Re: Islam and Dogs(animal)
I default to logic, which i know is not always the answer but it helps. yes, Middle path is the answer. In my own home we have only two pictures on display and in one room and its my kids pics. rest of those house is picture free. I personally dont care but my parents visit and they have mixed feelings, plus to them its more about where to pray and if there are pictures on the walls etc, so for me it was a very easy decision… I am rather ambivalent about having pictures up, my parents would rather not..so off they go.
My issue is not with you at all. My issue is that the hardliners delivering sermons on TV…image on TV vs image in a frame…what the difference? why are their pictures in newspapers at rallies or posing with other pals…why are their pics on flyers and brochures and posters of their events. I mean I can twist it so many ways that it is ridiculous…i can’t have a picture ‘in’ the house…but then can i put a huge portrait in the back yard? ..as a whole icon…and then say, well the picture is not in my home..pictures in home are not cool but out on billboards and screens they are fine? is the issue with images or what people may do with images…and while public places can be monitored and controlled, private can’t thus the guidance to not have images because back then people started worshipping stuff, images, statues..etc etc. pictures in display versus pictures in albums…pictures on display versus pictures on a had drive..does it then matter? so thats where your point that to have the picture as some icon is an issue…and in my mind, i add on to it that the picture is iconized for a particular purpose..and that purpose is shirk of some sort where you are looking at the individual or entity in that image to have some sort of power.
I was serious when I said that people who are dead set against pictures in the house better be surfing the web in text only mode…because one can’t say well, i dont have a framed picture but web has it and I am powerless. dont carry cash either, do everything with debit card 
would that make sense..are ppl worshipping benajmin franklin, the queen or quad e azam or king abdullah? ..i guess some may be, but they dont put a currency note in front of them and start praying to it..
Middle path makes sense, middle path has to be led by some deliberate thinking about reasoning and intent, and what it means. To me, the reasoning for images was to discourage a particular issue. The image of the dog thing took me by surprise because I dont think the picture of a dog has to be treated any differently than that of a ood bilao, oont, bagar billa, lomri, kabootar, laggar bagha, langur or chimgadar
and please, dont take any of this as trying to prove you wrong, not being open to other pov, or ridiculing anything..the very serious discussion style has never been my thing…now come here and give me a hug…but before that leave your wallet with TLK, it has pictures in it and I dont want to be in proximity of pictures
PS: TLK… wallet lay kar bhaaaaaaaaag!!!