Mixed sex handshakes banned in somalia

[Zen Badger]

It's already established in Islam that shaking hands with the opposite gender should be avoided if possible. The only difference in the news story is that this has been incorporated into the state law in Somalia. Nevertheless, I don't approve this because shaking hands with the opposite gender is disliked (makrooh) but not strictly prohibited (i.e. not haram). I didn't come across any clear textual evidence in Islam which supports that such an action is punishable.

The reason why handshaking with the opposite gender is a bad thing in Islam is because doing this can sometimes have an effect of heightening our desires and sensory enjoyment. We are supposed to guard our senses from getting too much pleasure from sexual attractiveness. For example, a Muslim guy is not supposed to look at a female in a lustful or passionate way, because if he does this, then his eyes will be committing a sin. Similarly, shaking hands with the opposite gender could also be sinful if it creates a little too much satisfaction in our hearts.

There are also Muslims who believe that shaking hands with the opposite gender is permissible as long as there are no desires or enjoyment involved in the action.

I also read somewhere that there was a Muslim who used to carry a napkin in his pocket so that in case if he had to shake hands with a female, well, you know what he would do. He would shake her hands under the napkin. Then obviously he would tell her what is the reason for such an odd behavior without feeling embarrassed at all.

And you wonder why we don't take your religion seriously.

I think the real reason he carried a napkin was to clean up the mess in his pants after shaking hands with a woman, just too,too much sexual gratification