What is the ruling on shaking hands in a gathering, with the Shaykh explaining the virtue of shaking hands and spreading the greeting?

The Shaykh : This is, in truth, a good and practical question, and our answer to it distinguishes between one circle and another, from one aspect and another. There is a difference between a circle that is complete, where the person entering is forced to step over people or sit where the gathering ends, and a circle that is open, allowing one to enter easily without stepping over the backs of his brothers. This is, of course, different from that. A second and final point is the difference between a large gathering, where the person entering feels hesitant to shake hands with each individual one by one, and a small number of people. So, , if the person entering takes a quick look: if the circle is complete, he sits as we said; if it is open on one side, he can enter, and the number is not so large and abundant that he feels hesitant to shake hands with every one of them. He shakes hands with them, or he does not. So the matter does not involve strictness or restriction from one side, and from another side, shaking hands is not like the greeting. If the person entering the gathering, and we take the first scenario where there is only one person in the gathering, says: "Peace be upon you," and sits without shaking hands, there is no harm on him. But we say that shaking hands is the completion of the greeting. We say this as our own understanding, and if this had been authentically reported from our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), we could have said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . This has come as a hadith traced to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in Sunan al-Tirmidhi, but its chain is not authentic. Therefore, we say that shaking hands is the completion of the greeting, due to what has come regarding its virtue in the Sunnah. That is, a tremendous virtue, such that if a person spent his entire life seeking this benefit and this fruit that results from mere shaking of hands, the price would be cheap and acceptable. That is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): . "Their sins fell off" means that Allah forgave them. So, if a person strives by the easiest means to the forgiveness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), he has gained a gain after which there is no poverty. And if he neglects taking this means, he is a foolish man, because the easiest path has been made available for him to attain the forgiveness of Allah, and he turns away from that path. There is no doubt that he is a foolish man, because each of us, as witnessed by the nature of man which Allah (Mighty and Majestic) stamped in the Qur'an in His saying (Blessed and Exalted is He): . If any one of us is able to obtain the greatest amount of worldly debris for a small reason, you will not find any of us lagging or not rushing to it. Why? Because it is immediate material gain. So why does the Muslim not strive to acquire the deferred reward in which lies his happiness in this world and the Hereafter by the easiest means? . If the matter is so, then if a person enters the gathering and finds many people, he must shake hands with as many as he is able to, without feeling any hesitation, little or much. Why? Because the gain is very great, especially since he may shake hands with someone whose handshake he does not like, but it may be facilitated for him to shake hands with other sincere people in this crowd. In that case, he must surely attain this forgiveness which this hadith guarantees.

The questioner : Shaykh, regarding the condition of the circle, if this opinion—as you mentioned—is the best, what is your practical vision for the circular gathering? As one of the brothers enters every minute, if each one of them continues to shake hands anew, the value of the lesson is truly lost. I believe it is best to maintain the calm atmosphere, prioritize this benefit, and give precedence to the benefit of acquiring knowledge.

The Shaykh : I think the answer to something like this has already been given, because we said that if there is no hardship, you are now presenting a scenario where there is hardship. But I fear that agreeing to this question will lead us to... What is your opinion if there is a lesson in progress, even in the mosque, and a man comes who does not shake hands but gives the greeting, or does he not give the greeting? If I say he does not give the greeting, the matter is problematic. If I say he gives the greeting, the matter is more problematic. Why? Because the system of the lesson—as you mentioned just now—will be disrupted; is that not so?

The questioner : But it is less disruptive than shaking hands with each of them.

The Shaykh : No problem, do we agree to this lesser disruption?

The questioner : To prioritize the benefit, because the lesson or the circle gathered for knowledge, not for shaking hands in the first place.

The Shaykh : Excuse me, excuse me, no, you have not answered me. Do we say that this lesser disruption is permissible, as you admitted? Or do we attach it to the greater disruption? That is, if the circle of the lesson is formed and in progress, and the person entering, we said if he wants to shake hands, some disruption occurs, and we agreed that this is not prescribed in this situation. But I wanted to move from this to something else: does he give the greeting?
So I seem to have understood from you that he gives the greeting, but you contradicted what I understood. You made me understand that this is also a disruption, but that disruption is wider than this one. Is what I understood wrong or right?

The questioner : No, it is right.

The Shaykh : But I say that the greeting is different from shaking hands, and that is what I aimed at when I said that if the person entering finds only one person in the gathering, and he greets him and does not shake hands, he has fulfilled the obligation, because shaking hands is not an obligation. But now, on the exact opposite, the person entering...