Is it permissible, Islamically, for a man to shake hands with a woman at work?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
If the men are mahrams (unmarriageable kin), it is permissible to shake their hands; in fact, it is a . However, if they are non-mahrams (strangers), it is not permissible to shake their hands, due to the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "For one of you to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle is better for him than that he should touch a woman who is not lawful for him." There is no difference in the prohibition whether the person is at work or outside of it.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/42144
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 42144
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy