Shaking hands with the elderly women

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question:

I�m a Yemeni man living in England, and it is within the culture of many Arabs to shake hands with members of the opposite sex. I know this to be haram so I�ve recently made a promise to totally stop it. The problem is the elderly women take it very personal and I�ve had one lady come and complain to my mother about me. These women are like aunties that treat me like their own and so are even more hurt when I avoid shaking their hands. I�ve tried explaining it to my family but they insist that there is nothing wrong with shaking hands with elderly women. I need some advice.

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullah,

It is prohibited to shake hands with non-immediate relations of the opposite sex, except when:

a) they are elderly; and

b) there is no fear of temptation or desire.

When not elderly, it is not permitted even without such fear, and is sinful.

Faraz Rabbani.

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Shaking hands with the elderly women

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