Ruling on a man hugging a woman

If the
brother who is asking this question knows that shaking hands with a
non-mahram woman is not permitted, then it is obvious that hugging or
embracing her is also haraam and is more forbidden. The ruling on a relative
who is not a mahram is the same as the ruling on a “stranger” (non-mahram). 

With regard
to relatives who are mahrams, such as paternal aunts and maternal aunts, it
is permissible for a man to shake hands with them, but as for hugging and
embracing and kissing on the mouth, this is not allowed because that may
provoke desire, and disallowing it closes the door to evil. It is sufficient
to kiss the head or nose. 

There follow
some questions posed to Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, and his responses: 

1 – Shaykh
‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz was asked: 

I am
currently living in Riyadh where I have some relatives; the relationship
between them and me is very close. Among them there are the daughters of my
maternal aunts and the wives and daughters of my paternal uncles. When I
visit them I greet them and kiss them and they sit with me with their faces
uncovered. I am bothered by this, knowing that this custom is widespread in
most areas of the south. What is your opinion of this custom, and what
should I do? Please advise me, may Allaah reward you with good. 

He replied: 

This custom
is bad and reprehensible, and it goes against the pure sharee’ah. It is not
permissible for you to kiss them or shake hands with them, because the wives
of your paternal uncles, the daughters of your paternal uncles and the
daughters of your maternal uncle, etc., are not mahrams for you. They must
observe hijaab in front of you and not appear in front of you wearing their
adornments, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And when
you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen,
that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts”

[al-Ahzaab 33:53] 

This verse
includes both the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) and other women, according to the more sound of the two
scholarly opinions. Whoever says that it applies only to the wives of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is saying something
false for which there is no evidence. Allaah says concerning women in Soorat
al Noor: 

“and not
to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or
their husband’s fathers”

[al-Noor
24:31 – interpretation of the meaning] 

You are not
one of those for whom an exception is made, rather you are a “stranger” for
the daughters of your paternal uncle and the daughters of your maternal
uncle and the wives of your paternal uncles, in the sense that you are not
one of their mahrams. So you have to tell them what we have said and read
this fatwa to them, so that they will excuse you and will know the shar’i
ruling on this matter. It is sufficient for you to greet them with words,
without kissing them or shaking hands with them, because of the verses that
we have quoted above. 

And the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, when a woman
wanted to shake hands with him: “I do not shake hands with women.” And
‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The hand of the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never touched the
hand of a woman; when he accepted their oath of allegiance it was by words
only.” And it was narrated in al-Saheehayn from ‘Aa’ishah, in the
story of the slander (al-ifk), that she said that when she heard the voice
of Safwaan ibn al-Mu’attal, “I covered my face, but he had seen me before
hijaab [before the command of hijaab was revealed].” This indicates that
women used to cover their faces after the verse of hijaab was revealed. 

May Allaah set the
affairs of the Muslims straight and bless them with understanding of their
religion. And Allaah is the Source of strength. 

Fataawa
Islamiyyah, 3/77, 78 

2 – The
Shaykh also said: 

There is
nothing wrong with a man kissing his daughters, whether they are young or
grown up, without desire, so long as that is on the cheek if she is grown
up. It was narrated that Abu Bakr kissed his daughter ‘Aa’ishah on the
cheek. Kissing on the mouth may lead to provoking desire, so it is better
and more on the safe side not to do that. By the same token a daughter may
kiss her father on the nose or his head, without desire. But if there is
desire then that is forbidden to all parties, so as to ward off fitnah
(temptation) and block the way to evil and immorality.

 Fataawa
Islamiyyah, 3/78, 79

 And Allaah
knows best.