Darulifta Ahlesunnat
(Dawateislami)
Question
What do the honourable scholars of Islam say regarding the following
matter: may the imam and followers shake hands after salah?
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ
الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
In itself,
shaking hands is a Sunnah. Shaking hands after salah is permissible and lawful
(mubāḥ). It is a commendable act,
as shaking hands removes malice and increases their love and respect for each
other.
After
salah, the scholars, pious people, and Muslims at large consider shaking hands
to be a good act. A hadith mentions that whatever is considered good by the
Muslims, it is also considered good in the court of Allah.
The books
of jurisprudence which labelled the shaking of hands after salah as an
innovation (bidʿa)
have not considered it a sinful innovation (bidʿa sayyiʾa)
but a commendable innovation (bidʿa ḥasanah), which is defined as a new act which does not
contravene the Quran and Sunnah. Commendable innovations are not forbidden in
Islam. If the Muslims consider them to be good, they are considered accepted
and good in the court of Allah.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ
وَسَلَّم