It is not right for Muslims to keep dogs in their house without necessity, and so in that case it is forbidden by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). There are however exceptions to this rule.
One of the exceptions to this rule is the permissibility of keeping them as hunting or guarding dogs. In the past, most people would not keep dogs unless they had a need for them. The rich however would keep them just for pets and give them a lot of attention. People use hunting dogs, because it makes it easier to catch animals, and the dog catching the animal does not make that slain animal forbidden to eat from. Guard dogs are used to protect a person’s property when he is not there. Dogs can be very intimidating when they suspect a person as a threat to it or to its master’s property.
Although most people don’t see anything wrong with keeping a dog in their house, the fact is that keeping a dog in one’s house is very unhealthy and can scare people away. Most people are very friendly with their dogs, so they hug them, let kids play with them, and even let the dogs lick them. The dog is very dirty due to many diseases which can spread from it. One of the most serious diseases is the tapeworm, which is very common in dogs in certain areas in the world. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that if a dog licks a plate, clean it seven times with earth being one of them. Another reason for its prohibition is that dogs scare away visitors and people. The dog’s barking is also not a very pleasant sound to have in your home. This is so serious that even one time Angel Jibril came to the Prophet’s house, but a dog was in the house, so he didn’t enter it.
There are many conclusions which can be drawn from this prohibition. The dog is not a good animal to let it become too friendly with children and family. It is not wise to keep a dog in your house due to health risks. If you need a dog for guarding or protecting your property, in that case it is acceptable. Overall, it is better to avoid keeping dogs without reason.
Date: 12/8/03
