Is it permissible for a sister to put her hand around her brother's neck and kiss him? I think this is Haraam and to love brothers we need not kiss or hug. What is the Islamic viewpoint?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

As far as we know there is no harm for a woman to kiss her brother provided the following conditions are met:

1)     She should not have an inclination that is not natural, and kissing him should be free of desire.

2)     She should know by the circumstances that her brother does not have any unnatural desires towards her.

3)     If she is married, her husband should not have forbidden her from doing so, or if she knows that doing so harms him [husband] even if he does not prohibit her from doing so.

However, some scholars set a condition that the kissing should not be in the mouth, and this is a sound condition because kissing in the mouth is suspected to result from desire.

If it is said, that today it is absolutely forbidden to kiss the Mahaarim (non-marriageable relatives) this statement is closer to the truth in order to prevent what is forbidden to take place. Indeed, corruption [adultery and fornication] is widespread in some countries among the Mahaarim, and there are even some filthy movements [ideas] calling to incest through the different filthy T.V. channels. So there is no doubt that not kissing is safer and far from evil.    

Allaah knows best.