The Ruling on a Woman Shaking Hands with a Non-Mahram and the Ruling on Her Voice

Question:
The message reached the program from the listener Mona Muhammad Ahmad Ibrahim. Sister Mona has a number of questions. She asks: Is it permissible for a woman to shake hands with a man? And is a woman’s voice an awrah (part of the body that must be covered)? May Allah reward you with good?

Answer:
It is not permissible for a woman to shake hands with a man who is not a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to her, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not shake hands with any woman who was not lawful for him. He used to take the pledge of allegiance from women by words, without shaking hands. This indicates that the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was not to shake hands with non-mahram women. Moreover, Allah the Exalted said: . And because shaking hands with a non-mahram woman involves fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), and the wise Lawgiver came with sadd al-dhara'i' (blocking the means to harm) that lead to what is haram (forbidden), and among that is not shaking hands with a non-mahram woman, because shaking her hand is a means to fitnah. As for speech, there is a distinction regarding a woman’s speech. Speech that is to the extent of need, where a woman speaks to a man if it is to the extent of need, then there is nothing wrong with it. She speaks to the man and asks him about her need, and he answers her, on the condition that this does not happen in a state of seclusion between them, and that she is also wearing hijab (the covering prescribed for women). Allah the Exalted said: . "Al-hijab" means you asked them from behind a garment, a curtain, a veil, or something else that covers the woman from the man who is not a mahram.
As for the case where a woman's voice contains welcome, coquetry, or familiarity or joking, this is not permissible because it is a trial (fitnah); it excites the man and excites the one who has a disease in his heart. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said to the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): And if not, then what happens is . The address to the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is an address to the women of the Ummah, except for what evidence indicates is specific to them to the exclusion of other women of the Ummah. There is no evidence indicating that they are specifically addressed in this matter, especially since the cause for which this ruling was established is a cause that extends; because the intended purpose is to prevent fitnah, and the means of fitnah, and this exists in the other women.
If speech to a woman contains coquetry, softness, a young woman’s voice, or if it contains laughter, familiarity, joking, or something stronger than that, which is flirtation, then this is haram (forbidden) and not permissible.
A woman’s voice has two states: a state in which it is not an awrah, and a state in which a woman’s voice is an awrah. In any case, as much as possible, a woman should be cautious and not speak to a man except to the extent of need. This is a required matter, because Allah the Exalted prescribed for a woman in the state of ihram (the consecrated state of pilgrimage) to recite the talbiyah (the pilgrim's chant of response) and to lower her voice, by the ruling that it is prescribed for men to raise their voices to give notice. Likewise, in the state of prayer in the mosque, if something happens to the imam in his prayer, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . "Did it not suffice for the women to make tasbih (saying Allahu akbar)"? Because that would allow the men to hear their voices. This indicates that it is required for a woman to lower her voice, to keep her voice down, and not to speak to men or let men hear her voice except to the extent of need, and with ordinary speech that does not stir feelings. May Allah reward you.