{"_id":"6903a00d6c430d2af878c733","title":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"Is it really necessary to avoid handshakes and hugs with non-mahram relatives or family friends if there is no desire involved?\\n\"}]}","question":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"I’ve read that men and women should not shake hands or hug. I grew up in a Muslim family where this is considered normal, so I’m nervous about how my family will react if I start saying I don’t shake hands with women or hug my cousins.\\n\\nI also have close family friends I’ve known since childhood - one of them is like a sister to me. How can I suddenly say I can’t hug or have physical contact after so many years? Is this really necessary if there is no desire at all and we’re only around each other in family settings?\\n\"}]}","answer":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"I understand that it’s not easy to go against what feels normal in your family, and it’s natural to worry about how they might react. But part of growing in faith is learning to stand on your own before Allah and to make choices that reflect your relationship with Him. Even though we live among family and friends, our accountability is individual. On the Day of Judgment, each of us will be asked how we lived our lives. We won’t be judged as families or communities, and we won’t be able to justify disobedience by saying our families made it normal. Allah reminds us that no soul bears the burden of another.\\n\\nAt some point, we have to start thinking seriously about our connection with our Creator and give that relationship the priority it deserves. Allah is the source of right and wrong, and His messengers were sent to teach us how to live with purity and moral integrity. The Prophet ﷺ made it clear that physical contact between men and women who are not unmarriageable kin is not allowed, regardless of desire, except in cases of necessity.\\n\\nThis may feel uncomfortable at first, especially when it means changing what has always felt normal. But remember, these boundaries are not meant to take warmth or kindness out of our lives, they protect the heart and bring spiritual peace. And over time, you’ll find that living by what pleases Allah brings far more comfort than the approval of others ever could.\\n\"}]}","tags":[{"_id":"668d9ff10b76658b4c2329d2","tag":"Relationships: Opposite Gender","count":80},{"_id":"668da02b0b76658b4c232ff9","tag":"Relationships: Friend","count":52},{"_id":"668d9fe20b76658b4c23280c","tag":"Relationships: Extended Family","count":47}],"createdOn":"2025-10-30T17:27:41.553Z"}