No two Muslims meet and shake hands except that their sins are forgiven before they part
Narrator in the source: Al-Barā’
Al-Barā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No two Muslims meet and shake hands except that their sins are forgiven before they part."- Grade in the source
- Sahīh (authentic) based on its overall chains of transmission
- Reported by
- Narrated by Abu Dāwūd, At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Mājah, and Ahmad
- Source entry
- HadeethEnc · 6257 ↗
Original Arabic wording
عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ فَيَتَصَافَحَانِ إِلَّا غُفِرَ لَهُمَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا».Understand this hadith
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that no two Muslims meet on a way or the like, and one of them greets the other with a handshake, except that both of them will be forgiven before they part ways, whether physically or after finishing the handshake.
Lessons from the hadith
- Shaking hands upon meeting is recommended and encouraged.
- Al-Munāwi said: The Sunnah act is not fulfilled except by placing the right hand in the right hand when there is no excuse.
- Encouraging spreading the greeting of peace and highlighting the great reward attained when a Muslim shakes hands with his fellow Muslim.
- The prohibited handshaking, such as shaking hands with a foreign woman, is excluded from the Hadīth.
References (original Arabic)
سنن أبي داود (7/ 502) (5212). سنن الترمذي (4/ 447) (2727). سنن ابن ماجه (4/ 654) (3703). مسند أحمد (30/ 517) (18547). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 152). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 680).