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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Dogs in Islam? |
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| Anonymous |
| 02/22/05 at 02:31:56 |
| Salam alikum, I'm new convert muslimah. why dogs are considered haram? i'm asking this question because i have a dog pet, and i don't know what should i do. so if you could plz answer this question for me i'll appreciate it. Salaam |
| Re: Dogs in Islam? |
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| jannah |
| 02/22/05 at 10:02:02 |
| wlm, sister dogs are not "haram". they are creatures of Allah and should be treated with compassion and mercy. remember the story of the person who had committed great sins who had compassion and gave the dog some water and thereby entered jannah!! there are rulings about dogs that you will need to look into however, such as only being allowed to keep them outside as watchdogs or on farms etc and washing if their saliva touches anything... these things are all for our benefit inshaAllah |
| 02/22/05 at 10:02:49 |
| jannah |
| Re: Dogs in Islam? |
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| bhaloo |
| 02/22/05 at 23:11:48 |
| [slm] Sheikh Munajjid was asked the following question and addressed it as follows. (Taken from http://www.islam-qa.com ) Question : Myself, my mother and sister are living alone in a house. sometimes I've got to leave town due to work and my mother and sister stay alone. there is no one living below and the house is big. Can we rear any pets for some protection against intruders or thiefs? If we can, what knid of pets can we rear?. Answer : Praise be to Allaah. It is permissible to keep a dog as a guard dog, so long as you avoid letting it inside the house and are careful to avoid letting it make vessels and clothes naajis (impure), because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever keeps a dog, his reward for good deeds will decrease by one qeeraat every day, except dogs used for farming or herding livestock.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2322. The version narrated by Muslim (1574) says: “Whoever keeps a dog, except a dog for hunting or herding livestock, his reward will be decreased by two qeeraats every day.” Dogs used for farming or herding livestock are those that are used to guard them. This hadeeth indicates that it is permissible to keep a dog to guard one’s property. Al-‘Iraaqi said in Tarh al-Tathreeb, 6/28: Our companions and others said: it is permissible to keep a dog for these three purposes, namely hunting and protecting one’s livestock and farmland. They differed concerning keeping a dog for the fourth purpose, which is to guard houses or roads etc. Some of our companions said that it is not permissible because of this hadeeth and others, which clearly state that it is haraam except for one of these three things. But most of them said, which is the more correct view, that it is permissible by way of analogy, based on the reason that may be understood from this hadeeth, which is necessity.” With regard to preventing the dog from entering the house, that is because of the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or an image.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3322; Muslim, 2106. |
| Re: Dogs in Islam? |
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| Mossy |
| 02/22/05 at 23:34:10 |
| I asked a number of different scholars about this issue.. To sum up - most (except Malikis) hold the doggy saliva is impure, so you have to wash repeatedly if you get it on you (and dogs do drool a lot). Also, depending on the extent to which they graded the hadith mentioned about qiraat diminishing above, they also indicated it was makruh (undesirable) to haram (impermissable) to have a pet dog - ie one that doesn't serve a required function like a guide dog. |
| Re: Dogs in Islam? |
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| muslimah853 |
| 02/23/05 at 22:39:23 |
| [slm] Just to piggy back on what Jannah said...keep in mind that animals are to be treated with compassion. While keeping a dog simply as a pet isn't considered the most desirable thing in Islam, you should also bear in mind that people who convert have to implement things gradually or else things simply become too overwhelming and/or we end up doing things in keeping with the letter of the law that run contrary to the spirit of it. In this instance, what I mean is that practically speaking, it might not be the easiest thing to do to get rid of the dog, at least not immediately. The dog should not be abandoned, turned out, etc. It doesn't seem like you would do that, as you seem to care for the animal a great deal, but I know that sometimes converts are advised to do things very abruptly, without regard to the logistics of the situation. Dogs do pose certain issues in terms of purification and prayer and other rulings, and that can't be ignored. But we are always to use wisdom. |
| Re: Dogs in Islam? |
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| Abu_Hamza |
| 02/24/05 at 19:44:41 |
| [slm] The following excerpt is from Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawi's book, [i]The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam[/i]: 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) |
| Re: Dogs in Islam? |
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| muslimah853 |
