حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الصُّورِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ حَدَّثَنَا مُطِيعُ بْنُ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ صَفِيَّةَ بِنْتِ عِصْمَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ أَوْمَتْ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ وَرَائِ سِتْرٍ بِيَدِهَا کِتَابٌ إِلَی رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَبَضَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَدَهُ فَقَالَ مَا أَدْرِي أَيَدُ رَجُلٍ أَمْ يَدُ امْرَأَةٍ قَالَتْ بَلْ امْرَأَةٌ قَالَ لَوْ کُنْتِ امْرَأَةً لَغَيَّرْتِ أَظْفَارَکِ يَعْنِي بِالْحِنَّائِ
سنن ابودوٗد · Hadith 4166
Narrated Aishah, Ummul Muminin: A woman made a sign from behind a curtain to indicate that she had a letter for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ closed his hand, saying: I do not know this is a man's or a woman's hand. She said: No, a woman. He said: If you were a woman, you would make a difference to your nails, meaning with henna.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020