What Is the Best Way to Kiss My Parents?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

What is the sunnah/Islamic way of kissing parents? Is it on the palm of the hand, the cheeks, the forehead?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

It is permissible to kiss your parents, and praiseworthy if it will bring happiness into their hearts.

All of the forms of doing this which you have mentioned [hand/cheek/forehead] are acceptable. It is also established that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) kissed Ja‘far between the eyes when he returned from Habasha. [Abu Dawud]

[Nahlawi, al-Durar al-Mubaha fi al-Hazr wa al-Ibaha (63)]

Consider also taking this free course.

And Allah Most High knows best.

wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.