Q- “Is it allowable for me and women [who are eligible to marry] to shake hands sometimes?”

A- “The origin [of this ruling] is that a man is not allowed to shake hands with a woman [who he is eligible to marry and vice versa]. However, if she is an elderly woman then the school of Abi Hanifa [may Allah have mercy upon him] considered shaking hands with her permissible. Perhaps, the questioner will state that, “By not shaking a woman’s hand it could lead to hardship or shared ill feelings and so forth?” If not shaking hands will lead to the actuality of those fears, then it is allowable to shake hands as long as there is no evil feelings or affection for the woman [and vice versa]. And if the opposite holds true, then it is not allowed to do so.

Dr. Abdullah bin Bayyah

* Note, there was some abridgment done to this answer to make it clearer to the English audience. However, the meaning and answer of Dr. Bin Bayyah was not changed.

Translated by suhaib webb

Q- What is meant by moderation?

A- “By moderation we mean a comparison between the universals [of Shari’ah] and its particulars; a balance between the core aims [of Shari’ah] and its secondary branches and a strong correlation between the fixed [texts] and consideration for the changeable [texts related to] benefits [where applicable] when giving religious edicts and opinions without additions or subtractions.”

Imam al-Shatibi said in al-Muwafaqat:

“The competent mufti, of the highest authority, is one who carries people to a natural balance which is appropriate for the masses. He does not lead them to the way of extremism, nor does he lean with them towards the excess of unbridled liberalism. The evidence for this is that it [the way of balance and moderation] is the straightway which the Shari’ah brought. Thus, it operates on the premise that the goal of Shari’ah, for the one charged with worship, is to bear [his-her religious articulation], upon moderation, without any excessive hardship nor disproportionate ease. Therefore, if the Mufti goes beyond this [balance], in dealing with those who seek fatwa, then he has left the aim of the law giver [Allah]. For that reason, anything that goes beyond the range of moderation is considered debased by the scholars. “

Translated by suhaib webb

In the aftermath of the Cairo-based Court of Administrative Justice’s decision clearing the way for Egyptian Baha’is to obtain proper identification papers, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah, Vice-President of the International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS) and professor at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Jeddah, told Al-Watan newspaper, “I cannot criticize the Egyptian court ruling, as the court has its own considerations”.

“However, it is widely known that Baha’is contravene a lot of the principles of Islamic Shari`ah, and I will not change my conviction in this respect,” Sheikh Bin Bayyah confirmed.

He stated that he has never heard from them anything that can be in line with Islamic Shari`ah and that many of their beliefs and practices are plain violations of the methodology of Islam.

“Perhaps the decision was taken just for regulatory reasons,” the Sheikh concluded.

Sheikh Dr. Abdullah Bin Bayyah, Vice-President of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), stated that there is nothing wrong with declaring Saturday as an official weekend in Muslim countries, noting that this is not an “imitation” of Jews as long as there is some “interest” pursued and it is not meant to follow the Jewish holiday system.

The eminent Sheikh told Saudi Arabia’s Okaz newspaper, “Holidays and weekends are subject to the exclusive discretion of competent authorities in each country, depending on the perceived benefits”.

“It is just a coincidence, which is different from imitation,” Bin Bayyah explained, adding that weighing benefits and warding off evils in people’s lives are the determinant here, provided that there is no intention to adopt the holiday and weekend system of Jews.

What is the ruling on a man called Al-Luhaidi who posts online alleging to be Mahdi? Is his allegation true or not? Please enlighten us, may Allah bless you.

This man is most probably a liar. He is claiming a status that he does not have. The true Mahdi is elaborately described in the books of the People of Sunnah. He is a righteous man who will come at the end of time to be the Imam of Muslims and will lead them in Prayer when `Isa (peace be upon him) descends and prays behind him.

If that man claims to be mahdi (Arabic of guided) in the sense that he guides people to the Truth, and if he is an evidently pious scholar who is knowledgeable of the Qur’an and Sunnah and following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then may Allah let him be a guide for others.

But if the intended meaning here is the narrations documented in the books of Sunnah (some of which are true but implicit, and some explicit but untrue — all indicating that there will come at the end of time a righteous man who will do great deeds, including leading Muslims in Prayer, upon the descending of `Isa), such signs are most likely not found in that man. Signs and features of Al-Mahdi are described in detail in the book At-Tadhkirah (The Reminder) by Al-Qurtubi and other books, many of which are inauthentic though, as already said. Therefore, such claim is mostly false. And Allah, the Almighty, knows best.