Shaking Hands with a Non-Mahram Woman
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa No. ( 2494 )
Q: I present to your honor some issues that cause me much distress in my marital life, and the first of these issues is:
Shaking hands with a woman. Is it permissible to shake hands with a non-mahram woman or not? And is it permissible to shake hands through a covering that the woman places on her hand? My lord, I am Sudanese and I live in the Kingdom, and it has come to my attention that greeting a woman is not permissible, but my family and my tribe do not believe that. They believe in outdated customs and traditions, and they consider anyone who opposes their customs and traditions to be an outsider to them; therefore, they greet women, and I am unable to prevent them from doing so. But the problem is in my home: Am I to prevent my wife from shaking hands with non-mahram men according to the Shari'ah, or is it permissible to greet through a covering on the woman's hand? And if the answer is that shaking hands with a woman is not permissible, what is the ruling of the Shari'ah if the wife refuses to comply with this matter? And what is the ruling of the Shari'ah if I leave my wife to shake hands with non-mahram men? And as I mentioned to your honor, customs and traditions permit this
A: It is not permissible for a woman to shake hands with non-mahram men, even through a veil, and the prevalence of this custom does not permit what the Shari'ah has forbidden for her. Her husband and her awliya (guardians) should advise her, hoping that she will turn away from this ugly custom. And Muslims should strive as much as they can to change any customs that contradict the Shari'ah of Islam.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q: I present to your honor some issues that cause me much distress in my marital life, and the first of these issues is:
Shaking hands with a woman. Is it permissible to shake hands with a non-mahram woman or not? And is it permissible to shake hands through a covering that the woman places on her hand? My lord, I am Sudanese and I live in the Kingdom, and it has come to my attention that greeting a woman is not permissible, but my family and my tribe do not believe that. They believe in outdated customs and traditions, and they consider anyone who opposes their customs and traditions to be an outsider to them; therefore, they greet women, and I am unable to prevent them from doing so. But the problem is in my home: Am I to prevent my wife from shaking hands with non-mahram men according to the Shari'ah, or is it permissible to greet through a covering on the woman's hand? And if the answer is that shaking hands with a woman is not permissible, what is the ruling of the Shari'ah if the wife refuses to comply with this matter? And what is the ruling of the Shari'ah if I leave my wife to shake hands with non-mahram men? And as I mentioned to your honor, customs and traditions permit this
A: It is not permissible for a woman to shake hands with non-mahram men, even through a veil, and the prevalence of this custom does not permit what the Shari'ah has forbidden for her. Her husband and her awliya (guardians) should advise her, hoping that she will turn away from this ugly custom. And Muslims should strive as much as they can to change any customs that contradict the Shari'ah of Islam.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.