Questions about muslim custom.

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Innvertigo

Guest
I don't know where on this site I should be asking this question so I chose here.

Anyway, I am ignorant to muslim custom for the most part. I just moved into a new community and was shovling snow and my next door neighbor came over. She was all bundled up with winter clothes so I couldn't quite get a good look at her face (she was also wearing a shawl over her head (i'm assuming since it was 9 degrees F. out)) I introduced myself and went to shake her hand and she told me that she can't shake hands...it was a little awkward, though she was nice about it. I wasn't sure if she was a muslim or not but she sounded Arabic and I know my Chaladean friends can shake hands. Is this a custom for muslims?
 
American Muslim

American Muslim

Just Another Slave
Practicing Muslims have special laws, or sunnah, that we follow. If your neighbor was a Muslim woman, then no, it would not be proper for her to shake your hand. Please, no offense is meant by this. It is just that men and women who are not married or closely related should not have physical contact.
 
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Innvertigo

Guest
Ah, I see. I didn't take offense, I figured it was just a cultural belief.
 
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Innvertigo

Guest
everything has a culture...what I meant was a way of life, hence culture.
 
M

Mrmuslim

Smile you are @ TTI
Staff member
Hello Innvertigo, I hope you will understand why she didnt after you read this, it wasnt because you as person that she refused to shake your hand,
if she is Muslim and I am assuming she is.

Her reaction will be the same if any Muslim male who is not related to her directly " father, brother, son , husband" or any one who is not Mahram to her.

This rule is applies to Men too they dont supose to shake hands with any woman who is not related to him directly "mother, sister, wife, daughter" who he is not mahram to them.

Whats the meaning of A mahram

A mahram refers to the group of people who are unlawful for a woman to marry due to marital or blood relationships. These people include:

1-Her permanant Mahrams due to blood relationship, and those seven are: her father, her son (who passed puberty), her brother, her uncle from her father's side, her brother's son, her sister's son, and her uncle from her mother's side.

2-Her Radha' Mahrams due to sharing the nursing milk when she was an infant, and their status is similar to the permanent seven Mahrams (i.e. nothing can change their status).

3-Her (in law) Mahrams because of marriage and they are: her husband's father (father in law), her husband's son (step son), her mother's husband (step father), and her daughter's husband.

You might find it strange, but the reason behinde prohipition of shaking hands with a woman if there is fear of provoking sexual desire or enjoyment on the part of either one of them or if there is fear of temptation. This is based on the general rule that blocking the means to evil is obligatory, especially if its signs are clear.

hope this was helpfull

later
 
American Muslim

American Muslim

Just Another Slave
I think what the brother was saying was that Islam is not a "traditional" culture in that it is not connected with a certain people in a certain place or time. Our deen is much larger than that. It is what literally makes a man in Indonesia my brother. Or an African my brother. Or a Chechyn woman my sister. Literally.

We speak different languages. Often we eat different foods because of what is available. We wear different styles of clothing. But these differences are only on the surface.

The language of the Qu'aran is Arabic, so regardless that I'm a white guy from Chicago, my language is Arabic (I just don't speak it very well). The cut of my clothing is different from a Moroccon, but both are loose fitting and confirm to the proper length. The Qu'aran and sunnah guide all of our actions. There are sunnah's about what is the best food to eat, the best exercise to use, how to marry, how to pray. From the really big issues of life all the way down to the minutiae.

I believe that this is what the brother was trying to explain by saying that Islam doesn't have a culture.
 
I

Innvertigo

Guest
Mrmuslim said:
You might find it strange, but the reason behinde prohipition of shaking hands with a woman if there is fear of provoking sexual desire or enjoyment on the part of either one of them or if there is fear of temptation. This is based on the general rule that blocking the means to evil is obligatory, especially if its signs are clear.

hope this was helpfull

later
Click to expand...

that's what I was thinking...that was definatly not my intention.
 
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