The prophet ( - ) said: ‘Greet each other with Sal?m so often’, (1) and he ( - ) never said: ‘say: Taqabbala All?h’!!
None of the Sah?bah nor the Salaf ( - ) used to shake hands with those on their left and right sides right after performing Sal?t saying: “Taqabbala All?h”. Had this been done by any of them, it would have been transmitted to us even through weak chains of narrators, and those who are well -versed in every filed of knowledge- going deep into its rulings and who report every act, deed or approval of the prophet ( - ) would have reported it to us. (2)
How could this act be of Sunnah and many of the well-versed scholars affirmed that shaking hands in the previously described manner is a Bid‘ah?!
Shaikh Al-‘Izz Ibn Abdis Sal?m said: ‘Shaking hands [with other praying muslims] after [performing] Fajr Sal?t and ‘Asr Sal?t is a Bid‘ah. However, shaking hands when meeting other muslims in the mosque is permissible; but it should take place before performing Sal?t. After performing Sal?t the prophet ( - ) used to recite the Athk?r, ask All?h’s ( - ) forgiveness thrice, then leaves away. It was narrated that he ( - ) used to say [after performing Sal?t] ‘O All?h ( - ), save me from your torture on the Day You resurrect your bond men’. (3) Indeed, all goodness is in the following of the prophet ( - )’. (4)
(1) Narrated by Muslim in his “Sah?h” (no. 54), Ahmad in “Al-Musnad” (vol. 2 / pp. 391, 442, 447 and 495) and many others.
(2) “Tam?mul Kal?m F? Bid‘iyyatil Mus?fahah Ba‘das Sal?m” (pp. 24 - 5), and “Al-Masjid Fil Isl?m” (p. 225).
Shaikh Abdull?h Ibn Abdir Rahm?n Al-Jibr?n said: ‘Many of those who perform Sal?t [in the mosque] stretch their hands to those next to them to shake hands with them saying “Taqabbala All?h” or “Haraman” [i.e. May All?h ( - ) give you the chance to do Sal?t in the Haram of Makkah]. This is indeed a Bid‘ah; the Salaf never used to practice it’.
See also: “Majallat Al-Mujtama‘” (issue no. 855), the treatise entitled with “Tanb?h?t ‘Al? Ba‘dil Akht?’ Allat? Yaf‘aluh? Ba‘dul Musall?na F? Sal?tihim”.
(3) The words “it was narrated” indicate that the had?th is weak, but it is not. Shaikh Al-‘Izz should have said: ‘It is affirmed” or the like. The had?th is narrated by Muslim in his “Sah?h” (no. 62), At-Tirmith? in “Al-J?mi‘” (no. 3398) and (3399) and Ahmad in “Al-Musnad” (vol. 4 / p. 290).
(4) “The Fat?w?” by Al-Izz Ibn Abdis Sal?m (pp. 46 - 7).