How should a female employee act regarding shaking hands with the foreign Italian manager despite her refusal to shake hands?
It has been previously explained that it is impermissible for a woman to shake hands with men who are not her mahram. Shyness is not an excuse to permit this, especially if the man is not Muslim. Rather, one should adhere to the rulings of the Sharia and demonstrate pride in them. A woman working in a mixed-gender environment is originally prohibited, but it is permissible due to extreme necessity, provided that she observes caution and avoids forbidden actions such as shaking hands, speaking in a soft and alluring manner, and being in seclusion with a man. She should also continuously search for work that does not necessitate mixing with men.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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