Shaking Hands after the Nikah

Question

In our region it is the custom that when the nikah has been recited and concluded, the groom immediately afterwards shakes hands with those present at the gathering. Is this permissible or not? And if someone, regarding it as a bid‘a (innovation), does not do it, is it permissible to call him disrespectful, speak ill of him, and say that this is a bid‘a hasana (good innovation)?

Answer

There is no proof of this handshake in the Shari‘a; it is therefore baseless and a bid‘a, and calling the one who does not shake hands bad is in no way correct. This should be avoided, because it is a bid‘a sayyi’a (bad innovation). A bid‘a hasana has a basis in the Shari‘a, whereas this has no basis in the Shari‘a; therefore it is not a bid‘a hasana.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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