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It is Discouraged to Kiss when Greeting one another
Author : The General Iftaa` Department
Date Added : 17-10-2022

It is Discouraged to Kiss when Greeting one another

 

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

People have been asking about the ruling of Sharia on men kissing men and women kissing women when meeting and greeting. This question is posed due to what is being said about transmission of infection as a result. In short, this issue boils down to the following:

This act of kissing-regardless of infection-is discourged by Sharia except in exceptional cases. A man asked: "O Messenger of Allah! When a man meets a brother or a friend, should he bow to him?" He said: "No." The man asked whether he should embrace and kiss him? The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) replied: "No." He asked whether he should hold his hand and shake it? The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) replied: "Yes." [At-Tirmidhi]. This is what the companions (May Allah be pleased with them) used to do. Anas reported: "If the companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, met each other, they would shake hands. If they had returned from a journey, they would embrace each other." {At-Tabarani}. This narration shows an exceptional case in which kissing is allowed. However, Sharia discourages Muslims to kiss every time they meet.

Nonetheless, if this kissing entails the possibility of infection, then it isn`t allowed by Sharia since the Prophet (PBUH) forbade letting sick camels graze or drink with healthy ones. If this is the case with animals, then people are more entitled to observe such precautionary measure.

Accordingly, we advise all citizens to suffice with shaking hands when visiting during Eid time, and this is the customary practice of many advanced Muslim countries. As people say, what counts is the feeling that people have in their hearts towards one another since kissing someone while hating them or being afraid of catching infection doesn`t befit human beings. Let`s make this happy occasion an opportunity to get rid of this bad habit of kissing except in exceptional cases, such as kissing someone who came after a long journey. The Messenger of Allah kissed Jafar Bin Abi Talib between his eyes when he came from Abyssinia after having migrated to it for many years. However, even in such cases, if a person is coming from a country with a pandemic, then this kissing should be avoided.

Finally, it is good to remind that low morals are more infectious than diseases, so beware of them, and we wish you a happy Eid.

 

General Iftaa` Department.

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

Does the deceased hear the supplications or recitations of those visiting his/her grave? And does making constant supplications for the deceased who didn`t adhere to performing the prescribed prayers ameliorate his/her affliction?

Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.

In principle, the dead hear the living since it has been rigorously authenticated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the bodies of the idolaters slain in the Battle of Badr to be buried. He then approached them and called them one by one and said, “Have you found what your Lord promised to be true for we have found what our Lord promised us to be true.” ‘Umar asked him, “O messenger of God! Why do you speak to lifeless bodies?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “By the One Who has sent me with the truth! You do not hear my words better than they do except that they cannot respond.”{Related by Bukhari & Muslim}.

However, not all the deceased are in the same situation because Allah the Almighty says, "Before them is a Partition till the Day they are raised up."{Al-Mu`minun, 100}. Moreover, supplication reaches the deceased. And Allah knows best.

 

Is a wife considered divorced if her husband refused to go to bed with her(for sexual intercourse) for two months?

A wife doesn`t get divorced no matter for how long her husband refuses to have sex with her, and she had better go to court.

What is the expiation for breaking fast due to being on a journey, or being sick, or being in a state of menstruation?

No expiation is due on the aforesaid categories, but they are obliged to make up for the missed fast. However, if any of them failed to do so while being able to, and the next Ramadhaan has come, then making up for those days is incumbent on him/her , and paying the ransom as well.

Is it permissible for a woman to have her underwear on while performing Umrah?

Yes, it is permissible for a woman to have her underwear on while performing Umrah. This is because she should keep her regular clothes that cover all her body while being in a state of Ihram(ritual consecration) for Hajj, or Umrah. However, she should uncover her face and hands, but it is permissible for her to let her head-covering garment drape from her head down over her face when non-Mahram (i.e., marriageable) men pass by her.