The Prohibition of Shaking Hands with a Non-Mahram Woman
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Question:
The questioner from Yemen says, “Your Eminence, we have a custom where men shake hands with women who are not their mahram (relatives one may not marry). When we tell them that this is not permissible, they say, ‘Our hearts are pure, and we are like family.’ Please guide us in light of this, and may you be rewarded.”
Answer:
It is not permissible for a man to shake hands with a woman who is not his mahram, whether she is his brother’s wife, his uncle’s wife, or one of his neighbors. He is not allowed to shake her hand; he should only greet her with words. As for shaking hands, no, he does not shake hands except with his mahram, such as his mother, his sister, his wife, or his father’s wife, and there is no harm in that. But a woman who is not his mahram, but rather a stranger, such as his brother’s wife, his uncle’s wife, some of his neighbors, or some of his cousins, none of these are mahram to him, so it is not permissible for him to shake their hands. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said when a woman extended her hand to him:Sunan Ibn Majah 2874Sahih (Darussalam) (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the pledge of allegiance, he said: Sunan Ibn Majah 2874Sahih (Darussalam) And Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “By Allah, the hand of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) never touched the hand of a woman, he only took their pledge with words” (peace and blessings be upon him). And because touching her is a means to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
The questioner from Yemen says, “Your Eminence, we have a custom where men shake hands with women who are not their mahram (relatives one may not marry). When we tell them that this is not permissible, they say, ‘Our hearts are pure, and we are like family.’ Please guide us in light of this, and may you be rewarded.”
Answer:
It is not permissible for a man to shake hands with a woman who is not his mahram, whether she is his brother’s wife, his uncle’s wife, or one of his neighbors. He is not allowed to shake her hand; he should only greet her with words. As for shaking hands, no, he does not shake hands except with his mahram, such as his mother, his sister, his wife, or his father’s wife, and there is no harm in that. But a woman who is not his mahram, but rather a stranger, such as his brother’s wife, his uncle’s wife, some of his neighbors, or some of his cousins, none of these are mahram to him, so it is not permissible for him to shake their hands. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said when a woman extended her hand to him:
But I do not shake hands with women.
إني لا أصافح النساءBut I do not shake hands with women.
إني لا أصافح النساءThe presenter: May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.