What is the ruling on shaking hands with non-mahram women?
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The questioner : May Allah preserve you, Shaykh. In our country, there is a custom of shaking hands with non-mahram women, such as a brother’s wife, an uncle’s wife, or a maternal uncle’s wife. This happens when a man returns from a trip or in similar situations, and it is very common during the festivals. If a person refrains from doing this, they describe him as being extreme, complicating matters, and perhaps even arrogant.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you. It is not permissible for a woman to shake hands except with her husband or her mahram relatives only. She does not shake hands with her husband’s brother because he is not a mahram, nor with her maternal uncle’s son, nor with her paternal uncle’s son, nor with anyone else who is not among her mahram relatives. If a person refrains from doing that, let him clarify that this is forbidden. To soften their hearts, he should say, “Ask the scholars, ask the scholars.” If they refuse to ask the scholars and describe him as arrogant or the like, let them describe him as they wish. As long as he is upon what pleases Allah, he does not care about anyone. Do you know what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was described as?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Fine, madness, sorcery, the poet, the soothsayer, every description, and the liar. Did this prevent him from speaking the truth? I ask you? No, rather this is what multiplies the reward for a person, where he is rewarded for leaving the forbidden from one angle and for the pain he suffers from another angle. And how great is the danger for those who harm those who hold fast to the religion, for Allah the Exalted says:[Al-Ahzab 33:58], let them say what they wish.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you. It is not permissible for a woman to shake hands except with her husband or her mahram relatives only. She does not shake hands with her husband’s brother because he is not a mahram, nor with her maternal uncle’s son, nor with her paternal uncle’s son, nor with anyone else who is not among her mahram relatives. If a person refrains from doing that, let him clarify that this is forbidden. To soften their hearts, he should say, “Ask the scholars, ask the scholars.” If they refuse to ask the scholars and describe him as arrogant or the like, let them describe him as they wish. As long as he is upon what pleases Allah, he does not care about anyone. Do you know what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was described as?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Fine, madness, sorcery, the poet, the soothsayer, every description, and the liar. Did this prevent him from speaking the truth? I ask you? No, rather this is what multiplies the reward for a person, where he is rewarded for leaving the forbidden from one angle and for the pain he suffers from another angle. And how great is the danger for those who harm those who hold fast to the religion, for Allah the Exalted says: