Dogs as Pets

[Muzna]

What does Quran and Hadith have to say on the subject of having dogs as pets?

[ahmadjee]

I have yet to see a Quranic verse prohibiting having pets (dogs being one of them) but nothing that encourages it either. Though their are several verses that state how animals are created to serve man so he maybe grateful. You will see a lot of people drumming up some Hadiths and use it both ways. You will have to make your own judgment.

Mostly after 'dealing' with animals you have to clean up yourself before saying prayers. It can be a hassle at times when have to do 5 times a day & so it is advised against.

Dogs as pets sometimes are very good for instance to those blind that they help the everyday chores, fire rescuers, in police, customs, farmers and even just for normal safety around the house.

Though having one just for the fun of it, knowing the cost & responsibility that it takes is usually discouraged.

I have a Christian Malaysian friend who have a dog & once I went to see him and he apologized for it being around & one of his roommates them took it outside. I got confused & demanded an explanation, so they said that Muslims in Malaysia do not touch a dog and get offended if they are around.

[Akif]

Dogs are prohibited as social pets, but are allowed as utility pets. They are allowed for the purpose of guarding your property, hunting, and other utility issues, such as guide dogs, bomb sniffers etc. However, they are not allowed as social pets, since they are inherently unclean, and 'napaak'.

Mostly after 'dealing' with animals you have to clean up yourself before saying prayers

Not all animals. Cats are considered as clean, and it is reported by Hazrat Aisha RA that on one occasion, the Prophet SAW ate from a utensil from which a cat had already eaten, and when told about it, he did not say anything against it. Im sorry I do not have access to the relevant quotes at this time, but I do know this to be authentic. However, I hope someone can produce the exact quote.

[Hinna]

Here is a question that was asked by someone to the scholar that answers questions on www.islam-qa.com

Dear sirs,

I am confused as to the position of the dog in Islam. I thought that what is najis is the nose (saliva) and that no other part of the dog is najis, except when it is wet. I also understood that keeping a dog as guard dog etc…is not haram. however, in Malaysia, there is a very strong aversion to the dog amongst Muslim communities to the extent that even in educational religious books produced from this country condemns the dog as najis (throughout) and haram to keep.

I hope you can clarify this.

Thank you.

assalamu’alaikum.

Praise be to Allaah.
The fuqahaa’ are agreed that it is not permitted to keep a dog unless it is for a purpose, like hunting or guarding property or other uses that are not contrary to the Sharee’ah. The Prophet (peace and blessing of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever keeps a dog, except a dog for herding, hunting or farming, his reward will decrease by one qiraat every day.” (Reported by Muslim, 2948)

As far as keeping a dog to guard the house is concerned, Ibn Qudaamah said: “It is not permitted, according to the most sound opinion.” (al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 35/124)

As regards the najaasah (impurity) of the dog, the Shaafi’i and Hanbali ‘ulamaa’ say that the whole dog is essentially naajis (impure). Some scholars say that any liquid excreted by the dog is naajis (not the dog itself). The saliva of the dog is extremely naajis, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If a dog licks the vessel of any one of you, let him throw away whatever was in it and wash it seven times.” (Reported by Muslim, no. 418).

Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The way to purify the vessel of any one of you if a dog has licked it is to wash it seven times, the first time with earth.” (Reported by Muslim, no. 420).

It is forbidden in Islaam to sell a dog and to receive payment for it, as is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaari from Abu Mas’oud al-Ansaari: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade (accepting) the price of a dog. (al-Fath, no. 2237)

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us not to resemble dogs by placing our forearms on the ground during sujood (prostration), as in reported in the hadeeth narrated by Anas ibn Maalik, according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do sujood properly; none of you should spread his forearms like a dog does.” (al-Bukhaari, Fath, no. 822).

Whoever keeps a dog in his house is denied the blessing of the angels’ presence in his house, as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 3225).

Keeping dogs nowadays is the habit of the kuffaar, who adopt them as friends, kiss them, let them lick them and their clothes, sleep with them and even leave them money in their wills. Keeping a dog is an imitation of the kuffaar. Some Muslims may claim that they need to keep a dog at home for purposes of protection, to which we respond that nowadays there are burglar alarm systems and other measures one may take for security purposes, and there is no need to keep a dog, praise be to Allaah.

It only remains for us to say that the fact that it is forbidden to keep a dog and interect closely with it does not mean that we should not be kind or feel compassion towards dogs if we see them in a pitiful state. These are two entirely separate matters. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that “a man saw a dog biting the dust because of thirst, so he took his shoe and started to scoop water up with it until the dog’s thirst was quenched. Allaah appreciated his good deed and granted him entry to Paradise for it.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 174).

