Is it permissible for a merchant to greet a woman before selling to her?

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: I am a merchant, and sometimes a woman comes to me. Should I greet her before the sale?

Answer:
If there is hope of illicit gain, do not greet her. But if there is no hope of illicit gain, or if she is advanced in age, there is no harm, as has been mentioned to you: one may greet a woman if she is an old woman or if she is one of his mahram (relatives one may not marry), as previously stated. As for non-mahram women, do not seek to greet them.