What is the ruling on men shaking hands with women?

Here is a message sent by a group of brothers from Sudan, among them the brother Muhammad 'Abd al-Qadir Muhammad, and Muhammad Sir al-Khatim Isma'il from Sudan. The brothers share a single question, which says: There are those who say that shaking hands with a non-mahram woman is forbidden. Is this statement correct, and we ask for the evidence?
Answer: Shaking hands with non-mahram women is not permissible, and there is no doubt about that. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: , when he was taking the pledge of allegiance from the women and some of the women extended their hands, he said: . This indicates that it is not permissible, and Muslims follow his example (peace and blessings be upon him) in this. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said, in what is established in the authentic collections, when she mentioned the pledge of allegiance to the women: . This is his Sunnah (peace and blessings be upon him): not shaking hands with women, neither in the pledge of allegiance nor in anything else. And Allah says, Glorified and Exalted is He: [Al-Ahzab: 21]. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . And because shaking hands with them is a fitnah (trial) and a means to evil, some scholars have said: It is worse than looking, because touching her hand is a fitnah, and she may be young, and her hand may be soft.
So the conclusion is: Touching the hand is a fitnah, so it is of the same kind as looking, or worse than looking, and it is forbidden. It is sufficient for the believer with what is established in the Sunnah, and it is not permissible for him to contradict it, especially in such dangerous situations. May Allah grant everyone success and guidance. Yes.
The presenter: What should be said to those who portray this, O Shaykh, as contempt for women?
The Shaykh: This is not contempt, but it is honoring her and protecting her, and protecting the believer from falling into what Allah has forbidden. So he says to her: O my sister, or O so-and-so. The intention is not to insult you, but the intention is obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and staying away from the causes of fitnah. So she is not to shake hands with her husband's brother, nor her sister's husband, nor her cousin, nor her neighbor in the house... nor anyone else. But she greets them with words: "As-salamu alaykum" (Peace be upon you), "Peace be upon you, O so-and-so," "How are you?" with hijab and covering, without exposing the face or anything else. She is covered and veiled, and she greets with good words, in response and in initiation: "How are you?" "How are your children?" and so on. As Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said in His great Book in Surat al-Ahzab: [Al-Ahzab: 53].
He, Glorified and Exalted, made clear that this is purity: hijab and staying away from fitnah is purity for the hearts of everyone. He said, (peace and blessings be upon him) : [Al-Ahzab: 59]. He, Glorified and Exalted, said: [An-Nur: 31], the verse. And the hand is part of the adornment. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.