Q: Could you please provide the Hadith, with Rawi etc. concerning the strict prohibition of a man touching a woman's hand, since I had heard that "A man's shoulder touching that of a woman is worse than touching a swine . . ."
The Hadith is "It is better that a steel nail be impaled on one's head than that he touches the palm of a woman . . ." (Au kama Qaala) or words to the effect.
My friend who works in a mixed workplace told me that women shoot out their hands for a handshake . . . once he dropped his keys and stooped to pick it up, and then arose to find the confounded hand still there. He avoided again by saying he's got to go to the loo.
[Later I advised that to say straightaway, "Being a Muslim I cannot touch your hand nor look at you." which might offend the greeter, but will please Allah.] Please guide. Allah has praised and described the Ulama, "Innamaa yakhshallaha min Ibaadihil Ulamaa." (Is this correct?)
A:
وعن معقل بن يسار رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : لأن يطعن في رأس أحدكم بمخيط من حديد خير له من أن يمس امرأة لا تحل له . رواه الطبراني والبيهقي ( الترغيب والترهيب 3/39 )
Hadhrat Ma’qal ibn Yasaar (Radiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “It is better for a person that a needle be pierced into his head than touching a woman who it is not permissible for him to touch”.
عن أبي أمامة رضي الله عنه عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : إياك والخلوة بالنساء ، والذي نفسي بيده ما خلا رجل بامرأة إلا دخل الشيطان بينهما ، ولأن يزحم رجل خنزيرا متلطخا بطين أو حمأة خير له من أن يزحم منكبه منكب امرأة لا تحل له . رواه الطبراني ( الترغيب والترهيب 3/39)
Hadhrat Abu Umaamah (Radiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “Abstain from being in seclusion with women. By the qasam of that being in whose control lies my life, no man secludes himself with a strange women but shaitaan joins them. And it is better for a person to touch a swine which is messed in mud than to allow his shoulder to touch the shoulder of a strange woman (in a crowd)
Saheeh Bukhari etc, have this hadith that Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) hand did not touch the hands of a strange women.
أخبرني عروة أن عائشة رضي الله عنها زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أخبرته أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يمتحن من هاجر إليه من المؤمنات بهذه الآية بقول الله { يا أيها النبي إذا جاءك المؤمنات يبايعنك إلى قوله غفور رحيم } قال عروة قالت عائشة فمن أقر بهذا الشرط من المؤمنات قال لها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قد بايعتك كلاما ولا والله ما مست يده يد امرأة قط في المبايعة ما يبايعهن إلا بقوله قد بايعتك على ذلك (صحيح البخاري رقم 4891)
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