| 02/26/05 at 10:48:02 |
| [slm] Moreover, the presence of a dog makes the household utensils unhygienic due to their licking of them. With all respect to Shaykh Yusuf, I think it important to point out that sometimes Muslim writers speaking about practices in the west tend to overgeneralize. What I mean by this is that as a non-Muslim, I grew up with a dog(s) and we would NEVER have let the dogs lick our utensils. If a dog ever got into some dish that we used for eating out of unbeknownst to us, the dish in question would have been summarily thrown out. Nor were our dogs allowed to sleep in our beds or any of that. We regarded this as extremely unhygenic. Alot of people in my neighborhood had dogs, and liked dogs, but NONE of them fed dogs out of the same utensils that they ate out of or let the dogs sleep in their beds. Many people's dogs slept only in certain parts of the house or in outdoor dog houses. This is not to find fault, but sometimes when we are discussing the reasons why certain things should be done the Islamic way, we point to "Western" practices as proof. Why should women wear hijab, well, because Western women are obsessed with their looks, and hijab liberates them from that. I think we have all seen this type of thing before and it helps if we are not so sweeping in our generalizations. |
| Re: Dogs in Islam? |
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| jannah |
| 02/26/05 at 14:53:06 |
| [wlm] Well Muslimah I doubt he's talking solely about people in the West here. Many people have dogs in developing countries too and they have dogs around the house that tend to get into anything.. even jumping on the table to lick some of the plates when ppl are done.. You seemed to be very careful about your dog but there are many or most who aren't... I haven't heard of anyone having such strict rules with their dogs, many do let them sleep on their bed and eat their leftovers off of their plates! In discussing a prohibition from Allah we abide by it because Allah has mandated it for whatever wisdom... sometimes we can guess at the wisdom and sometimes we can't. I do not believe any scholar would say we do it because ppl in the west do such and such, rather I think they're trying to point out some wisdoms that we might be able to recognize. |
| 02/26/05 at 14:53:55 |
| jannah |
| Re: Dogs in Islam? |
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| muslimah853 |
| 02/26/05 at 16:01:23 |
| [slm] Well Muslimah I doubt he's talking solely about people in the West here. Probably not, but one line in the article seems to suggest that he is mainly taking aim at 'western' dog keeping practices...the part about "lovers of the west in Muslim countries" or something like that. I tend to think that when he wrote this he was addressing the issue in general, but my original post was speaking about how things sometimes come across. I haven't heard of anyone having such strict rules with their dogs, many do let them sleep on their bed and eat their leftovers off of their plates! Defintely. There are many who are, as far as I'm concerned, way too lax with their pets in the house. But it's too much of a generalization. There is variation in how 'western' people do anything. In some European countries it is relatively normal to see dogs in stores, hotels, and restaurants (yuck) even though in the US, the most die-hard dog lovers don't consider that cool. All of this is the West--so the point is, it's hard to generalize about the west. In discussing a prohibition from Allah we abide by it because Allah has mandated it for whatever wisdom... sometimes we can guess at the wisdom and sometimes we can't. I do not believe any scholar would say we do it because ppl in the west do such and such, rather I think they're trying to point out some wisdoms that we might be able to recognize. That is exactly what my point was, though I probably didn't do a good job of getting it across. I didn't mean to say that the shaykh was saying that the primary reason we do x or y is because the west does z...but sometimes when Muslim writers make attempts to point out wisdom that can be seen from doing things the Islamic way, that very often that wisdom comes in the form of, well, Allah tells us to do it this way, and in the west, they do the opposite, and here are all the things that can go wrong. No doubt there is benefit in comparisons, but overgeneralizations are something else. I hope I don't sound agitated, I'm not. :-) I think I am veering off topic a bit because at this point it isn't about the dogs. I don't think that dogs should be kept as pets just to keep them as pets, it's not the position that I have issue with. It's more so like if you look at the Muslim ummah as a whole, there is great variation in how certain things are done, and it's annoying when outsiders generalize about things. Take for instance the fact that Saudi women don't drive...that is a Saudi thing and doesn't reflect the situation of Muslim women everywhere. Being a westerner, it becomes equally annoying when (non-Western) Muslims generalize about American/European practices. Anyway, since I'm very off topic now, I'll stop. :-) |
| Re: Dogs in Islam? |
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| Caraj |
| 02/26/05 at 19:02:33 |
