The Iman of Hayes Muslim Centre refuses to shake hands with the Princess of Wales

The Daily Mail is pitching this as a ‘rare awkward moment for Kate’  but I regard it as future Queen receives rudeness and lack of respect from  so-called community leader.  And it’s rude behaviour towards any woman who opens her hand in our ancient gesture of greeting and goodwill. 

She arrived alongside Prince William, 40, for the outing at Hayes Muslim Centre in London today.

The awkward moment occurred as the Prince and Princess were introduced to a number of leaders at the centre, including Iman Sufyan Iqbal.

While Prince William shook hands with each of the leaders in turn, one of the gentlemen also reached out to shake hands with the Princess.

However Kate then reached out to shake hands with Iman Sufyan, who pressed his hand to his heart instead, bowing his head. The Princess quickly withdrew her hand, mirroring his bowing head and smiling at him as she greeted him.  If she hadn’t stretched out her hand then she would have been criticised for not wanting to greet a community leader of the Islamic faith. Heads they win; tails she loses. She’s already wearing a veil for heaven’s sake. 

 

During today’s engagement, the couple met with representatives from the centre who, through bucket collections and other donations after prayers, have raised over £25,000 for the Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal.

The couple heard harrowing stories with aid workers who have recently returned from the crisis zone in Turkey and described desperate scenes of rescuers trying to free trapped people with just hammers. Kate said: ‘It’s sad that there’s a need to do funding – it’s amazing there are communities like this here raising (funds).’

Salah Aboulgasem, from Islamic Relief’s Emergency Response Team said: ‘I arrived in Turkey to the worst scenes of destruction I’ve ever witnessed.

Other aid workers who met with The Prince and Princess of Wales included Dan Stewart from Save The Children, recently returned from Hatay in Turkey, plus aid experts Alison McNulty, Operations Director from Action Against Hunger, Mazen Alhousseiny, from Help Age, the local partner of DEC member charity Age International and Inma Lopez De La Cova Pena from the British Red Cross.

Together they discussed with the couple the impact of the disaster on vulnerable groups, such as children and older people and the importance of the incoming aid that is being provided including shelter, food and vital trauma care.

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5 Responses

  1. I believe various orthodox male religionists are forbidden to touch any female not of their family. This may be the Iman’s rationale.If questioned, what was the Iman’s reply?
    Please correct me if I’m incorrect.

  2. I faintly that this ‘no-touch’ prohibition exists in certain Jewish sects and Buddhist (monastic?) traditions.
    It may be as well that the Iman’s heart-touching gesture was a deeper symbol of respect offered than a handshake.

    recollect

  3. I did hear a Jewish man once say (and he may not be typical) that while in his own community he does not shake hands with an unrelated woman, but that is the accepted custom. However while the Jewish custom is a ‘good thing’ for him to follow, not being rude to women outside his community is also a good thing, and therefore he doesn’t reject the gesture of goodwill from a non-Jewish, or non Orthodox Jewish woman because his desire to follow his custom doesn’t trump his duty to consider others.

    1. We’re not discussing Jews. Muslims consider the infidel unclean according to Islamic law. Touching it is contamination. That’s the point here.

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