Chapter 137
Greeting one's Wife and other Women

والمرأة من محارمه وعلى أجنبية وأجنبيات لا يخاف الفتنة بهن وسلامهن بهذا الشرط

[864] وعن أُم هَانِىءٍ فاخِتَةَ بنتِ أَبي طالب رضي الله عنها ، قالت : أتيت النبيَّ يَوْمَ الفَتْحِ وَهُوَ يَغْتَسِلُ ، وَفَاطِمَةُ تَسْتُرُهُ بِثَوْبٍ ، فَسَلَّمْتُ ... وَذَكَرَتِ الحديث . رواه مسلم . وجه الدليل من هذا الحديث تقريره إذ لو حرم سلام الأجنبية مطلقًا لبينه لها فإذا أمنت الفتنة فلا كراهة في السلام منها وعليها .

864. Umm Hani (May Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of Abu Talib reported: I went to the Prophet (PBUH) on the day of the conquest of Makkah. He was taking a bath and Fatimah was screening him with a cloth. I greeted him. And she mentioned the rest of the Hadith.

[Muslim].

[865] وعن أسماءَ بنتِ يزيدَ رضي الله عنها ، قالت : مَرّ عَلَيْنَا النّبيُّ فِي نِسوَةٍ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْنَا . رواه أَبُو داود والترمذي ، وقال : ( حديث حسن ) ، وهذا لفظ أَبي داود .ولفظ الترمذي : أنَّ رسول الله مَرَّ في المَسْجِدِ يَوْماً ، وَعُصْبَةٌ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ قُعُودٌ ، فَأَلْوَى بِيَدِهِ بالتَّسْلِيمِ . فيه : جواز التسليم على الأجنبيات إذا أمنت الفتنة بهن أو منهن .

865. Asma bint Yazid (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) passed by us when we were with a party of women, and he greeted us.

[Abu Dawud].

Commentary: The permissibility of men to greet women, and vice versa, is with the condition that there will be no fear of temptation to commit the unlawful. Here are the details:

1. A young woman is forbidden to greet men and to respond to their greeting.

2. A group of women or an old woman are allowed to greet men and to respond to men's greetings. Men are also allowed to greet a group of women or an old woman.

3. A man on his own is not allowed to greet a young woman.

4. A man on his own is allowed to greet a group of women.

However, in all these cases, Islamic rules in this regard, including the lowering of the gaze, are to be observed.