According to another report, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whilst a man was walking he became very thirsty, so he went down to a well and drank from it. When he came out, he saw a dog panting and biting the soil because of thirst. The man said, ‘He is suffering the same as I suffered,’ so he filled his shoe (with water), came out and let the dog drink until his thirst was quenched. Allaah appreciated his good deed and forgave him because of it.” The people asked, “O Messenger of Allaah, will we be rewarded for how we treat animals?” He said, “In every living thing there is a reward.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, no. 2363).

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• But those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, and believe in the (Revelation) sent down to Muhammad - for it is the Truth from their Lord,- He will remove from them their ills and improve their condition. al-Qur’an 47:2

[Muzna]

Thank you all for the comprehensive replies.

If anyone else has anything to add, it will be appreciated.

[ahmadjee]

Cats as clean? :-O Bhaijaan, my neighbor have quiet a few cats & they shed so much hair that even patting one makes me wana have a bath! And if they ever stop using the freshner in their house I will personally take up the responsability to buy them one for free! =)

[Pakiice]

Asalamu alykum,
I think in indo-pak muslim communities having a dog is a taboo. Like they literally dislike them for some reason. Although, i am not such a dog fan myself however, I don't dislike the poor animal. I think this is totally a cultural thing.. hmm i wonder where we got this from maybe hindus. wallahu Alam
JazakumAllahu Khair

[NYAhmadiX]

All animals are God’s creation, they should be loved. No animal is prettier than a pig. Those who cannot love animals are bad people.

[OldLahori]

[quote]
Originally posted by NYAhmadi:
All animals are God’s creation, they should be loved. No animal is prettier than a pig. Those who cannot love animals are bad people.
[/quote]

LOL!!!

[Akif]

Originally posted by ahmadjee:
Cats as clean? Bhaijaan, my neighbor have quiet a few cats & they shed so much hair that even patting one makes me wana have a bath! And if they ever stop using the freshner in their house I will personally take up the responsability to buy them one for free! =)

Regarding the air refreshener issue, its obvious the owners are to blame, not the cats. They need to provide the cat with a proper place to relieve itself, which usually consists of sand. We had as many as 10 cats at our home at one time, and never had an odor problem.
Shedding is a natural phenomenon as well. Humans shed hair too

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

This is from islam-qa.com

**With regard to cats eating food or drinking water, that does not make the food or water naajis (impure), because of the report narrated in Sunan Abi Dawood and elsewhere, which says that a woman brought some hareesah (a kind of food) to ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) and found her praying. (‘Aa’ishah) gestured to her that she should put it down. Then a cat came and ate some of it. When ‘Aa’ishah had finished praying, she ate from where the cat had eaten and said, “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘They (cats) are not naajis (impure), rather they are among those who go around among you (al-tawwaafeena ‘alaykum).’ I saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) doing wudoo’ with water from which a cat had drunk.”

According to another report narrated by Abu Dawood (68) from Kabshah bint Ka’b ibn Maalik, who was married to Ibn Abi Qutaadah, Abu Qutaadah entered and she poured some water for him to do wudoo’. A cat came and drank from the water, and he tipped the vessel for it so that it could drink. Kabshah said: “He saw me looking at him and he said, ‘Do you find it strange, O daughter of my brother?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “They (cats) are not naajis (impure), rather they are among those who go around among you (al-tawwaafeena ‘alaykum).”’” These two reports were classed as saheeh by al-Bukhaari, al-Daaraqutni and others, as was stated in al-Talkhees by Ibn Hajar, 1/15.

“Those who go around among you (al-tawwaafeena ‘alaykum)” means that they are like servants who are with people in their houses, i.e., cats are always with people, in their houses and among their vessels and furnishings, etc., and this is something that cannot be helped**

[ahmadjee]

Bhaijaan, I guess the question would be what makes an animal najas?

[Akif]

Ahmadjee..

Najaasat makes anyone and everyone najas

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

, whether its a cat, a dog, a pig, or a human.

From an Islamic point of view, obviously the advice and instructions of Allah SWT would be enough for us, whether He gave them to us in the Quran, or via Prophet SAW. Now if we want to find logic in it, we can do so based on behavioral differences that we see between cats and dogs.

Cats have a routine habit of cleaning themselves to the point of obsession. They always tend to cover up the place where they relieve themselves, and shy away from dead prey as much as possible. Dogs on the other hand, do not groom themselves as intensively as cats do. They do not care about their excreta, and do not hesitate in scavenger hunts.

[ahmadjee]

Akif Bhai,

As you explained above it seems like all animals are ok to keep as long as we can take care of their najasat!

Or did I miss your point?

[Girl_from_Quraysh]

We've kept dogs occasionally, living out in the country we needed them to protect the livestock from coyotes. But they were never allowed in the house, and they were always tied up when we kids went outside to play. They were only there for the purpose of protecting the animals, they were not pets.

I remember posting up a few excerpts from Qaradawi's book, 'The Lawful and Prohibited in Islam', ages ago, I'm going to try and find them for you.

