Re: Got a new pet.... "puppy"
**How could dogs be impermissible if the People of the Cave had a dog with them?
It is established in rigorously authenticated hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) that it is impermissible and sinful to acquire a dog for other than hunting, guarding, shepherding or the like. [see appended answer for details]
As for the mention of the dog of the People of the Cave:
a) it is not unlikely that it was for hunting, guarding, shepherding or the like;
b) if not for one of these purposes, then the Sacred Law of past people is only binding for us if it was adopted within the Sacred Law of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). [Jassas, al-Fusul fi’l Usul, 3.22]
If the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) points to the abrogation of a ruling from the Sacred Law of past people (such as in this situation, if we were to accept it as a case of keeping a dog as a pet), then such rulings are not permitted to follow: the Sacred Law of the Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) abrogated all past Laws. [Jassas, al-Fusul fi’l Usul, 3.22]
And Allah alone gives success.
Faraz Rabbani.
www.sunnipath.com
**