Physical Contact with Stranger of Opposite Gender: Wudu & Impermissibility

Question: What about any sort of physical contact with a non-mahrem woman?

Walaikum assalam,

It does not invalidate wudu. However, it is recommended to renew one's wudu, to get out of the difference of opinion of the Shafi`is, especially if one will lead others in prayer where Shafi`is are likely to be present.

This is in terms of wudu. As for voluntarily touching a stranger (i.e. non-mahram other than one's spouse) of the other gender, this is sinful and unlawful because of the clear hadiths interdicting this.

The Messenger of Allah said: "It would be better for one of you to have himself stabbed on the head with an iron nail than to touch a non-mahram woman." (al-Tabarani, with a sound chain of narrators)

There is also the narration of Sayyida `A'isha (Allah be well pleased with her) who said, "No, I swear by Allaah. The hand of the Messenger of Allaah never touched the hands of other women. He only made his allegiance through words." (Muslim, 3: 189)

The ruling giving by Shaykh Buti and Shaykh Abdurrahman in the attached answers is also the one given by Shaykh Nuh Ali Salman, the Jordanian Shafi`i faqih.

Walaikum assalam,
Faraz Rabbani.