Discussion of the issue of kissing the hand of a scholar.

The Shaykh : This brings us to the question of kissing the hand of a scholar. This is the answer: it is most similar, in terms of being restricted, to embracing while traveling. Just as embracing while traveling was established from the Companions, so too was the kissing of the hand of a learned man among them by some of the Companions, occasionally and rarely. This is also established. This is a kiss of reverence, just as it was a matter of etiquette that a young person would not speak in the presence of an elder unless the elder had stopped speaking. Similarly, kissing the hand of a scholar is a form of reverence for him, but it is rare and not constant. Why? Because the most noble of all people is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and the most noble of all his Companions is Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, then 'Umar, then 'Uthman, then 'Ali, then the rest of the ten promised Paradise, and so on, the people of Badr and others. It was never reported from any of these noble ones that he kissed the hand of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), not even once. Rather, the kissing came from some of the Companions whose companionship with the Messenger (peace be upon him) was not extensive. This companionship allows the companion to know his nature and his character. He loves the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), so he shows this love by rushing forward and kissing the hand of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), out of his etiquette and his gentleness with his Ummah, would only prevent them or restrain them from something that was blameworthy. As for a matter that is permissible, even if it is a weaker form of permissibility—meaning he did not want it to happen—that is why the great Companions, as we said, did not do any of that. However, he approved the kissing of his hand by those Companions who had little companionship with him (peace be upon him). His approval indicates that it is permissible, but it is not recommended. If a Muslim student of knowledge did not kiss the hand of a scholar in his entire life, not even once, that would not diminish his religion in any way. But in the sense of spreading good character, as they say today, and considering the emotions of people, especially if they are uncontrolled, the important thing is that the Wise Lawgiver allowed a man to kiss the hand of a scholar occasionally, as we said. However, making this hand-kissing a continuous practice, such that a student does not meet his Shaykh without... him being approved of for kissing his hand; this is a foreign, unintelligible innovation with no basis in the Muhammadan Sunnah.
So this kissing of the scholar's hand, in the form of rarity mentioned above, is an exception to the kissing that is prohibited. Therefore, women have no way to use one another as an excuse for this kissing that is prevalent among them. Because it was not originally done by any of the women among the Companions at all. Furthermore, it contradicts the generality of the hadith: "Do we kiss one another?" He said: .
And this is sufficient, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.