Musāfahah and the Sunnah: A Look at One-Handed and Two-Handed Shaking
Al Musāfahah (المصافحة), or shaking hands, is an established practice when Muslims meet one another. The Companions رضي الله عنهم practiced it, and the Prophet ﷺ approved of it.
The question that has been discussed by scholars is not whether musāfahah is permissible, but rather how it should preferably be performed: with one hand or with both hands?
This is a secondary matter in which scholars have differed. The evidence shows that one-handed musāfahah is permissible, and two-handed musāfahah is also permissible. Some scholars considered one form more customary, while others regarded two hands as more complete.
The matter should therefore not become a source of argument or division among Muslims.
The Meaning of Musāfahah
The Arabic word musāfahah comes from the root ص ف ح.
Ibn Manẓūr رحمه الله writes:
وَالْمُصَافَحَةُ الأَخْذُ بِالْيَدِ، وَالتَّصَافُحُ مِثْلُهُ، وَالرَّجُلُ يُصَافِحُ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا وَضَعَ صَفْحَ كَفِّهِ فِي صَفْحِ كَفِّهِ
“Musāfahah is taking the hand, and tasāfuḥ is similar. A man shakes hands with another man when he places the palm of his hand against the palm of the other.”
Reference: Lisān al-ʿArab, 4/47.
Thus, the essential meaning of musāfahah is the joining of the palms in greeting.
Musāfahah Among the Companions
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه was asked whether the Companions رضي الله عنهم used to shake hands.
Qatādah رحمه الله said:
قُلْتُ لِأَنَسٍ: أَكَانَتِ الْمُصَافَحَةُ فِي أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ
“I asked Anas: Was musāfahah practiced among the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ?”
He replied:
نَعَمْ.
“Yes.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 6263. Imām al-Bukhārī placed this narration under the chapter:
بَابُ الْمُصَافَحَةِ
“Chapter: Shaking Hands.”
This is strong evidence that musāfahah was an established practice among the Companions رضي الله عنهم.
The Prophet ﷺ Approved of Shaking Hands, Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه narrated that a man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، الرَّجُلُ مِنَّا يَلْقَى أَخَاهُ أَوْ صَدِيقَهُ أَيَنْحَنِي لَهُ؟
“O Messenger of Allah, when one of us meets his brother or friend, should he bow to him?”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
لَا
“No.”
The man asked:
أَفَيَلْتَزِمُهُ وَيُقَبِّلُهُ؟
“Should he embrace him and kiss him?”
He ﷺ said:
لَا
“No.”
He then asked:
أَفَيَأْخُذُ بِيَدِهِ وَيُصَافِحُهُ؟
“Should he take him by the hand and shake hands with him?”
He ﷺ replied:
نَعَمْ
“Yes.”
Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī, 2728. Imām al-Tirmidhī said: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ “This hadith is ḥasan.”
This narration establishes the permissibility of musāfahah when meeting another Muslim.
Notice that the wording says:
بِيَدِهِ
“By his hand.”
The hadith therefore provides evidence for the basic practice of taking the hand and shaking it. It does not state that two hands are a requirement.
Evidence for One-Handed Musāfahah
The ordinary form of musāfahah is commonly understood as one person's right hand meeting the other person's right hand.
The narration of Anas رضي الله عنه says:
أَفَيَأْخُذُ بِيَدِهِ وَيُصَافِحُهُ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ
“Should he take him by the hand and shake hands?”
He ﷺ said:
“Yes.”
Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī, 2728.
There is no statement in this narration requiring the use of both hands.
Therefore, one-handed musāfahah is unquestionably within the permissible form of musāfahah.
This should not be confused with saying that the Prophet ﷺ explicitly commanded, “Always shake hands with one hand.” The narration establishes the basic practice, while the exact manner is a matter upon which scholars have discussed.
Evidence for Two-Handed Musāfahah
There is also an authentic narration from
ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه.
He said:
عَلَّمَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَكَفِّي بَيْنَ كَفَّيْهِ التَّشَهُّدَ، كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنِي السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me the tashahhud while my palm was between his two palms, just as he would teach me a sūrah from the Qur’an.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 6265.
The chain recorded by Imām al-Bukhārī is:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَيْفٌ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُجَاهِدًا، يَقُولُ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ سَخْبَرَةَ أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ
This narration clearly shows the Prophet ﷺ holding Ibn Masʿūd's hand between his two hands.
Imām al-Bukhārī رحمه الله placed the narration of Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه under the heading:
بَابُ الأَخْذِ بِالْيَدَيْنِ
“Chapter: Taking the two hands.”
