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Is there any way of offering my prays without removing the make-up?

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Asalaam ualaikum

I have e-mailed you today because I have had a question in my mind for a very long time and didnt know who could best answer it. I've decided its an important issue and it needs to be addressed by a learned individual like yourself. My question is:

I work for a very reputable organisation where image is important. I often go to work with make-up as it forms a part of the job description. When I get some free time I desire to go and offer my zuhr and asr prays, but by doing this I must wash my face which would result in the make-up being washed off. Is there any way of offering my prays without removing the make-up?

Jazak allah

sister from Manchester 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)


Answer:

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Nur verses 30-31:

30      Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.

31      And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments.  And O ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards Allah that ye may attain Bliss.

 

Dear and Beloved Sister in Islam, although you have not asked us regarding this issue, as your brothers and sincere well-wishers in faith, it is our duty to remind you that it is not permissible for a woman who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day to display her beauty and adornments in the presence of non-mehram men.

 

Your Question: When I get some free time I desire to go and offer my zuhr and asr prays, but by doing this I must wash my face which would result in the make-up being washed off. Is there any way of offering my prays without removing the make-up?

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 6 (part):

6        O ye who believe! When ye prepare for prayer wash your faces and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles.

 

The washing of the face in wudu is an obligatory pre-condition for purifying oneself for prayer.  If the believing woman wishes to pray but wants to avoid affecting her ‘make-up’, the only legal way is to perform the wudu first and then apply her ‘make-up’.  The application of ‘make-up’ does not invalidate the state of wudu, and as long as the wudu remains valid, the woman would be able to offer her prayers to her Lord. 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.   Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brothers and sincere well wishers in Islam,


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