Sharīʿah Ruling on Handshaking with Non-Mahram Women
Question:
What is the ruling on shaking hands with a non-mahram woman? If she covers her hand with a piece of cloth or any barrier, does the ruling change? And does it make a difference if either the man or the woman is elderly?
Answer:
It is not permissible under any circumstance to shake hands with non-mahram women — whether they are young or old, and whether the man is young or elderly — because of the danger of both falling into fitnah.
With an authentic chain of narration, the statement of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ is established:
«إني لا أصافح النساء»
“Indeed, I do not shake hands with women.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Sunan al-Nasāʾī, ḥadīth 4181]
Ḥaḍrat ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها narrated:
«ما مست يد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يد امرأة قط ما كان يبايعهن إلا بالكلام»
“The hand of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ never touched the hand of any woman. He would take their pledge of allegiance only verbally.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, ḥadīth 4983; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, ḥadīth 1866]
Due to the general evidences and the necessity of blocking the means to fitnah, there is no difference between shaking hands with or without a barrier such as cloth.
(Fatwā by: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Bāz رحمه الله)
Question:
What is the ruling on shaking hands with a non-mahram woman? If she covers her hand with a piece of cloth or any barrier, does the ruling change? And does it make a difference if either the man or the woman is elderly?
Answer:
It is not permissible under any circumstance to shake hands with non-mahram women — whether they are young or old, and whether the man is young or elderly — because of the danger of both falling into fitnah.
With an authentic chain of narration, the statement of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ is established:
«إني لا أصافح النساء»
“Indeed, I do not shake hands with women.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Sunan al-Nasāʾī, ḥadīth 4181]
Ḥaḍrat ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها narrated:
«ما مست يد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يد امرأة قط ما كان يبايعهن إلا بالكلام»
“The hand of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ never touched the hand of any woman. He would take their pledge of allegiance only verbally.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, ḥadīth 4983; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, ḥadīth 1866]
Due to the general evidences and the necessity of blocking the means to fitnah, there is no difference between shaking hands with or without a barrier such as cloth.
(Fatwā by: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Bāz رحمه الله)
