Shaking hands with the wife's sister
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The second question of Fatwa No. ( 5957 )
Q2: It is well known that it is not permissible for a non-mahram man to shake hands with a non-mahram woman, nor to be alone with her. But is it permissible for a man to greet - i.e., shake hands with - his wife's sister, or her maternal aunt, or her paternal aunt, on the grounds that they are prohibited to him only temporarily? And is it permissible to be alone with them, or not? This is the first part of the question. The second part is: Is the temporary prohibition between a man and his wife's sister, paternal aunt, and maternal aunt the same as the prohibition between a man and the wife of another man who is a stranger to him, or not? Please give us a ruling, may Allah reward you and have mercy on you.
A2: First: It is not permissible for a man to shake hands with his wife's sister, nor her paternal aunt, nor her maternal aunt, and it is not permissible for him to be alone with any one of them; because they are not among his mahrams, but rather they are prohibited to him only temporarily, and this is not sufficient to make them like mahrams in terms of being alone with them and shaking hands. Second: If the prohibition is established by lineage, breastfeeding, or marriage, then the prohibition is permanent, and there is no such thing as a temporary prohibition at all; rather, there is only a temporary prohibition from marriage. The sister, paternal aunt, and maternal aunt of a man's wife are not his mahrams, but rather it is prohibited for him to marry any one of them while he is married to his wife; due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:23] up to His saying: [An-Nisa 4:23] , and the prohibition of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from marrying a woman and her paternal aunt together, or a woman and her maternal aunt together. As for the wife of a man who is a stranger to him, she is prohibited to anyone other than her husband, temporarily, as long as she is under the protection of her husband. If he separates from her by death, divorce, or annulment of the contract, then it becomes permissible for another man to marry her after her waiting period ends, even if he is already married to a previous wife, provided that she is not the sister, paternal aunt, or maternal aunt of that wife.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q2: It is well known that it is not permissible for a non-mahram man to shake hands with a non-mahram woman, nor to be alone with her. But is it permissible for a man to greet - i.e., shake hands with - his wife's sister, or her maternal aunt, or her paternal aunt, on the grounds that they are prohibited to him only temporarily? And is it permissible to be alone with them, or not? This is the first part of the question. The second part is: Is the temporary prohibition between a man and his wife's sister, paternal aunt, and maternal aunt the same as the prohibition between a man and the wife of another man who is a stranger to him, or not? Please give us a ruling, may Allah reward you and have mercy on you.
A2: First: It is not permissible for a man to shake hands with his wife's sister, nor her paternal aunt, nor her maternal aunt, and it is not permissible for him to be alone with any one of them; because they are not among his mahrams, but rather they are prohibited to him only temporarily, and this is not sufficient to make them like mahrams in terms of being alone with them and shaking hands. Second: If the prohibition is established by lineage, breastfeeding, or marriage, then the prohibition is permanent, and there is no such thing as a temporary prohibition at all; rather, there is only a temporary prohibition from marriage. The sister, paternal aunt, and maternal aunt of a man's wife are not his mahrams, but rather it is prohibited for him to marry any one of them while he is married to his wife; due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Prohibited to you [for marriage] are your mothers
حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَّهَاتُكُمْand that you take [in marriage] two sisters simultaneously
وَأَنْ تَجْمَعُوا بَيْنَ الأُخْتَيْنِAnd success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.