The Ruling on Repeating the Greeting and Handshaking After Prayer
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Question:
Sa'id has a remaining question, but we will proceed with a message from Salem Muhammad Salem; because it relates to the greeting. Salem Muhammad Salem says: I and my friend entered the mosque, and we were talking to each other. After we performed the greeting of the mosque, I greeted him, as is the custom that takes place in mosques, and I extended my hand to him. He looked at me and refused to extend his hand to me, and said: I have not parted from you, and this is a religious innovation (bid'ah). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it, nor did his noble Companions, and people have adopted it as an obligation. Today, when they finish the greeting of the mosque, I stood amazed before him. So is this colleague of mine, or my friend, correct, or am I the one who is correct?
Answer:
I do not know of any harm in a Muslim shaking hands with his brother after they have finished the greeting of the mosque, or the regular voluntary prayer (rawatib) before the obligatory prayer, such as the regular voluntary prayer of the midday prayer (Zuhr) or the regular voluntary prayer of the dawn prayer (Fajr). I do not know of any harm in that, even if they came together, and even if one of them had greeted the other before the prayer. But if they did not come together, or if one of them did not greet the other before the prayer, then the handshake becomes more emphasized after that; because the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to shake hands when they met, and they used to embrace when they returned from a journey. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) and al-Sha'bi said: "The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to shake hands when they met, and they used to embrace when they returned from a journey." And it is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to shake hands with his brothers (peace and blessings be upon him) upon meeting. So this is a known recommended practice (sunnah) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and from his Companions.
As for if he entered with his brother, or greeted him in the row before he prayed the greeting of the mosque when they met in the row, then this is sufficient. The intended purpose has been achieved, and praise be to Allah. But if he greeted him a second time after finishing the greeting of the mosque, or the pre-prayer regular voluntary prayer, if he shook his hand again, I do not know of any harm, and I do not know what would make that a religious innovation (bid'ah). Indeed, the greeting is all good, and it does not bring anything but good, and in it is comfort from some of them to others, and supplication from some of them to others. So there is no blame on him (if Allah wills), and it is not called a religious innovation (bid'ah).
And what indicates this is: what is established in the two authentic collections (al-Bukhari and Muslim), from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): He was sitting in the mosque one day, so some people entered, and he prayed but did not complete his prayer, then he came and greeted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2692Sahih (Darussalam) So he returned and prayed, then he came and greeted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned his greeting, then he said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2692Sahih (Darussalam) So he returned and prayed, then he came and greeted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned his greeting, and said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2692Sahih (Darussalam) So the man said: By Him who sent you as a truthful Prophet, I have not done anything better than this, so teach me. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Bulugh al-Maram 2:139 So this great and noble hadith indicates the obligation and virtue of tranquility in the prayer, and settling in it, and that every pillar be given its right; from standing upright, and tranquility, and not hastening in the bowing (ruku') and prostration (sujud) and standing upright after the bowing, and sitting between the two prostrations. This is among the most important obligations.
And many people hasten, and do not complete these obligations, and this is a great error. The prayer is not valid with it. And in this same hadith, he returned the man's greeting, while he was praying near him, and he came to him three times, greeting and the Prophet returning his greeting, and he did not say: The first greeting is sufficient. Even though he was near him praying, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was watching him, and seeing his movements, and seeing his tranquility or lack thereof, and the Prophet was watching him. And every time he greeted him, he said: And upon you be peace, and returned his greeting, then he said to him: So that indicates that repeating the greeting from a person around you, whom you see performing an action, then he greets you a second time, that there is nothing wrong with it. And it is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he sometimes used to greet three times when he greeted. And the purpose of that (and Allah knows best) is for the listeners to understand, or perhaps they did not respond to the first, or the second; so they pay attention to respond.
So the intended purpose is: that repeating the greeting for teaching, or to alert the present ones so that they return the greeting, or for other reasons that led to it; such as his being occupied with the prayer, for the prayer involves occupation. So when he finished from it, he greeted his brother. There is no blame in this (if Allah wills), and it is not befitting to be strict in this ever. Yes.
The presenter: But some of the common people believe that it is a completion of the prayer, and it does not complete...?
The Shaykh: This is a mistake. This has no connection to the prayer. Rather, it has a connection to comforting his brother, and greeting his brother, and supplicating for his brother, after his occupation with the prayer. So he would have been occupied with the prayer, and turned to Allah in his standing, bowing, and prostration. So this is greater in reality than if a tree or a wall had come between him and his brother, then he greeted him. It came in the hadith that if a tree comes between him and his brother, then he greets him a second time. If he greeted his brother, then a tree or wall came between them, he greets him a second time. So which is greater, this or his occupation with the prayer? If a date palm tree or something like it comes between him and his brother for a moment, a minute, or a quarter of a minute, or two seconds, or three.
The intended purpose is: that this is a trivial matter, then he meets him, he greets him. This is much less than his occupation with the prayer.
