Living in Cairo, my wife (Western) is very friendly and at a wedding she met a friend of a co-worker and extended her hand to shake hands with him but he looked down and refused to shake her hand, Why did he do this? My wife was bewildered, hurt and felt this to be quite rude? Do Egyptians think this is rude? Or was it inappropriate for her to extend her hand and offer to shake a man's hand?

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6 comments:

  1. Some men afraid from that they cann't make control themself when they shake hands with them so they protect themself by this refused.
    Thank you.
    Doctor Abd Allah
    Egypt

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  2. in the begining I aske your quation what do you feel when you touch women body? I think touching women will move your emotion. so, some egyption especialy adults refuse shaking women hands to protect themselves from sixaul relation. but, old men can shake women hands because their emotion is weak.

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  3. Touching a woman's hand is not touching a woman's body, it is only touching her hand and I do not feel anything sexual from this contact (unless it is 'special' and involves palm tickling and seductive eyes which happens as often as it snows in Cairo). From one American's perspective, it sounds like men who become uncontrollably sexual only from shaking a woman's hand are sex-crazed and have no sexual self-control. Is there any attempt at sexual self-control in Islam? Or is all the responsibility left on the woman's side?

    If you as a man, meet another man and try to be friendly and hold your hand out to shake the man's hand but the man refuses to shake your hand and you are left awkwardly holding your hand in the air, would you feel disrespected?
    I know that it is very disrespectful and humiliating for an Egyptian man when someone refuses to shake hands with them. Do you think a woman feels any less humiliation or disrespect than the man in the same situation?
    Do most Egyptian men who refuse to shake womens' hands, consider how the refusal affects women?
    And finally, if a man cannot control his sexual feelings when shaking a woman's hand does this lack of self-control justify being disrespectful and humiliating women?

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  4. hi benjamin,
    your opinion surprise me,i agree with you in part from your opinion but
    there is difference between when man hold your hand out to shake ,and when women hold out man's hand to shake.
    but i think that is inappropriat and rude behavior.

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  5. thank you dr abd allah for you comment
    but i do not agree with you for your comment

    how Some men afraid from that they cann't make control themself when they shake hands with them so they protect themself by this refused.?
    thank you dr henedy for your comment
    but the thing is very simple
    no problems if some one shake hands for woman
    it is easy

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  6. thnk you mis benjamin for your comment .
    i agree with you .
    when you said Touching a woman's hand is not touching a woman's body, it is only touching her hand and you do not feel anything sexual from this contact
    but your speach is correct with the good man and good woman only

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