[Girl_from_Quraysh]

Originally posted (02/13/2001)by Girl from Quraysh:

I’m just going to post some sections from Yusuf Al-Qaradawi’s book, The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam.

Keeping Dogs Without Necessity

Keeping dogs inside the house without any necessity merely as pets was forbidden by the Prophet (peace be on him). When we observe how lavishly the well-to-do treat their dogs while despising their relatives, and how much attention they give their dogs while neglecting their neighbors, we realize the wisdom of this prohibition. Moreover, the presence of a dog makes the household utensils unhygienic due to their licking of them. The Prophet (peace be on him) said, ‘If a dog licks a plate (or pot), clean it seven times, of which one time should be with sand (or earth).’ (Reported by al-Bukhari.)

Some scholars are of the opinion that the reason for prohibiting the keeping of dogs may be because they bark at visitors, scare away the needy who come to ask for charity, and chase and try to bite passers-by.

The Prophet (peace be on him) said, Jibril came to me and said, ‘I came to you yesterday but what stopped me from entering was that there was a statue at the door, a curtain with figures on it in the house, and a dog inside the house. So order that the head of the statue be broken off so that it resembles the trunk of tree, that the curtain be cut and made into two pillows to recline on, and that the dog be taken out.’ (Reported by AbDaoud, al-Nisai, al-Tirmidhi, and by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih.)

This prohibition is limited to keeping dogs without need or benefit.

The Permissibility of Keeping Hunting Dogs and Watch Dogs

Dogs which are kept for a purpose, such as hunting, guarding cattle or crops and the like are exempted from the above ruling. In a hadith reported by both al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (peace be on him) said, 'Whoever keeps a dog except for hunting or for guarding crops or cattle will lose one large measure (qirat) of his reward each day.

On the basis of this hadith some jurists argue that the keeping of dogs as pets can be classified as makruh rather than haram, as the haram is absolutely prohibited without regard to whether there is a decrease in reward or not.

However, the prohibition of keeping dogs in the house does not mean that dogs may be treated cruelly or that they should be eradicated. Referring to the following verse of the Qur’an, *‘There is not an animal on the earth, nor a bird flying upon two wings, but comprise nations like yourselves.’ *(6:38), the Prophet (peace be on him) said, ‘If dogs were not a nation (ummah) among nations, I would have ordered that they be killed.’ (Reported by Abu Daoud and al-Tirmidhi. (This was said by the Prophet following Jibril’s remark that angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog. Trans.))

The Prophet (peace be on him) told his Companions a story concerning a man who found a dog in the desert panting and licking the dust due to thirst. The man went to a well, filled his shoes with water, and relieved the dog’s thirst. Said the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him), “Allah appreciated this and forgave him all his sins.”(Reported by al-Bukhari.)

The Findings of Scientific Research Relative to Keeping Dogs

Some lovers of the West in Muslim countries claim to be full of love and compassion for all living creatures and they wonder why Islam warns against this “best friend” of man. For their benefit, we quote here a lengthy excerpt from an article by the German scientist, Dr. Gerard Finstimer, (Translated from the German magazine Kosinos.)

in which the author sheds light on the dangers to human health resulting from keeping dogs or coming in contact with them. He says:

The increasing interest shown by many people in recent times in keeping dogs as pets has compelled us to draw public attention to the dangers which result from this, especially because pet dogs are hugged and kissed and permitted to lick the hands of the young and the old, and what is worse, to lick the plates and utensils which are used by human beings for eating and drinking.

Besides being unhygienic and uncouth, this practice is bad manners and abhorrent to good taste. However, we are not concerned with such matters. leaving them to be addressed by teachers of etiquette and good taste.

Rather this article is intended to present some scientific observations.

From the medical point of view, which is our main concern here, the hazards to human health and life from keeping and playing with dogs are not to be ignored. Many people have paid a high price for their ignorance, as the tapeworm carried by dogs is a cause of chronic disease, sometimes resulting in death.

This worm is found in man, in cattle, and in pigs, but it is found in fully-developed form only in dogs, wolves and rarely in cats. These worms differ from others in that they are minute and invisible, consequently, they were not discovered until very recently.

He continues,

Biologically the developmental process of this worm has some unique characteristics. In the lesions caused by them, one worm gives rise to many heads which spread and form other and varied kinds of lesions and abscesses. These heads develop into full-grown worms only in dogs’ tonsils. In humans and in other animals they appear as lesions and abscesses completely different from the tapeworm itself In animals the size of an abscess may reach that of an apple, while the liver of the infected animal may grow from five to ten times its normal size. In human beings the size of the abscess may reach that of a clenched fist or even the head of an infant; it is filled with yellow fluid weighing from ten to twenty pounds. In the infected human it may cause diverse kinds of inflammations in the lungs, muscles, spleen, kidneys, and brain, and appears in such different forms that specialists, until very recently, had difficulty in recognizing it.

