1.Are women allowed to have long nails in Islam? 2.Are we allowed to read the nightly waazifaas (eg surah sajida,waqiyah) before magrib salaat?

1) It is Mustahabb (commendable and desirable) to pair the finger nails%0D%0Aevery Friday. Only a Mujahid is exempted from this and it is preferrable%0D%0Athat he lenghtens his nails because it can be used as a weapon to attack the%0D%0Aenemy. It was aso the blessed habit of Nabi alaihis salaam that he would%0D%0Apair his nails and not let them grow long. It is also noted in the books on%0D%0AJurisprudence that he who lengthens his nails, his sustenance and income%0D%0Abecomes straitened and restricted. (Shaami vol. 6 pg. 405, H.M. Saeed).%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso, one should remenber that at the time of wudhu it is necessary for the%0D%0Avalidity of the wudhu that water reaches below the nails if the nails are%0D%0Alonger than normal. Many a times women are busy in their choirs of the%0D%0Akitchen wherein different types of ingredients tend to stick under the nails%0D%0Aand if not removed, Wudhu will be invalid if it does reach the bottom of the%0D%0Anails. Therefore it will not be permissible to keep long nails%0D%0Aunnecessarily.%0D%0A%0D%0A2) The virtues concerning these surahs are normally mentioned for when they%0D%0Aare recited in the night. According to Islam, night will refer to that time%0D%0Aafter Maghrib Salaat and not the time before the salaat of Maghrib.%0D%0ATherefore, these surahs will have to recited in their respective specified%0D%0Atimes in order to reap the complete benefits and rewards.%0D%0A%0D%0Aand Allah Ta'ala Knows Best%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti Ebrahim Desai