❖ Source:
This fatwa is taken from the book “500 Questions & Answers for Women”, based on the verdicts of the Scholars of the Ḥaramayn, translated by Ḥāfiẓ ʿAbdullāh Salīm.
✿ Question:
Some women observe hijab in front of their son-in-law and avoid shaking hands with him. Is this permissible for them?
✿ Answer:
A son-in-law (damād) is among the maḥram relatives of a woman by virtue of his marital bond with her daughter. Therefore, he is permitted to see those parts of his mother-in-law’s body which are normally visible to her other maḥram relatives—such as her mother, sister, or daughter. These include the face, hair, arms, etc.
Hence, covering the face, hair, and arms from a son-in-law is considered excessive in observing hijab (ghulū). Likewise, avoiding shaking hands with him during a meeting falls under excessive caution in guarding modesty, which may result in unnecessary aversion or strained relations.
However, if a woman perceives any kind of suspicious behavior or dishonest glances from the son-in-law, then her precautionary conduct—such as avoiding physical contact and observing stricter hijab—will be deemed appropriate and justified.
[Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fatwa – Saudi Arabia]