It has to be made outrightly clear that Muslims aren’t supposed to hate dogs. It’s just that Muslims have gone extreme on both ends. So we see many who keep them as pets and we also see many who run away at the sight of dogs. Hence it’s very important to reinstate the stand in Islam with regards to dogs.

As Muslims, we neither hate nor we love dogs so much to keep them as pets at our home. We definitely don’t go over the board to kiss them!

What is allowed in Islam is to keep dogs for specific purpose like hunting, guarding etc. And if one keeps as pet at home then he is going to lose his portion of good deeds as much as mount Uhud on daily basis!

Are we really willing to lose such huge portion of reward in the hereafter? Definitely it’s a deal breaker for a believer!

I understand that people might keep dogs as pet on the pretext of guarding their house. But then know, the exception was made for guarding the flock of sheeps for the shepherds and to guard the crops for farmers. Even though if u still consider to keep a dog to guard your house, then let that be a genuine reason and also make sure to fulfil the terms and conditions of keeping a dog at your place. Make sure it stays out of the house and has it’s own place and do not get overly lovey-dovey with it!

Now let’s come to another important issue associated with it. And more often, people have misunderstood it and passed on the same. It’s their misconception that if a dog touches a person or the person touches a dog then their wudhu (ablution) breaks. The wudhu breaks only with those factors that have been mentioned to break the wudhu. One must also understand that touching a najaasah (impurity) doesn’t break the wudhu. And the najaasah of the dog is in the saliva. Like for any najaasah, we must just wash it off and it requires nothing more!

People also have a misconception that if a dog touches, then one must wash himself seven times; one time being with the earth(soil). This was actually for the vessel, the dog licks from. And in case if the vessel is kept for the dog alone then it doesn’t need any such cleaning.

Finally, I hope that these misconceptions will settle. But then, it’s more often that we make things so difficult upon ourselves and others when in reality the Deen of Allah is quite simple. And there is a wisdom in each and every ruling of it except that many perceive not!

© Dr. Nisar Ahmad bin Ibrahim

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My evidence:

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever keeps a dog, except a dog for herding, hunting or farming, one qiraat will be deducted from his reward each day.” (Sahih Muslim)

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The purification of the vessel of one of you, if a dog licks it, is to wash it seven times, the first time with soil.”

(Sahih Muslim)