The Level of Public Knowledge on the Law of Handshaking between Family Members of Different Genders from the Islamic Perspective

Handshaking is one of the etiquettes that holds high moral value and is even encouraged in Islam. In the context of Malay culture, handshaking is a sign of affection that helps foster harmony within the family. The practice of handshaking among family members is highly emphasized by the Malay community, which is known for valuing etiquette and good manners in family life. However, some members of society view this etiquette purely from a moral perspective, without considering the issue of compliance with Islamic law when shaking hands, especially when it involves family members of different genders. As a religion that governs human relationships, Islam sets boundaries regarding the permissibility of handshaking when it involves two different genders. Therefore, this article aims to examine the public’s knowledge of the law regarding handshaking between family members of different genders from the Islamic perspective. This quantitative study involves 364 participants from the Malay Muslim community across Malaysia. Data were collected through questionnaires distributed via Google Forms and analyzed descriptively using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The study found that the respondents’ knowledge regarding handshaking between family members of different genders is still at a moderate level. There are still a number of respondents who are not well-informed about the actual Islamic rulings regarding the practice of handshaking among family members. This study suggests that more efforts should be made to raise awareness of the Islamic rulings on handshaking between family members, so that the Malay community does not only engage in this activity based on etiquette and good manners but also respects the laws set by Islamic teachings.