Can You Do Wudu with Mascara On? Important Insights for Muslim Women

Wudu with mascara on is an important topic for Muslim women regarding wudu. Mascara is a cosmetic that is commonly used to enhance the eyes. This is why it is an integral part of many Muslim women's lives, as it beautifies their appearance. However, the question remains: can you do wudu with mascara on?

Whatever your reason for reading this article, I'm confident you're seeking clarification about wudu with mascara on. I won't let you down today because that's what I will explain now. So, be sure to read this article to the end!

Is Mascara Allowed in Islam?

Hi! At the beginning of this discussion, I will explain one important aspect of mascara that you must understand: is mascara allowed in Islam? It's essential to grasp this first, as it forms the foundation of the legality of mascara in Islam.

Read Also: What Types of Farts Break Wudu?

In the first paragraph, I mentioned that mascara is a cosmetic used to beautify the eyes. The purpose of Muslim women wearing mascara is to enhance their beauty, which is perfectly normal. No one has the right to forbid women from looking beautiful.

But, is wearing mascara permitted in Islam?

Okay! Before I address that question, please pay attention to the hadith below!

عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى جَمِيْلٌ يُحِبُّ الجَمَالَ، وَيُحِبُّ مَعَالِيَ الْأَخْلَاقِ وَيَكْرَهُ سَفْسَافَهَا

From Jabir, he said, "The Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, 'Verily, Allah is a Most Beautiful God Who loves beauty, noble ethics, and hates bad ethics.'"

This hadith emphasizes that Allah is the Most Beautiful and loves beauty, good morals, and detests bad ethics. If He loves beauty, then He appreciates everything beautiful and all things that contribute to beauty, provided they do not conflict with Islamic teachings.

Now, if we use this hadith as a basis for answering the question, the response is: "Yes. Mascara is permitted in Islam as long as it does not contradict Islamic teachings.”

You might be wondering: are there types of mascara that are not allowed in Islam? Yes, there are. Here are some examples:

• Mascara obtained through theft.
• Wearing mascara with the intention of being arrogant or showing off.

We don't need to debate these two points. Anything (including mascara) that is acquired through stealing is haram, and any actions done for vanity (including wearing mascara) are also haram.

Does Mascara Prevent Water from Reaching Your Skin?

Now I'm going to explain something that is also very important regarding the main topic of this discussion: does mascara block water from reaching your skin? You need to understand this well because wudu involves washing and wiping various parts of the body with wudu water. If the water doesn't reach your skin, then the washing and rubbing you do cannot be considered wudu.

In addition to the reasons mentioned above, another reason is that there are hadiths specifically emphasizing the need for Muslims to complete wudu. Perfecting wudu means fulfilling all the obligations of wudu. There should not be any part of the skin that needs to be washed and rubbed in wudu that is not exposed to water. Please pay attention to the hadith below!

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، أَنَّهُ رَأَى قَوْمًا يَتَوَضَّؤُونَ مِنَ الْمِطْهَرَةِ. فَقَالَ: أَسْبِغُوا الْوُضُوءَ. فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: وَيْلٌ لِلْعَرَاقِيبِ مِنَ النَّارِ

From Abu Hurairah radliyallahu anhu, he saw people performing wudu with water from a container. He then said, "Perfect your wudu. I have heard Abu al-Qasim (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alaihi wa sallam say, 'Woe to the ankles from the fire.'"

The hadith above explains that if there are tendons or skin above our heels that are not touched by wudu water, then the washing and rubbing we perform cannot be considered wudu. This is disastrous for us because the minor impurities (hadas) in our bodies have not been removed. If these minor impurities remain, we cannot perform acts of worship that require us to be in a state of wudu, such as praying. This emphasizes the importance of understanding whether mascara blocks water from reaching the skin.

In general, there are two types of mascara:

• Mascara that is thick and forms layers.
• Mascara that is thin and does not form layers.

Now, if you ask me, "Does mascara block water from reaching the skin?" the answer is as follows:

Mascara that is thick and forms a layer can block water from reaching the skin. In contrast, mascara that is thin and does not form layers cannot block water from reaching the skin.

Can You Do Wudu with Mascara On?

Now I'm going to explain the main topic of this discussion: can you do wudu with mascara on? I want you to understand the explanation below so well that no questions remain in your mind. However, if you still have other questions, please write them in the comments!

Before I provide the answer to that question, I want you to revisit the two types of mascara that I explained in the previous paragraphs. This will help you understand the answer more easily.

So, if you ask me, "Can you do wudu with mascara on?" the answer is as follows:

• If the mascara you use is thick and forms a layer, then you cannot do wudu with mascara on because it can block water from reaching your skin.
• If the mascara you use is not thick and doesn't form a layer, then you can do wudu with mascara on because it won't block water from reaching the skin.

Do you have a question? Please write in the comments!