Discussion on knowing the reason for kissing the hand of a scholar

The Shaykh : If there is a likelihood of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) in this case, it is not permissible to shake her hand either. You might wonder and ask: Is it permissible to shake her hand? Is it permissible to shake her hand?
The student : ... .

The Shaykh : What is the evidence?
The student : ... .

The Shaykh : (may Allah have mercy on him), (may Allah have mercy on him), who taught you this.
The student : ... .

The Shaykh : ... You didn't make a mistake, the Shaykh didn't say to read it like this... You attributed words to the Shaykh.
The student : ... .

The Shaykh : O Shaykh, I am asking you about what you asked me to read. Read what you wrote and see how you attributed words to me.
The student : It was reported in "Sunan Abu Dawud" and by al-Hakim, and finally.

The Shaykh : You read what you wrote, read what you wrote.
The student : I said...

The Shaykh : No, I didn't say it like that. I said "Sunan Abu Dawud," "al-Mustadrak of al-Hakim," and finally.
The student : ... .

The Shaykh : Look at the patching, look at the patching. You didn't go... .
The student : ... .

The Shaykh : ... It is not in my hand, I mean it is in the hand of the one in charge of its printing... .
The student : ... .

The Shaykh : Right now, I don't recall. Either there are athar (reports from a Companion or successor) or not.
The student : ... .

The Shaykh : And how can one kiss his chest? Where did you get this from?
The student : ... .

The Shaykh : I do not know him.
The student : Okay, O Shaykh, you.

The Shaykh : May Allah have mercy on you.
The student : You said it was not reported from the Salaf (the earliest generations).

The Shaykh : ... Yes.
The student : I said it was not reported from the Salaf (the earliest generations) that they kissed the hand.

The Shaykh : I said it was not reported from the Salaf (the earliest generations). Where is that? May Allah guide you.
The student : Or it was not reported in the Sunnah (the Prophet's way).

The Shaykh : I didn't say that. Is your statement now absolute or qualified? Was your question absolute or qualified?
The student : Qualified.

The Shaykh : May Allah forgive you. Why do you mix the absolute with the qualified? I said kissing the hand of the mother, but kissing the hand of the scholar, kissing the hand of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), that is reported. You will find that explicitly stated in "Sahih al-Adab" (Authentic Adab), not just "al-Adab," because adab (proper conduct) is of two types: authentic and weak. So that the student of knowledge is clear about the authentic narration and the weak narrations, we established this fair classification: "Sahih al-Adab." You will find there explicit texts regarding kissing the hand of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and the hand of some of the noble Companions. For example: "Some of the Tabi'un (the generation after the Companions) came to Salama ibn al-Akwa, and he showed us a hand—the narrator says—like the hoof of a camel. He said: This is the hand with which I shook hands with the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), so we kissed it." This is in "Sahih al-Adab al-Mufrad" (The Authentic Book of Single Narrations on Adab). However, the hand of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was kissed more than once. But despite this, we do not see it as a Sunnah (recommended practice), even though it was reported and is authentic. And a fortiori, we do not see that Najdi custom of kissing the Shaykhs on their heads, or on their shoulders, or on their chests, because none of this is authentic from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The student : But... .

The Shaykh : I am afraid of the word "but."
The student : My question is about what you mentioned to us... I say: What is the motive for kissing the hand of the scholar? Is it not reverence?

The Shaykh: No, no.
The student : Why?

The Shaykh : The motive is following (the Sunnah), because if you bring in reverence, you build upon it what is not from the Sunnah. That is what I mean by how the shoulder is eaten (a metaphor for overstepping).
The student : If we say following, we want to kiss that, which was kissing the hand of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Shaykh: Yes.
The student : If we say the evidence is following, that was kissing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Shaykh: Yes.
The student : So how do we now analogize with the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)?

The Shaykh : Who do we analogize with whom?
The student : The scholars, you now.

The Shaykh : We do not analogize. We do not analogize the scholars with the Messenger.
The student : ... But you said it is permissible to kiss the hand of the scholar.

The Shaykh : Yes, with the condition we mentioned.
The student : And you mentioned... you mentioned, O Shaykh, that the hand of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was kissed. What is your evidence? Salama ibn al-Akwa, they kissed his hand... .

The Shaykh : You are straying far from the original topic. Summarize your topic now. What is it?
The student : My question is how... kissing the hand of the scholar.

The Shaykh : Who said do not analogize? Did you hear me use the word "analogize"?
The student : We didn't say that.

The Shaykh : Then why do you attribute to me what I do not say?
The student : By deduction, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh : You are not one of those who deduce, and neither am I one from whom deduction is expected. I am not one of those from whom deduction is expected, and I am before you now, you ask me and I give you the answer frankly without deduction. State your question? You started telling me why do we analogize? I replied to you: I do not use the word "analogize." So where did you get this from? Withdraw it, withdraw it.
The student : We withdraw it.

The Shaykh : Correct the question.