President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama stopped in Saudi Arabia to pay respects to the late King Abdullah, but the first lady may have inadvertently courted controversy when she didn’t cover her head and shook hands with the new king.
In many countries, Islamic law essentially forbids women to touch or shake hands with members of the opposite sex when they’re not closely related. It’s normal for men to shake hands regardless of relation.
So, why is this the case?
