How can one reconcile the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) dislike of the Companions standing for him, with his letting them kiss his hand and foot? And is what the Sufis do, in kissing the hands and feet of their shaykhs, correct or incorrect? And how can one establish proof against them from the Hadith?

In summary: The issue is resolved by understanding the difference between a recurring habit and an incidental act for a reason. The Companions did not stand up for the Prophet, peace be upon him, when they saw him, because he disliked that, as stated in the hadith narrated by Anas: "There was no one more beloved to them than the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. And when they saw him, they would not stand up, because they knew of his dislike for that." As for kissing the hand, some newly arrived Companions or recent converts did so, and it was not a recurring habit. The Prophet's silence, peace be upon him, was to win over their hearts, and it was not forbidden.

As for Sufi shaykhs, they differ, as they are quick to extend their hands for kissing, and this is forbidden by consensus. Ibn Taymiyyah stated that recurring standing was not a habit of the Companions, and kissing the hand was rarely a habit, and extending the hand for kissing is forbidden. Shaykh Ibn Baz mentioned that shaking hands is the prevalent Sunnah, and kissing the hand, if done occasionally for a legitimate Islamic benefit, there is no harm in it. However, making it a habit is contrary to the Sunnah. Shaykh Al-Albani added that kissing the hand of a scholar is permissible under certain conditions: that it is not made a habit, that it does not lead to the scholar's arrogance, and that it does not lead to abandoning the Sunnah of shaking hands.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen concluded that it is permissible to kiss the hand of someone worthy of respect, such as a father or a shaykh, as long as it does not lead to harm, such as the person whose hand is kissed becoming conceited. The Permanent Committee stated that kissing hands and feet and prostrating to them are forms of exaggeration and can be a means to major shirk. Shaykh Al-Albani emphasized that kissing the Prophet's hand, peace be upon him, was rare and not done by those closest to him, like Abu Bakr, which contradicts what some shaykhs do who become angry if their hands are not kissed. Shaykh Abdullah ibn Aqil clarified that kissing the Prophet's hand was not a habit of the Companions, and what has been narrated is very rare. Some imams disliked it if it led to glorification, subservience, and alteration of the Sunnah.