MUHAMM7D
Muslim
Ruling on Greeting by opposite sex
Question: ABOUT THE GREETING OF WOMEN BY MEN AND MEN BY WOMEN:
Answer: That general ahadeeth are to be understood and acted upon according to the understanding and action of the Salaf.
That if we have a general hadeeth covering various cases - then to act on some parts of that not acted on by the Salaf is innovation. This is how innovations begin - and if we wished to produce a general text to support many innovations (we could do that). So the fact that the Salaf did not act on something covered by a general hadeeth shows that that was not intended, and for us to do so would be an innovation.
An example is the ahadeeth recommending Prayer in Jamaa'ah - this covers all Prayer, even Nafl Prayer and the 'Sunnah Prayers' - but the Salaf had not used to pray, for example, the rak'ahs before dhuhr in Jamaa'ah - so to do so acting on the ahadeeth recommending Jamaa'ah would be an innovation.
And with regard to this question - we find that the Salaf had not used to greet the women whom they came across. And this is also to prevent fitnah.
Question: WHAT ABOUT WHEN VISITING A BROTHER AND THE DOOR IS ANSWERED BY HIS WIFE - SHOULD HE GREET AND THEN STATE WHO HE IS, ETC.?
Answer: That is from the Sharee'ah since there is no Fitnah.
Some Points from a Question-and-Answer Session with Shaikh Muhammad Naasir ad-Deen al-Albaani
Source: Jami'at Ihyaa' Mihaaj Al-Sunnah
Fataawa by Shaikh Muhammad Naasir ad-Deen al-Albaanee