Short answer
Yes. Henna on the hands is a lawful adornment for women, and many scholars call it mustahabb, especially for a wife beautifying herself for her husband. It leaves no layer, so wudu and ghusl are valid over it. Keep bold designs for home and women's gatherings. The four schools agree that it is allowed.
Henna on the hands and feet is permitted for women and recommended for a married woman as adornment for her husband. Its stain does not block water, so wudu and ghusl are valid once the paste is washed off.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Aisha reported that a woman held out a letter to the Prophet ﷺ from behind a curtain. He held back his hand and asked whether it was a man's hand or a woman's. When she said she was a woman, he told her that if she were a woman she would have coloured her nails, meaning with henna. Some hadith scholars grade its chain as weak and others as acceptable, but its meaning is supported by the long practice of Muslim women, and the four schools agree that henna is allowed for them.
Married and unmarried. For a wife, beautifying herself for her husband is rewarded, so henna is recommended for her. Unmarried girls and women may also wear it. It is a common part of Eid and wedding celebrations, which is fine.
Designs and display. A woman's hands are not part of her awrah in the Hanafi school, but elaborate bridal patterns are adornment that draws the eye. Keep heavy designs for home, women's gatherings and your husband, and prefer plain henna where non-mahram men will see you. See the hijab guide.
Wudu, ghusl and prayer. Henna stains the skin and nails without forming a layer, so wudu and ghusl are valid once the dried paste is washed off; see nail polish and henna. You may apply it during your period too.
Safety. So-called black henna often contains a chemical dye that can burn the skin or cause allergies. Natural henna, which leaves an orange to brown stain, is the safe choice. For men, see can men put henna on their hands.
The evidence
Quran, Surah An-Noor 24:31
وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّٰبِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُو۟لِى ٱلْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفْلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَوْرَٰتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٣١﴾
And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
Henna is women's adornment, shown freely to husbands and mahrams.
Sunan Abi Dawud 4166
Grading to be checked... لو كنت امرأة لغيرت أظفارك يعني بالحناء ...
"If you were a woman, you would have coloured your nails, meaning with henna."
Shows that coloured hands and nails were expected of women. Some scholars grade its chain weak, so it supports the practice rather than proving the ruling alone.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, Kitab al-Karahiyya, chapter on adornment. Henna on the hands and feet is allowed for women.
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar with Radd al-Muhtar, Kitab al-Taharah, the obligations of wudu. Colour that has no body, like henna, does not prevent water reaching the skin.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.