al-Musaraha fi Ahkam al-Musafaha
- Author died
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- Editions
- al-Maktabah al-Raqmiyyah fī al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah
al-Musaraha fi Ahkam al-Musafaha (Frankness Regarding the Rulings on Handshaking) is a single-volume legal treatise by Abd al-Nasir bin Khidr Milad examining the jurisprudence, etiquette, and regulations governing handshakes in Islamic law.
Purpose and Scope
The author composed the work to delineate the legal rulings and boundaries of handshaking, which he frames as a component of Islamic morals and greetings that fosters affection, reassurance, and cordiality upon meeting and parting. He compiled the study to address juristic disagreements regarding specific circumstances of handshaking, including handshakes following prayer, handshakes between unrelated men and women and their potential nullification of ablution, and handshakes involving non-Muslims, sick individuals, or persons in a state of ritual impurity.
Structure and Contents
The treatise is organized into an introduction and nine core sections (mabahith):
- Definition of Handshaking (al-Ta‘rif bi-l-Musafaha): Covers its linguistic and juristic definitions, proper manner, underlying wisdom, the normative practice of shaking hands with one hand, and the historical tradition concerning Abraham being the first to shake hands and embrace.
- Shaking Hands with an Unrelated Woman (Musafahat al-Mar'a al-Ajnabiyya).
- The Effect of Shaking a Woman's Hand on Ablution (Mada Ta'thir Musafahat al-Mar'a 'ala al-Wudu').
- Handshaking Following Prayer (al-Musafaha 'Aqib al-Salat).
- Handshaking Upon Parting (al-Musafaha 'Ind al-Mufaraqa).
- Shaking Hands with a Person in Major Ritual Impurity (Musafahat al-Junub).
- Shaking Hands with the Sick and Disabled (Musafahat al-Marid wa-Man bihi 'Aha).
- Shaking Hands with a Beardless Youth (Musafahat al-Amrad).
- Shaking Hands with Non-Muslims (Musafahat Ghayr al-Muslim).
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