It is part of the Prophetic Sunnah for men and women to clip the nails. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said: “The fitrah is five things: circumcision, removing the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, and plucking the armpit hairs.”
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid, the prominent Saudi Islamic lecturer and author, in which he states the following: “Cutting the nails is part of the fitrah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The fitrah is five things: circumcision, removing the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, and plucking the armpit hairs.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim). According to another hadeeth, ten things are part of the fitrah, including cutting the nails. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) set a time limit for us to cut our moustaches, cut our nails, pluck our armpit hairs and shave our pubic hairs: we were not to leave it any longer than forty days.” (Reported by Ahmad, Muslim and al-Nisaa’i; this version narrated by Ahmad).
Thus, whoever does not cut his nails is going against the fitrah. The reason behind this is cleanliness and hygiene, because dirt can gather under the nails.
Most women nowadays have fallen into the trap of having long nails, and this is an ugly appearance that looks utterly repulsive to any intelligent person whose fitrah is sound. Another bad habit that many people have is to leave one nail long. All of this is clearly contrary to the ways of the fitrah.
We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound. Allah is the Guide to the Straight Path.”
Based on what is mentioned above, we can conclude that it is an act contrary to the Sunnah to have long nails, and hence it is advisable for both men and women to clip their nails as with this they will be safe regarding health and personal hygine and at the same time they will be rewarded for following the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)