In any case, wherever this inflammation is found, it poses great danger to the health and life of the patient. What is worse is that, in spite of our knowledge of its life history, origin, and development, we have not been able to devise a cure for it, except that in some instances these parasites die out, possibly because of antibodies produced in the human body. Unfortunately, cases in which such parasites die without causing damage are rare indeed. Moreover, chemotherapy has failed to produce any benefit, and the usual treatment is surgical removal of the abscessed parts of the body. For all these reasons we should use all possible resources to fight against this dreadful disease and save man from its dangers.

Professor Noeller, through post-mortem dissection of human bodies in Germany, found that the incidence of infection with dogs’ worms is at least one percent. In some places such as Dalmatia, Iceland, southeastern Australia, and Holland, where dogs are used for pulling sleds, the incidence rate of tapeworm among dogs is 12 percent. In Iceland the number of people who suffer from the inflammation caused by this worm has reached the rate of 43 percent. If we add to this the human suffering, the loss of meat because of infection of cattle, and the permanent danger to human health because of the presence of tapeworms, we cannot be very complacent toward this problem.

Perhaps the best way to combat the problem is to limit the worms to dogs and not let them spread, since in actuality we need to keep some dogs. We should not neglect to treat dogs when necessary by getting rid of the tapeworms in their tonsils and perhaps repeating this process periodically on shepherd dogs and watchdogs.

Man can protect his life and health by keeping a safe distance from dogs. He should not hug them, play with them, or let them come close to children. Children should be taught not to play with dogs or to fondle them. Dogs should not be permitted to lick children’s hands or come to places where they play. Unfortunately, dogs are allowed to roam about everywhere, especially in places where children play, and their bowls are scattered throughout the house. Dogs must have their own separate bowls, and they must not be allowed to lick bowls and plates used by humans. They should not be allowed inside grocery stores, restaurants, or marketplaces. In general, great care must be taken that they do not come in contact with anything which is used by people for eating and drinking.

We already know that the Prophet (peace be on him) forbade mixing with dogs, and that he warned against their licking plates and against keeping them without necessity. How is it possible that the teachings of an unlettered Arab, Muhammad, should agree with the latest findings of scientific research? Truly, we cannot say anything except to repeat the words of the Qur’an: ‘Nor does he speak from (his own) desire. It is nothing other than a revelation sent down.’ (53:3-4)

For a look at previous discussions you guys might be interested in these threads: http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/Forum13/HTML/002409.html http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/Forum13/HTML/003148.html

[Seminole]

I suppose one could find reasons to not partake or participate in many of life's activities if scrutinized enough. It is silly, however, to be so paranoid about the supposed dangers that dogs pose to man.

Here is a list of ways parasites can enter your body: shaking hands, sharing someone else's soda can, kissing (even on the cheek), intimate sexual contact, or inhaling dust which can contain the dried form of these organisms.

You can get parasites from the water of any lake, river, stream, or creeks You can get parasites from eating meat. (Do you really think government inspectors are able to inspect every animal that goes to the slaughterhouse?) Another source of parasites is salads.

To deny someone the unconditinal love, warmth and companionship that a dog can offer soley based on alleged 'health concerns' is baseless. If it is a religous matter, that is a different circumstance. But one shouldn't try to justify religous beliefs by inaccurate or misleading scientific information.

[mm10]

Originally posted by Seminole:
**
I suppose one could find reasons to not partake or participate in many of life’s activities if scrutinized enough. It is silly, however, to be so paranoid about the supposed dangers that dogs pose to man.

Here is a list of ways parasites can enter your body: shaking hands, sharing someone else’s soda can, kissing (even on the cheek), intimate sexual contact, or inhaling dust which can contain the dried form of these organisms.

You can get parasites from the water of any lake, river, stream, or creeks You can get parasites from eating meat. (Do you really think government inspectors are able to inspect every animal that goes to the slaughterhouse?) Another source of parasites is salads.

To deny someone the unconditinal love, warmth and companionship that a dog can offer soley based on alleged ‘health concerns’ is baseless. If it is a religous matter, that is a different circumstance. But one shouldn’t try to justify religous beliefs by inaccurate or misleading scientific information.

**

I understand and agree to your point but there R millions of human beings which need love warmthness and companionship in this world, who should be priority in dealing with daily life rather than finding hollow emotions in pets. Take it easy.

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

[Seminole]

And there are millions of lonely, old people who have no one in their life that gives a hoot about them. I have seen animals provide support these people who otherwise have nobody. It is shameful that they do not have people in their lives, but their pets are not the cause for it.

And who says you can't love people and animals? I agree that an animal cannot take the place of people, but God gave us the capacity for unlimited love.