Question:
Is there a Sunnah way to cut nails? Please educate us.
Answer:
باسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى آله وأصحبه ومن والاه
May Allah bless you for this question and your desire to be closer to the way of the Messenger ﷺ.
Our beloved Messenger ﷺ used to love beginning with his right side as taught to us by our mother Aisha (ra) in an authentic narration found in both Saheeh al Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim. She says (ra): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ liked to begin with the right side when putting on his shoes, dismounting (from his camel), when cleaning himself, and in all things.”
Based on this we can deduce that it is from the sunnah to clip our nails beginning with the right hand or foot before our left.
In terms of sequence between the hands and feet; Imam anNawawi (ra), the famous Shaafi’i scholar, states in his explanation of Saheeh Muslim that it is preferred to start with the right hand, then the left, then the right foot and then the left.
With regards to the exact clipping order of the finger or toenails on a particular hand or foot; alHaafith ibn Hajar (ra), another famous Shaafi’i scholar, stated in his book al-Fath alBaariy (an explanation of Saheeh Al-Bukhari) that nothing of an authoritative nature in this regard attributed to our Messenger (saw) exists. Based on this, the procedure would be left at the discretion of yourself and that which is easier for you.
May Allah make us upholders of the sunnah of our beloved Messenger ﷺ and gather us with him ﷺ in Jannah. Ameen.
And Allah knows best.
Your brother,
Sajid Umar