Sa'id has a remaining question, but we will proceed with a message from Salem Muhammad Salem; because it relates to the greeting. Salem Muhammad Salem says: I and my friend entered the mosque, and we were talking to each other. After we performed the greeting of the mosque, I greeted him, as is the custom that takes place in mosques, and I extended my hand to him. He looked at me and refused to extend his hand to me, and said: I have not parted from you, and this is a religious innovation (bid'ah). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it, nor did his noble Companions, and people have adopted it as an obligation. Today, when they finish the greeting of the mosque, I stood amazed before him. So is this colleague of mine, or my friend, correct, or am I the one who is correct?
Answer:
I do not know of any harm in a Muslim shaking hands with his brother after they have finished the greeting of the mosque, or the regular voluntary prayer (rawatib) before the obligatory prayer, such as the regular voluntary prayer of the midday prayer (Zuhr) or the regular voluntary prayer of the dawn prayer (Fajr). I do not know of any harm in that, even if they came together, and even if one of them had greeted the other before the prayer. But if they did not come together, or if one of them did not greet the other before the prayer, then the handshake becomes more emphasized after that; because the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to shake hands when they met, and they used to embrace when they returned from a journey. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) and al-Sha'bi said: "The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to shake hands when they met, and they used to embrace when they returned from a journey." And it is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to shake hands with his brothers (peace and blessings be upon him) upon meeting. So this is a known recommended practice (sunnah) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and from his Companions.
As for if he entered with his brother, or greeted him in the row before he prayed the greeting of the mosque when they met in the row, then this is sufficient. The intended purpose has been achieved, and praise be to Allah. But if he greeted him a second time after finishing the greeting of the mosque, or the pre-prayer regular voluntary prayer, if he shook his hand again, I do not know of any harm, and I do not know what would make that a religious innovation (bid'ah). Indeed, the greeting is all good, and it does not bring anything but good, and in it is comfort from some of them to others, and supplication from some of them to others. So there is no blame on him (if Allah wills), and it is not called a religious innovation (bid'ah).
And what indicates this is: what is established in the two authentic collections (al-Bukhari and Muslim), from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
A
أgo back and pray for indeed you have not prayed.
ارجع فصل، فإنك لم تصلgo back and pray for indeed you have not prayed.
ارجع فصل فإنك لم تصلgo back and pray for indeed you have not prayed.
ارجع فصل فإنك لم تصلWhen you get up to pray, perform ablution perfectly, then face the Qiblah and say: 'Allahu Akbar' (Allah is the Most Great). Then recite a convenient portion of the Qur'an; then bow and remain calmly in that position for a moment, then rise up and stand erect; then prostrate and remain calmly in that position for a moment, then rise up and sit calmly, then prostrate and remain calmly in that position for a moment; then do that throughout your prayer.
إذا قمت إلى الصلاة؛ فأسبغ الوضوء، ثم استقبل القبلة فكبر، ثم اقرأ ما تيسر معك من القرآن، ثم اركع حتى تطمئن راكعًا، ثم ارفع حتى تعتدل قائمًا، ثم اسجد حتى تطمئن ساجدًا، ثم ارفع حتى تطمئن جالسًا، ثم اسجد حتى تطمئن ساجدًا، ثم افعل ذلك في صلاتك كلهاAnd many people hasten, and do not complete these obligations, and this is a great error. The prayer is not valid with it. And in this same hadith, he returned the man's greeting, while he was praying near him, and he came to him three times, greeting and the Prophet returning his greeting, and he did not say: The first greeting is sufficient. Even though he was near him praying, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was watching him, and seeing his movements, and seeing his tranquility or lack thereof, and the Prophet was watching him. And every time he greeted him, he said: And upon you be peace, and returned his greeting, then he said to him:
Return and pray
ارجع فصلSo the intended purpose is: that repeating the greeting for teaching, or to alert the present ones so that they return the greeting, or for other reasons that led to it; such as his being occupied with the prayer, for the prayer involves occupation. So when he finished from it, he greeted his brother. There is no blame in this (if Allah wills), and it is not befitting to be strict in this ever. Yes.
The presenter: But some of the common people believe that it is a completion of the prayer, and it does not complete...?
The Shaykh: This is a mistake. This has no connection to the prayer. Rather, it has a connection to comforting his brother, and greeting his brother, and supplicating for his brother, after his occupation with the prayer. So he would have been occupied with the prayer, and turned to Allah in his standing, bowing, and prostration. So this is greater in reality than if a tree or a wall had come between him and his brother, then he greeted him. It came in the hadith that if a tree comes between him and his brother, then he greets him a second time. If he greeted his brother, then a tree or wall came between them, he greets him a second time. So which is greater, this or his occupation with the prayer? If a date palm tree or something like it comes between him and his brother for a moment, a minute, or a quarter of a minute, or two seconds, or three.
The intended purpose is: that this is a trivial matter, then he meets him, he greets him. This is much less than his occupation with the prayer.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.