Ruling on shaking hands with the opposite sex

Question

Praise be to Allah.

For a man to shake hands with a non-mahram woman (one to whom he is not
related) is haraam and is not permitted at all. Among the evidence for this is the hadeeth
of Ma’qal ibn Yassaar (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Messenger
of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘If one of you were to
be struck in the head with an iron needle, it would be better for him than if he were to
touch a woman he is not allowed to.”

There is no doubt that for a man to touch a non-mahram
woman is one of the causes of fitnah (turmoil, temptation), provocation of desire
and committing haraam deeds. No one should say that their intention is sound or their
heart is clean, because the one who was the purest of heart and the most chaste of all,
the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never touched a
non-mahram woman, even when accepting bay’ah (oath of allegiance) from women.
He did not hold their hands when accepting their bay’ah, as he did with men;
their bay’ah was by words only, as was reported by his wife
‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her). She said that the Messenger of
Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would test the believing women who
emigrated to him with the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “O Prophet! When
believeing women come to you to give you the bay’ah (pledge), that they will not
associate anything in worship with Allaah, that they will not steal, that they will not
commit illegal sexual intercourse, that they will not kill their children, that they will
not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood (i.e., by making illegal children
belong to their husbands), and that thye will not disobey you in any ma’ruf (Islamic
monotheism and all that which Islam ordains), then accept their bay’ah and ask Allaah
to forgive them. Verily Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [al-Mumtahinah
60:12] ‘Aa’ishah said: “So whoever of the believing women agreed to
these conditions, the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
would say to her: ‘I have accepted your bay’ah by words.’ By Allaah,
his hand never touched the hand of any woman when accepting their bay’ah; he
accepted their bay’ah by saying ‘I have accepted your bay’ah
on this basis.’”

(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4512; according to another report: he
accepted their bay’ah by words… the hand of the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never touched the hand of any woman except a
woman he owned . Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6674).

Some Muslims feel too embarrassed to refuse when a woman offers her
hand to them. In addition to mixing with women, some of them claim that they are forced to
shake hands with fellow-students and teachers in schools and universities, or with
colleagues in the workplace, or in business meetings and so on, but this is not an
acceptable excuse. The Muslim should overcome his own feelings and the promptings of the
Shaytaan, and be strong in his faith, because Allaah is not ashamed of the truth. The
Muslim could apologize politely and explain that the reason he does not want to shake
hands is not to offend or hurt anybody’s feelings, but it is because he is following
the teachings of his religion. In most cases this will earn him respect from others. There
is no harm done if they find it strange at first, and it may even be a practical
opportunity for da’wah. And Allaah knows best.