to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and kissed his hand, and he, ﷺ, approved of what we had done. Kissing the hand is no different from kissing the head; there is absolutely no distinction between the two. Strangely, however, people today object to kissing the hand far more than they object to kissing the head, even though there is no difference at all. What is truly objectionable is when a man, upon being greeted, thrusts out his hand as though saying, “Kiss my hand.” That is blameworthy, and such a person should be told, “Do not do that.”

If, on the other hand, someone kisses your hand, your head, or your forehead out of honor and respect, there is no harm—provided it is not done every single time he meets you. The Messenger ﷺ was asked, “When a man meets his brother, should he bow to him?” He said, “No.” They asked, “Should he kiss him and embrace him?” He said, “No.” They asked, “Should he shake hands with him?” He said, “Yes.” Yet if there is a specific reason—such as welcoming someone who has been away—then there is no problem, for the traveler.

For this reason the author, may Allah have mercy on him, cites the narration of ʿĀʾishah concerning the arrival of Zayd ibn Ḥārithah. When Zayd came to the Prophet ﷺ and requested permission to enter, the Prophet ﷺ rose toward him, trailing his garment behind him. Zayd had been the Prophet’s slave—he was a gift to him from Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her—and the Prophet ﷺ later set him free. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ loved Zayd dearly, and he loved Zayd’s son Usāmah as well; indeed, Usāmah was nicknamed “the beloved son of the beloved.” Both father and son were cherished by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The point is