Shiny nails may be halaal

To paint or not to paint, your nails?

That is the question Muslim women around the world have been asking since the launch of a "breathable" nail enamel.

Muslims pray five times a day and are required to wash their hands before praying. But ordinary nail enamel does not allow water to penetrate through to the nail.

Cosmetics company Inglot has applied to the Muslim Judicial Council for its 02M "breathable" nail enamel to be certified halaal .

Sheik Moosa Titus, chief of operations at the council's Halaal Trust, said the council was considering the application.

Should the council accede, it would be only the third Islamic body in the world - after those in Dubai and California - to do so.

Lana Pienaar, of Inglot SA, said her company's enamel contained a polymer thatallowed water and oxygen to pass through the nail to the nail bed.

The Inglot enamel has been on the market for three years.

This year, after an Islamic scholar, Mustafa Umar, revealed that one of his students found that water had seeped through the product, there was international frenzy among Muslim women.

"Many come into our stores to ask for the halaal nail polish but we caution that we are not certified yet," said Pienaar.

"Freedom of choice is what we are all about so we direct women to the internet to research for themselves.

Fazlin You said she would use the product if it were certified.

"I have never worn nail polish for religious reasons; it was never part of my wardrobe," said You.

But Kaashiefah Simons-Ebrahim said she would not use it even if it were certified.

She said Muslim prophet Mohammed forbade Muslims from adopting "foreign" practices.