Is hugging women permissible, whether they are relatives or not?

It is forbidden to shake hands with a non-mahram woman, embrace her, or hug her. A close female relative who is not a mahram is treated the same as a non-mahram woman. It is permissible for a man to shake hands with his mahrams, such as his paternal aunt (ammah) and maternal aunt (khalah). However, embracing them, hugging them, and kissing them on the mouth is prohibited due to the arousal of desire it may entail. It is sufficient to kiss the head or the nose.

Sheikh Ibn Baz was asked about kissing and shaking hands with non-mahram relatives, and he answered that this custom is bad, objectionable, and contrary to Islamic law. He stated that they must wear hijab and not display their adornment to him, and that verbal greetings without kissing or shaking hands are sufficient.

Sheikh Ibn Baz also said: There is no harm in a man kissing his daughter, whether old or young, without desire, provided it is on her cheek if she is old. As for kissing on the mouth, it may lead to the arousal of desire, so avoiding it is better and more cautious. Similarly, a daughter may kiss her father on his nose or head without desire. However, if there is desire, it is forbidden for everyone, to block the means to temptation.