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The Halal Nail Polish: Religion and Body Politics in the Marketplace

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(Re-)Claiming Bodies Through Fashion and Style

Part of the book series: New Directions in Islam ((NDI))

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Abstract

Wearing nail polish is a contentious issue for practicing Muslim women. Because nail polish sets a permanent barrier between water and nail, performing wudu (a ritualized body cleansing procedure that every Muslim should undertake before salat—daily prayers) becomes problematic. In recent years, a new breathable line of nail polish, which allows water to penetrate the nail, became available. The so-called halal nail polish category generated not only interest but also a lively online debate. In this study, I use the controversy over the nail polish to interrogate the complex ways through which social, cultural, material, and religious interpretations of body intersect with marketplace dynamics and inform identities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Özlem Sandıkcı

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  1. Özlem Sandıkcı
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Correspondence to Özlem Sandıkcı .

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  1. University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Viola Thimm

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Sandıkcı, Ö. (2021). The Halal Nail Polish: Religion and Body Politics in the Marketplace. In: Thimm, V. (eds) (Re-)Claiming Bodies Through Fashion and Style. New Directions in Islam. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71941-8_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71941-8_7

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