Shaking hands with an Ajnabiyyah

Q 3: I hope Your Eminence will clarify the ruling on shaking hands with an Ajnabiyyah (a woman other than a wife or unmarriageable female relatives)? Is there an exception from the ruling on shaking hands with the non-Mahram woman (not a spouse or an unmarriageable relative) who helped to raise me when I was young?

A: It is not permissible for a man to shake hands with a non-Mahram woman, even if she helped in raising him, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) never shook hands with non-Mahram women. Even when he was accepting the Bay‘ah (pledge of allegiance) from women, he did not shake their hands; their Bay‘ah was only made verbally, because shaking hands with them may lead to Fitnah (temptation). (Part No. 17; Page No. 47) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.