What is the ruling on kissing the hands of the righteous?

The questioner : Question, O Shaykh, about kissing the hands of the righteous and the shaykhs?

The Shaykh : These are the actions of the Sufis, and they are not pleasing. As for kissing the hand of the righteous scholar, and not the righteous person who is not a scholar, as I say, kissing the hand of the righteous scholar, and not the hand of the righteous person alone who is not a scholar, this is permissible occasionally, and not as a custom, meaning as the Sufis do... as is said in Syria... what does it mean? That a person, out of his longing and love for the righteous scholar, but this does not take the place of the Sunnah, which is shaking hands, it is clear.