Is the story of Imam Ahmad al-Rifaʻi shaking hands with the Prophet SAW reliable?

Summary

Scholars hold two views on this story. Shaykh ʻAbdullah al-Siddiq al-Ghumari rejects it as fabricated, while Shaykh Muhammad Saʻid Ramadan al-Buti accepts it as a genuine karamah. What must be believed is the existence of karamah and the possibility of it occurring to the saints, but this particular story is not a binding article of belief, so those who reject or accept it are not to be blamed or declared astray, as it concerns the authenticity of the narration. This differs from karamah accounts based on authentic narrations, such as those of Umar RA and several other Companions. Muslims are also advised not to be so absorbed in such stories that they neglect more important religious knowledge.

Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.