| I find this post quite interesting as I too am a dog person. Dog, cat, horses, if it is a critter I love it. I find since learning about Islam and being a person who feels things strongly if it is wrong. I guess one would call it a conscience. (did I spell that right) Anyway before learning about Islam I was already picky. I never allow dogs to eat off plates and do not use the same blankets, pads or dishware as other animal, any animals. If I catch a cat on the counter (which is SOOO OFF LIMITS, but critters as with children test limits when you are not looking.) I bleach and cleanser the counter top to the extreame when I catch someone where they are not allowed to be and before cooking (just in case) When I first came to join jannah.org I too asked about the dog issue. I also thought well back during the Prophets time they did not have bleach, cleanser nor brillo pads and antibacterial cleaners thus it is ok now. But in my heart I was only trying to fool myself. Here is an example. I have a Mastiff, they are known droolers. One day a couple summers ago I washed my car, Now my boy has a habit of looking in the car. I washed it, noticing he had smeared drool on it, and I am a picky cleaner. Once it dried the drool residue was still there YUK I went out and washed the car again scrubbing the area extra and again once again it was still there after drying and took several washings before it was gone. This dogs saliva seemed unusally acidic. For lack of a better way of putting it. Anyway, I am even more picky and also wear gloves when feeding or working with my dogs. I do not allow them to lick me, I do not even wash their dishes in the sink, they are washed outside with the garden hose. I have yet to feel convicted in my heart to get rid of them. But as with everything they have their place. As to the cat blankets I wash them with bleach and also run the washer through an cycle with bleach before washing clothes again in it. How is that for picky? There is a reason for everything and although we may not understand it, we need to respect it. Like our children, sometimes we need to say NO without a grand and glorious explaination. Kind of like CAUSE I'M THE MOMMA THATS WHY ;D Thus cause he is the ALMIGHTY THATS WHY |
| 02/26/05 at 19:05:23 |
| Caraj |
| Re: Dogs in Islam? |
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| jannah |
| 02/27/05 at 02:31:36 |
| azizah good point :) as long as we follow God's guidance it's all good ;0 i know this Muslim family that owns a farm and they have the cutest little puppy.. they keep him in the yard or in this little porch room they have for cold nights. i don't know how they live in the back of beyond redneck country i mean when its dark it's dark! and there isnt much around for miles... it would be nice to have a good watchdog... he's a little too friendly right now tho, but maybe when he grows up ;) |
| Re: Dogs in Islam? |
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| Mujahideen |
| 02/27/05 at 04:42:08 |
| [quote author=Abu_Hamza link=board=madrasa;num=1109057517;start=0#5 date=02/24/05 at 19:44:41][slm] 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) [/quote] [slm] I think this ‘article’ is suspect, when I search for this supposed magazine “Kosinos” I get a relatively small number of hits which are exclusively from other Muslim sites (forums and the like). When searching for this ‘scientist’ Dr. Gerard Finstimer I get a similar result – a page or so of links to Muslim sites all quoting the same article. It seems suspect there are no hits to whatever institution he is supposedly affiliated with, no mention of any sources whatsoever which is highly uncharacteristic of a scientist, no hits linking to other articles he might have written. I don’t know but I seriously doubt the authenticity of the article. Not sure if you have any source yourself Brother hamza? Regarding the permissibility of keeping dogs. While there are different Fiqh opinions as to such permissibility – it has indeed long been held as permissible by some of our Scholars. Someone has already mentioned that the Maliki school holds that Dogs are pure (including their saliva). Further according to this opinion one may keep Dogs for hunting or for protection – keeping dogs ‘without reason’ is still considered disliked according to this opinion yet I suspect as a convert this might be the least of your concerns, especially with the existence of difference on the matter. Many Muslims have very irrational beliefs regarding dogs, they are acculturated to hate them. For the most part these beliefs are not grounded in Fiqh of any variety. Once when traveling through the middle east I encountered a Brother who advised me that it was ‘a duty to kill a dog one find on the street because the Sharia offers them no respect’. These are simply ignorant individuals, in this case a brother who apparently does not even understand the difference between Shari’a and Fiqh! At any rate don't there are valid opinions which attest to the permissability of keeping dogs, these opinions have been around since at least the classical period and have been accepted by the best and brightest minds our Ummah has produced for over 1000 years because they deemed them to be well authenticated and grounded in the Qur'an and Sunnah. In other words you need not rely on modern interpretations who want to turn keeping dogs into a battle between islam and the West, and your puppy is just fine. I have two - they protect my property and family Alhamdulillah. |
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