Egypt's 'Gassed' Dogs

by Raymond Ibrahim  

Feb 10, 2012

This picture has appeared on several Arabic websites. Based on the caption that accompanies it, these dogs appear to be victims of the teargas the Egyptian military has been using against protesters. The caption reads: "Stray dogs passed out all over the streets from the effects of the teargas [or literally, "gas-bombs"] thrown at protesters. Despite being used to living around refuse, streets, car exhausts, etc., these dogs passed out from the lethal gas. What about humans?"

Incidentally, there is no surprise that the dogs have been left like vermin on the streets: deemed najis, or unclean, dogs are outcasts in Muslim societies. As one anti-dog fatwa concludes: "We must ensure that Muslims continue to be averse to dogs, even in the midst of what the kuffaar [i.e., Western infidels] are used to do and what some Muslims have adopted of their habits." [see below for the full Q&A]

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Question

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

Answer

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)

For more information on this matter, please see question #377.

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).

We must ensure that Muslims continue to be averse to dogs, even in the midst of what the kuffaar are used to do and what some Muslims have adopted of their habits.

May Allaah bestow good on you and on us. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

Islam Q&A

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

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According to the Fatawa of Ayatullah al Uzama Syed Ali al-Husaini Seestani:

* The following ten things are essentially najis:

• Urine
• Faeces
• Semen
• Dead body
• Blood
• Dog
• Pig
• Kafir
• Alcoholic liquors
• The sweat of an animal who persistently eats najasat.

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Nb. Non-Muslims are right in there with Dogs, etc.

The controlling Qur'anic verse, as regards non-Muslims, is 9:28

‘O you who believe (in Allah's Oneness and in His Messenger (Muhammad SAW)! Verily, the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, and in the Message of Muhammad SAW) are Najasun (impure). So let them not come near Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) after this year, and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you if He will, out of His Bounty. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.’

The many hadith as regards dogs are spoken of here:

http://4freedoms.ning.com/group/animal?commentId=3766518%3AComment%...

A few examples from Bukhari are:

Volume 1, Book 9, Number 493, quotes, “Narrated by Aisha: The things which annul prayer were mentioned before me (and those were): a dog, donkey and a woman. I said, ‘You have compared us (women) to donkeys and dogs.’”

The ‘Prophet’ said, "Angels do not enter a house which has either a dog or a picture in it" (Bukari 4, 54, 539)

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 540: Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar:

Allah's Apostle ordered that the dogs should be killed.

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 542: Narrated Sufyan bin Abi Zuhair Ash-Shani:

That he heard Allah's Apostle saying, "If somebody keeps a dog that is neither used for farm work nor for guarding the livestock, he will lose one Qirat (of the reward) of his good deeds everyday."