Question:
Salamalaikum to all our Shuyukhs
What is the Sunnah of giving Salams to one another? Is it by using it as 2 hands or is it just with 1 hand? ( The salafis/wahhabis commonly say that the Sunnah is 1 hand & they also blame the Sufi Matsers sayinng that they give 1 hand for their mureeds to kiss & not both hands) therefore the Sunnah is only giving 1 hand for Salams.
Dear Shuyukhs please advises on the above 2 different questions.
1. We should give Salams through 1 or 2 hands?
2. Sufis using only 1 hand ( i.e when they kiss the hand)
Answer:
wa `alaykum salam,
1. It was narrated from Hammaad ibn Zayd that he shook hands with ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Mubaarak using both hands, as is stated in a mu’allaq report in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (p. 1206).
Shaking hands using both hands should not be described as a bid’ah (innovation), rather it is something that is permissible, but the Sunnah, which it is better to adhere to, is to shake hands using just one (right) hand.
2. Sufis are adhering to the Sunnah, using just one (right) hand with or without kissing the hand.
Imam Senad Agic, Ph.D.
Head Imam (IABNA)
The Islamic Association of Bosniaks in North America
