The Prescribed Practice When Meeting and Greeting

This is a letter that reached us from Haitham in Riyadh. Brother Haitham says in his letter: It was mentioned in Tafsir al-Jalalayn on page 324, narrated by Anas ibn Malik, who said: , and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not bow to him, nor was his hand kissed along with the greeting. It was also mentioned in the book *Raising Children in Islam* by Abdullah Al-Alwan, under the title: "Kissing the Hand of the Elder," where Ahmad, al-Bukhari in *Al-Adab al-Mufrad*, Abu Dawud, and Ibn al-Arabi narrated from Zayd, who was in the delegation of Abd al-Qays, who said: , and al-Bukhari narrated in *Al-Adab al-Mufrad* from Suhayb, who said: . This is the end of the text quoted from the two mentioned references. The question is: Which of these statements is correct, obligatory, and in accordance with the Sunnah to follow in greeting? May Allah reward you with good?
Answer: As for the first hadith, the hadith of Anas where they said: , this hadith is weak in its chain according to the scholars; it is not authentic. However, its meaning regarding bowing is correct. It is not permissible to bow to anyone. Therefore, the greeting is not done by bowing, neither to an elder nor to a younger person. Rather, one greets while standing upright without bowing, and shakes hands. The Sunnah is to shake hands. If one is arriving from a journey, the Sunnah is to embrace. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said in another hadith narrated by al-Tabarani with a good chain: . Al-Sha'bi also said this about the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This is also what came in other hadiths. The Companions would meet each other and shake hands, and they would shake hands with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). So the Sunnah is to shake hands when meeting. If one embraces his brother after a long absence or upon arriving from a journey, there is no harm in that. Many reports have come regarding this, indicating that there is no harm in embracing, nor in kissing the space between the eyes and the head when meeting, upon arriving from a journey, or after a long absence. There is no harm in that. As for bowing, it is not permissible to bow.
As for kissing the hand or the foot, it is better to leave it. It is established that he (peace and blessings be upon him) kissed the hand of some of his Companions on some occasions, and some of them kissed his foot. It is also established that some Jews kissed his hand and his foot, but this was rare. If a believer does this with his Shaykh, or with a great Imam, or with a scholar, or with his father on some occasions, there is no harm. However, making it a followed practice is not appropriate; rather, it is disliked. He should rather make it a habit to shake hands. If he kisses the hand of a scholar or his father on some occasions without making it a habit, there is no harm in that, if Allah wills. As for the second hadith, which is his (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: , this is an authentic hadith. It is not permissible for a believer to love that for himself, that people stand up for him and rise to their feet in reverence for him. It is not permissible for him to love that. But if his brother stands up to him, greets him, takes his hand, and shakes hands with him, there is no harm in that.
It is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said to the Ansar, or to the Companions in general, when Sa'd came to judge the matter of Banu Qurayzah: meaning: to greet him and welcome him. So standing up for a person to welcome him, shaking his hand, and helping him dismount from his mount or seating him in the assembly, all of this is permissible. It is also established in the two Sahihs that Talhah ibn 'Ubayd Allah al-Tamimi (may Allah be pleased with him) , one of the ten promised Paradise, when Ka'b came on the day Allah accepted his repentance and he entered the mosque while the people were around the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Talhah ran to him, shook his hand, and congratulated him on Allah's acceptance of his repentance. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not disapprove of that, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand up for Fatimah when she came to him, shake her hand, kiss her, and seat her in his place. She would stand up for him when he came to her (may Allah be pleased with her), kiss him, and take his hand. All of this is permissible.
As for people standing up in reverence for a person only when he enters, this is not appropriate. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) disliked that, and the Companions did not stand up for him because of what they saw of his (peace and blessings be upon him) dislike for it. However, if you stand up to greet him, shake hands with him, and seat him in your place or in another suitable place, or shake hands with him and help him dismount from his mount or car and assist him in that, or to welcome him and honor him, all of this is permissible. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.