Is greeting and shaking hands among the simple, easy matters?

The questioner : The question posed—Shaykh, may Allah reward you with good—means that Islam, praise be to Allah, is built upon foundations.

The Shaykh : Yes, without a doubt.

The questioner : Among these foundations, some are important, and some are more important.

The Shaykh : Correct.

The questioner : The main foundations.

The Shaykh : And I am adding to that, and what is less than that.

The questioner : And what is less than that; meaning, perhaps greeting is among the simple, easy tasks, but without a doubt, it has a role in deepening affection among Muslims, that they are like one body.

The Shaykh : This is a statement not accepted. If you want to go and build castles upon it, and then it collapses on us, go ahead. Otherwise, let us stand here and clarify to you that this is a statement not accepted in the Shari'ah.

The questioner : The Muslims.

The Shaykh : That greeting is among the matters, what?

The questioner : Among the matters that increase affection.

The Shaykh : Yes, but among the matters that are, so to speak, secondary.

The questioner : I am saying from my perspective; I am asking you so that I may benefit.

The Shaykh : Pardon me.

The questioner : I mean, I am asking you so that I may benefit, not that the greeting now, which is, as you kindly said, shaking hands.

The Shaykh : Ah, excuse me, I misunderstood. I understood that the greeting is "As-salamu alaykum."

The questioner : No, "As-salamu alaykum" is a necessity for you.

The Shaykh : The greeting is "As-salamu alaykum."

The questioner : Shaking hands; we have the greeting in... it means conversation.

The Shaykh : Yes, that is correct, but how do we distinguish when we are talking about shaking hands and we say the greeting? How do we distinguish between the two? Is it not correct that we understand the greeting to mean "As-salamu alaykum," and we do not understand shaking hands to mean "As-salamu alaykum," nor the reverse? We do not say "we greeted so-and-so" meaning "we shook hands with him." Rather, we say—as it came in the Arabic language—"As-salamu alaykum" is the greeting. Therefore, it came in the books of hadith that the Messenger (peace be upon him) had two greetings in the prayer: "As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah," "As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah."
If in this dialect the greeting means shaking hands, then in that case, it must be clear so that we do not fall into difficulties, as we did just now.

The questioner : If it had been mixed with us, you would have known what we intended.

The Shaykh: No.

The questioner : Your not mixing with us.

The Shaykh : This is a mistake. How do I distinguish? Now, put yourself in my place.

The questioner : Our same customs and traditions.

The Shaykh : No, no, that is not it, my brother. You are now saying that the greeting is among the secondary matters. How do I understand that you intend shaking hands? How do I understand?

The questioner : Your not rubbing shoulders with the people of the seven [dialects] made you understand it in Arabic.

The Shaykh : You are very wrong. Our brothers are present.

Another questioner : ... the people of language.

The Shaykh : No, allow me a moment. You are very wrong, and there is no blame on you; because this is the first meeting.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : But there is blame on you for accusing me of not knowing this custom. I know this custom, and our brothers know what I am commenting on. Here are witnesses before you, and they will not testify falsely.

The questioner : No, and your words are trusted, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh : You have a hadith common among you that "there is no greeting over food." This hadith has no basis.

The questioner : This is a statement, a statement by a speaker.

The Shaykh : Allow me. Later, I interpreted it for them in your Jordanian language: "There is no greeting over food" means no shaking hands; because people are busy eating, especially if they are eating at five [o'clock].

The questioner : And you hit the mark. You hit the heart of the truth in this... [Everyone laughs!].

The Shaykh : So, stay with me, O Abu 'Abdullah.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : So, the Messenger (peace be upon him) taught us and perfected our education, and taught us and perfected our teaching. Among what he said, he said: , meaning, one of us speaks a word that gives a meaning, then he goes back and sees and says: No, I did not intend this, I intended this. Well, since you did not intend this, why did you utter a word that conveys a meaning that is not understood by what? The listener. So now, do not hold it against me. I am a frank man and you do not know me, do you? So do not hold it against me if I said to you "shaking hands." Would all this discussion have happened?

The questioner : And what do I know that the greeting means shaking hands?

The Shaykh : ... my dear, allow me, allow me.

The questioner : Did you not just a moment ago explain to me that "there is no greeting over food" means shaking hands? It is clear that you know.

The Shaykh : We understand, but allow me. Is there a question: does every time a person says the word "greeting" mean shaking hands?

The questioner: No.

The Shaykh : Yes, that is it. So when you mention the greeting or the salam, you must bring a phrase that makes us understand that you intend the Jordanian greeting; that is: shaking hands. And you did not do this.

The questioner : In my mind, you are clear to me and you know this.

The Shaykh : Come, my master. Are you going to lead them in prayer now? Say: If Allah wills.

The questioner : If Allah wills.

The Shaykh : Come, in the name of Allah.


The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : Allah knows best.

The questioner : Meaning, your question: Is it permissible, so to speak?

Another questioner : No, by Allah, I know that it is contrary to the Sunnah, but he saysThe Shaykh : ... this issue, so I do not know if you know something new in this matter?

The Shaykh : No, there is nothing new, but—Allah knows best—the man, how he asked and how he was answered.