Question:

Should a person say salam to non-mahram women and should he reply to their salams? If we don’t say salam then they say that his parents did not teach him any manners. If a woman gives us salams and we males do not reply then it breaks their hearts. Is it permissible to say salam to non-mahram women and reply to their salams?

Answer:

It is not permissible to say salam or reply to the salam of young non-mahram women due to the fear of fitnah. However, it is permissible to say salams to a very old lady.

Those people who say that your parents did not teach you any manners, it should be said to them that not simply my parents, rather Allah and His Messenger has taught us to stay away from places of fitnah. If by practicing on the laws of Allah someone’s heart is broken then you need not to worry. It is more important to refrain from breaking the Deen than breaking someone’s heart.

(Hazrat Shaheed Mufti) Yusuf Ludhyanwi (May Allah have mercy on him)
Aap ke Masaail aur unkaa Hall Vol.8 Pg.160-161