa against men. Islam prohibits a number of things but still, that is carried out by people. They only issue the fatwa against women to do everything with their permission,".

"The Darul Uloom is even in Pakistan, but they do not issue such orders there. Only the one based in India come up with such fatwas all the time," she added.

This is not the first time that Darul Uloom Deoband has issued a controversial fatwa, earlier, they had issued fatwa against New Year celebrations, wearing designer slim fit burqas, installing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's portrait in all educational institutions saying it is "against Sharia" and Muslim women from plucking, trimming and shaping their eyebrows.