The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, did not shake women's hands in the pledge of allegiance

13-12-2015 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalamu alaykum. I read a narration in Al-Marifah of Abu Nuaym Isfahani that Ibn Luhayʻah said that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, used to shake hands with men during the bay'ah (pledge of allegiance) but not with women. Is this particular narration sound? May Allaah reward you.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

We could not find the mentioned version of the hadeeth reported on the authority of Ibn Laheeʻah about whom the hadeeth scholars’ criticism is well-known, declaring him a weak reporter. Even if these words are his and he did not attribute them to the Prophet the chain of narration of this report is mu‘dhal (has two or more narrators missing from its chain consecutively). In any case, it has been authentically reported that the Prophet did not shake hands with women and that they gave bayʻah (pledge of allegiance) to him verbally without shaking hands with him. He said, "I do not shake hands with women. My word to a hundred women is like my word to one woman." Al-Albaani cited the hadeeth under number 529 in his book As-Silsilah As-Saheehah. He cited all its chains of narration and highlighted the manner in which women gave the bayʻah to the Prophet . He comprehensively addressed the issue, then cited a report on the authority of ʻAbdullaah ibn ʻAmr reading, "The Prophet did not shake hands with women when they gave the bayʻah to him." The report was cited by Imaam Ahmad .

Hence, it is established beyond doubt that the Prophet did not shake the hands of women when they gave him the pledge of allegiance and sufficed with a verbal pledge.

Allaah knows best.