Ask Qul - Social Interaction - shaking hands as part of work

Pearl of Wisdom

'Dissimulation has situations [necessitating it]. Whoever lifts them from their rightful places, they will not uphold him. The explanation of what should be dissimulated is like when there is an evil people whose outer rulings and actions oppose rightful rulings and actions, so everything that a believer does among them in a situation [necessitating] dissimulation is permissible, as long as it does not lead to the corruption of his faith.'

Imam Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq [as]

al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 168, no. 1

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Question : #226

Category: Social Interaction

Subject:	shaking hands as part of work
Question:	I am working in a company and supposed to shake hands with customers, male or female. If don't do that, it would be considered impolite and there is a risk of losing my job and suffering the aftermath? What should I do?
Answer:	A Muslim man is not allowed to shake hands with a woman without a barrier, such as gloves, unless refraining from shaking hands will put him in a considerable harm or unbearable difficulty. In the latter case, he is allowed to shake hands to the extent of necessity only.

Follow Up Question:	isn't it that if you don't want to shake hand then you should put your right hand on your chest?
Follow Up Response Question:	That's correct, gesturing by placing your hand on your chest as a humble way of greeting the opposite gender.

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