Mishkat al-Masabih
Mishkat al-Masabih 4467
وَعَنْهَا قَالَتْ: أَوَمَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ وَرَاءِ سِتْرٍ بِيَدِهَا كِتَابٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَبَضَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَدَهُ فَقَالَ: «مَا أَدْرِي أَيَدُ رَجُلٍ أَمْ يَدُ امْرَأَةٍ؟» قَالَتْ: بَلْ يَدُ امْرَأَةٍ قَالَ: «لَوْ كُنْتِ امْرَأَةً لَغَيَّرْتِ أَظْفَارَكِ» يَعْنِي الْحِنَّاء. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَالنَّسَائِيّ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
She reported: A woman reached her hand from behind a curtain to pass a letter to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ withdrew his hand and said, “I cannot tell whether this is a man hand or a woman hand.” She replied, “It is a woman hand.” He said, “If you were a woman, you would have changed your nails,” meaning with henna. Abu Dawud and al-Nasai transmitted it.