Shaking Hands With Muslim Women

Traditionally in Muslim society, a Muslim man never shakes hands with a Muslim woman.  The only exception to this general rule is when a woman is a close relative to the man.  Although many things tend to change over time, this taboo against a man shaking hands with a Muslim woman is still quite the norm within many traditional Muslim societies today.

The most common reason given for such men never shaking hands with Muslim women, has to do with the Islamic religion.  A woman has few rights in a traditional, male-dominated Muslim society.  Under the instructions of Islam, a woman is to be kept under submission and "protected" from all men she is not married to, (or men who are part of her immediate family.)  A Muslim man is therefore taught to never to touch a woman to whom he is not married, (again -- with the possible exception of his close relatives.)

Nevertheless, in today's business environment, there are often situations where men and women are introduced to each other.  If one or both of them are Muslims, what should be done?  There is still that Muslim social taboo involving the shaking of hands by these Muslim men and women in the "business world".  It can therefore be quite unpredictable how the other person would react if either the man or the woman should extend their hand to the other person.  However, depending on culture, customs and protocol, it might also be considered to be an insult to not extend one's hand to the other person.  This also depends upon the social and religious upbringing of the other person.

Then, there is the question of which person should extend the hand first:  the man or the woman?  Typically, in Western culture, it is usually not appropriate for a man to extend his hand to a woman, unless and until the woman has extended her hand to him first.  Also, is it ever appropriate for a man and woman to shake hands when they are alone in Muslim culture?  Of course, it would be even worse if a Westerner, unaccustomed to another taboo, were to inadvertently extend the left hand instead of the right, (including to someone of the same sex).  This is because extension of the left hand would usually be considered to be a great insult in any circumstance.

This brings up the next point: that Muslim women are generally quite restricted when compared to both Christian and non-Christian women in the West.  Such Muslim women living in traditional Muslim societies have very few if any rights to which men commonly avail themselves.  In fact, the very idea of a "business woman" would seem  offensive in the extreme to many Muslim men from within such a traditional Muslim society.  Instead, women are expected to remain as a man's "property" within the home.

It is really a "man's world" in Muslim society.  Many Muslim women can never obtain higher education in a traditional Muslim society.  Additionally, entrepreneurship among women usually proves to be rather difficult.  The very idea of women in business can be met with strong negative social reaction or suspicion, (even open hostility), by many Muslim men.

Islam itself generally places women in this low position within Muslim society.  Mohammed, the founder of Islam, treated women as less than second-class citizens, when compared to men.  Jews and Christians were also treated badly as well, with many such "infidels" having been beheaded or otherwise killed by Mohammed and by his many Muslim followers.

Christianity in comparison, has always given a high social status to women relative to that given to them by Islam.  This is because Jesus himself treated women with a high degree of respect.  Jesus even went out of His way to personally greet a woman at a well in Samaria, something which went directly against the Middle Eastern "anti-women" social taboos of His day.

Actually, Jesus loves everyone.  He wants everyone to find happiness forever in Heaven and forgiveness for their many sins.  This was the reason that Jesus talked to that woman at the well that day.  Jesus explained to her how she could find hope and eternal happiness and joy in Heaven and have her many sins forgiven.

Jesus loves you and wants you to trust Him so that He can save you from your sins.  If you trust Jesus, He will give you great freedom and happiness within your soul.  This is freedom and happiness that you do not have right now -- and freedom that Islam can never give you.  Only Jesus can save you from your sins.  Trust Jesus today.

[The Way to Find Jesus]

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