He then recorded:
وَصَافَحَ حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ ابْنَ الْمُبَارَكِ بِيَدَيْهِ
“And Ḥammād ibn Zayd shook hands with Ibn al-Mubārak using both his hands.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 6265
This establishes that two-handed handshaking was known and practiced among early Muslim scholars.
However, precision is important: the Ibn Masʿūd narration occurs while the Prophet ﷺ was teaching him the tashahhud. It does not explicitly say that the Prophet ﷺ was performing an ordinary greeting handshake with him.
Therefore, it is better to say that this narration provides evidence for the permissibility and precedent of using both hands, rather than claiming that it conclusively proves that every prophetic musāfahah was performed with two hands.
The Practice of the Early Scholars
The statement recorded by Imām al-Bukhārī is particularly significant:
وَصَافَحَ حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ ابْنَ الْمُبَارَكِ بِيَدَيْهِ
“Ḥammād ibn Zayd shook hands with Ibn al-Mubārak using both his hands.”
Ḥammād ibn Zayd and ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Mubārak رحمهما الله were prominent scholars of the early generations.
Therefore, a Muslim who uses both hands cannot reasonably be condemned merely for doing so. There is historical precedent for this practice.
The Scholarly Discussion
The scholars have differed over which form is more complete or preferable.
Some scholars understood the ordinary form of musāfahah to be with one hand, based upon the general wording of the narrations describing taking the hand.
Other scholars considered two-handed musāfahah more complete, relying upon the narration of Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه and the practice recorded by Imām al-Bukhārī.
This difference should be understood as a difference in juristic preference, not as a disagreement over whether Muslims should shake hands.
The fundamental Sunnah is agreed upon: musāfahah when meeting Muslims is established.
There Is No Requirement That Both Hands Must Be Used
There is no authentic prophetic statement saying:
“A handshake is invalid unless both hands are used.”
Nor is there an authentic statement saying:
“Using both hands is prohibited.”
Therefore, neither side should turn this matter into an absolute rule without evidence.
One-handed musāfahah is valid.
Two-handed musāfahah is also valid.
The question is which method is more in accordance with the preferred practice according to the interpretation of the evidence.
Using the Right Hand
Islam encourages the use of the right hand for honorable and good actions.
ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها narrated:
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُعْجِبُهُ التَّيَمُّنُ فِي تَنَعُّلِهِ، وَتَرَجُّلِهِ، وَطُهُورِهِ، وَفِي شَأْنِهِ كُلِّهِ
“The Prophet ﷺ liked to begin with the right when putting on his shoes, combing his hair, purifying himself, and in all his affairs.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim.
Accordingly, when shaking hands, using the right hand is appropriate and consistent with the general Sunnah of beginning good and honorable actions with the right.
The Virtue of Musāfahah
Al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib رضي الله عنهما narrated:
مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ فَيَتَصَافَحَانِ إِلَّا غُفِرَ لَهُمَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا
“No two Muslims meet and shake hands except that they are forgiven before they part.”
Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī, Sunan Ibn Mājah and Musnad Aḥmad.
Thus, the spirit of musāfahah is brotherhood, affection, forgiveness and goodwill—not argument over which hand configuration another Muslim chooses.
What Should a Muslim Do?
A person may shake hands using the right hand, and this fulfills the established practice of musāfahah.
A person may also use both hands, and there is evidence and early scholarly precedent for this.
If someone places his left hand over the other person's right hand, this should not automatically be declared an innovation, prohibition, or sinful practice. At the same time, a person should not claim that two-handed musāfahah is an unquestionable obligatory Sunnah when the evidence does not establish such an obligation.
The most balanced position is to distinguish between:
What is established: musāfahah when Muslims meet.
What is permissible: one-handed or two-handed musāfahah.
What scholars have differed over: which method is more complete or preferred.
What should be avoided: turning a secondary issue into hostility or division.
A Matter of Brotherhood, Not Division
Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:
وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا
“Hold firmly, all together, to the rope of Allah and do not be divided.”
Qur’an 3:103
Allah سبحانه وتعالى also says:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ
“The believers are but brothers.”
Qur’an 49:10
The Prophet ﷺ said:
لَا تَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا، وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا.
“You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not truly believe until you love one another.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim.
Musāfahah is therefore a means of strengthening this brotherhood.
Conclusion
The greater Sunnah is to meet one's Muslim brother with salām, kindness, humility and love, and to preserve the brotherhood that Allah سبحانه وتعالى commanded.
وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
And Allah knows best.
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