Question:
I meet a specific person five times a day every day. Each time he stretches out his hand for musafahah with every salam. How is it to shake hands each time in this manner?
Answer: حامدا ومصليا ومسلما
Great virtue has been mentioned in the hadith for musafahah (shaking hands). Nabi Karim ﷺ said:
“ما من مسلمين يلتقيان فيتصافحان إلا غفر لهما قبل أن يفترقا” ((رواه أبو داود)).”
“There are no two Muslims who meet and shake hands but they will be forgiven before they part.”
From this it is known that when meeting and after saying salams it is Sunnah and desirable to shake hands. Imam Nawawi says in ‘Kitabul Azkaar’: اعلم انها سنة مجمع عليها عند التلاقي
“Know, that it is an agreed upon Sunnah at the time of meeting.” (Azkaar Pg.236)
Mulla Ali Qari states: 4:575ان محل المصافحة المشروعة اول الملاقاة [المرقات شرح المشكاة
“The legalized time to shake hands is at the start of the meet.”
Abu Dawud collects the narration of Abu Dharr where he was asked: “When you all used to meet the Messeneger of Allah ﷺ, did he shake your hands?” Abu Dharr replied: “ما لقيته قط الا صافحني”, “I never met him but that he shook my hands.” [ابو داود كتاب الادب باب في المعانقة]
Imam Nawawi states: “اعلم ان هذه المصافحة مستحبة عند كل لقاء” “Know that this musafahah is mustahab at each meet.” (Azkaar Pg.237)
Therefore, if any person stretches out his hands for musafahah at every time of meeting and saying salams, then there is nothing wrong in shaking his hands. However, one should not consider it necessary and binding.
And Allah Ta’ala knows best
(Hazrat Mufti) Ahmed Khanpuri (May Allah preserve him)
(Mahmoodul Fataawa (Vol.4 Pg.711-12
I read from a Shaykh that when one enters a gathering one should not go and shake each individuals hand. He was criticizing this practice. Is this true or false? For example if you go to offer condolence at the house of the deceased should you shake hands with the small gathering of people or just the family of the deceased?
https://www.troid.ca/brief-benefits/2221-benefit-the-innovation-of-greeting-people-one-by-one-when-entering-a-gathering ,
actually I was wrong, the Shaykh is not criticizing shaking hands with everyone , rather he is saying only one Salam is necessary even if shaking more than one hand.