The Ruling on Shaking Hands with and Kissing Female Mahrams

The Shaykh : Is it permissible to shake hands with a female mahram? Yes, it is permissible to shake hands with his sister, his maternal aunt, his paternal aunt, his brother’s daughter—his sister’s daughter—his sister’s daughter is permissible because he is her maternal uncle. As for female mahrams in general, it is permissible. What about kissing female mahrams? It is not recommended to kiss female mahrams because kissing is closer to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) than shaking hands. However, if it is his daughter or his mother, there is nothing wrong with it. Or if it is an elderly woman, such as a paternal or maternal aunt, he may kiss her on the head as a sign of honoring and respecting her. Why? Because Satan flows through the son of Adam like blood; perhaps he will cast evil into his heart when kissing a woman who is not among his ancestors or descendants. Who are the ancestors and descendants? The mothers, however high up the line, and the daughters, however low down the line. Are the mothers, however high up the line, ancestors or descendants? Ancestors. Are the daughters, however low down the line, descendants? Descendants.
It is also customary during this festival for people to exchange gifts, meaning they prepare food and invite one another, and they gather and rejoice. Is this a bid'ah (religious innovation) or a custom? It is a custom, and there is nothing wrong with it, because these are days of festival. Even Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), when he had two slave girls singing during the days of the festival, rebuked them, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Let them be." He did not say, "They are slave girls"; he said, "Let them be, for it is a day of festival." In this is evidence that the Shari'ah, and Allah knows best, is characterized by its easing and facilitating matters for the servants, opening up for the servants a measure of joy and happiness on the days of the festival.