Shariah rulings about shaking hands

 

Shariah rulings about shaking hands

 

When one meets others, shaking hands with both the hands is a Sunnah.  There is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari about handshakes:

 

Translation: Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud (May Allah be well pleased with him) says that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) taught me the Tashahud and my palm was between both His blessed palms.  (Sahih Bukhari, Babul Musafaha)

 

Imam Bukhari (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) has related this verse in the Chapter of Handshakes (Baabul Musafaha), which shows that when a handshake is performed while meeting people, it should be performed with both hands.

 

Also, Imam Bukhari (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) has also composed another chapter alongside this chapter that a handshake should be performed with both hands.  Imam Bukhari (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) relates that Hadhrat Hammad bin Zaid used both his hands when shaking hands with Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Mubarak (May Allah shower His Mercy on them).  (Sahih Bukhari, Baabul Akhaza Bil Yadain)

 

However, one may shake hands with members of one’s own sex only.  Shaking hands with members of the opposite sex is not allowed at all. 

 

It is expressly forbidden in the Shariah for men to shake hands with non-Mahram women (those women with whom marriage is permissible) and for women to shake hands with non-Mahram men (those men with whom marriage is permissible) even though they may be relatives.  This act opens the door to greater evils.

 

Thus it is not allowed to shake hands with members of the opposite sex even though they may be one’s relatives, as they are non-Mahram.

 

As given in Al-Hidayah, Vol. 4, Kitaabul karahiya.