Is there evidence for the standing person to shake hands with the seated person?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
May Allah reward you, O Shaykh. Is there evidence in the Book and the Sunnah, or in the action of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), for the standing person to shake hands with the seated person?
The Shaykh : I do not know of anything in the Sunnah regarding this, and for this reason, it should not be done. Some people nowadays, when they enter the gathering, begin shaking hands with the first person all the way to the last, and this is not prescribed. Rather, shaking hands is done when people meet. As for entering gatherings, it was not the way of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) or his Companions to do so. Rather, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would come and sit wherever the gathering ended, without passing by the people to shake their hands. Nor have we heard that when he sat wherever the gathering ended, they would stand up and shake his hand.
So, shaking hands in this manner is not prescribed. I have asked those of our Shaykhs whom we rely upon about it, and they said: We do not know of any basis for it in the Sunnah. Do you understand? This is one point.
Incidentally, some people, when they enter with coffee or tea, pour for the person on their right, even if he is the youngest of the group, based on the principle of giving preference to the right in everything. This is also not prescribed. If you enter, start with the eldest, then give to the person on your right what is on his right, which is on your right. Meaning: start with the eldest, then the next eldest. Yes, if a person has someone on his right and another on his left, and he wants to give them something, let him start with the right, because this is the right and this is the left. As for the person in front of you, start with the eldest. And if you enter a gathering with tea or coffee, and there is no one on your right and no one on your left, and you enter the gathering while passing by, start with the eldest.
And with this, this meeting ends.
May Allah reward you, O Shaykh. Is there evidence in the Book and the Sunnah, or in the action of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), for the standing person to shake hands with the seated person?
The Shaykh : I do not know of anything in the Sunnah regarding this, and for this reason, it should not be done. Some people nowadays, when they enter the gathering, begin shaking hands with the first person all the way to the last, and this is not prescribed. Rather, shaking hands is done when people meet. As for entering gatherings, it was not the way of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) or his Companions to do so. Rather, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would come and sit wherever the gathering ended, without passing by the people to shake their hands. Nor have we heard that when he sat wherever the gathering ended, they would stand up and shake his hand.
So, shaking hands in this manner is not prescribed. I have asked those of our Shaykhs whom we rely upon about it, and they said: We do not know of any basis for it in the Sunnah. Do you understand? This is one point.
Incidentally, some people, when they enter with coffee or tea, pour for the person on their right, even if he is the youngest of the group, based on the principle of giving preference to the right in everything. This is also not prescribed. If you enter, start with the eldest, then give to the person on your right what is on his right, which is on your right.
Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw two people in a dream, and he had a miswak in his hand, intending to give it to one of them, so it was said to him: "Give it to the elder, give it to the elder."
لأن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم رأى في المنام اثنين وفي يده سواك أراد أن يعطيه لأحدهما فقيل له: كبر كبرAnd with this, this meeting ends.