Why Keeping Pet Dogs Is Halal: 12 Powerful Hadiths
03/07/2019 Updated-24/06/2020
Keeping pet dogs is not haram in Islam because the hadiths that speak of the prohibition pf doing so speak specifically on keeping dogs indoors with out a purpose. Dogs can be kept as pets for various reaosn in Islam and under the mentioned circumstances, keeping dogs does not become haram.
Dogs in Islam, as well as in Judaism and Christianity considered evil or immoral. The hatred of dogs especially among orthodox Jews is based on verses in the Bible such as in Revelation 22:15. Muslims do not pray if a dog happens to touch his clothes stating that the dog is unclean. Such beliefs that dogs are unclean are unfounded and this belief of dogs being unclean has given the basic misunderstanding that keeping a pet dog is haram.
Islam is a religion of peace,mercy,kindness,ease and flexibility. Unlike other religions,Islam is the only religion which gives a solution for humanity in every problem he encounters and most importantly Islam is extremely flexible when it comes to solving any problem faced by humanity. When it comes to bringing up dogs as pets we will have to examine all the available evidence to come to a conclusion. There are several hadiths that have been misunderstood by Muslims and have come up with wrong analogies. You can watch the below video to get a visual understanding on this topic as well.
Keeping pet dogs is not haram in Islam because the hadiths that speak of the prohibition pf doing so speak specifically on keeping dogs indoors with out a purpose. Dogs can be kept as pets for various reaosn in Islam and under the mentioned circumstances, keeping dogs does not become haram.
Dogs in Islam, as well as in Judaism and Christianity considered evil or immoral. The hatred of dogs especially among orthodox Jews is based on verses in the Bible such as in Revelation 22:15. Muslims do not pray if a dog happens to touch his clothes stating that the dog is unclean. Such beliefs that dogs are unclean are unfounded and this belief of dogs being unclean has given the basic misunderstanding that keeping a pet dog is haram.
Islam is a religion of peace,mercy,kindness,ease and flexibility. Unlike other religions,Islam is the only religion which gives a solution for humanity in every problem he encounters and most importantly Islam is extremely flexible when it comes to solving any problem faced by humanity. When it comes to bringing up dogs as pets we will have to examine all the available evidence to come to a conclusion. There are several hadiths that have been misunderstood by Muslims and have come up with wrong analogies. You can watch the below video to get a visual understanding on this topic as well.
Here are some of the hadiths that used to argue that you cannot keep a dog as a pet.
Hadith-1-Narrated by Abu talha (Rali),
The prophet (Sal) said :
"Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or there are pictures."
(Bukhari)
Hadith-2-Abu Talha Narrated that the prophet (Sal) said,
"Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture"
(Muslim)
Hadith-3-Abu Talha (Rali) Narrated that the prophet (Sal) said,
"Angels do not enter the house in which there is a dog or a statue"
(Muslim)
Hadith-4-Narrated by Salim's father,
The prophet (Sal) said,
"Once Gabriel promised the Prophet (that he would visit him, but Gabriel did not come) and later on he said, "We, angels, do not enter a house which contains a picture or a dog."
(Bukhari)
Hadith-5-Narrated by Maimunah (Rali),
"One morning Allah's Messenger (Sal) was silent with grief. Ummul Momineen Maymunah (Rali) said: Allah's Messenger (Sal), I find a change in your mood today. Allah's Messenger (Sal) said: Gabriel had promised me that he would meet me last night, but he did not meet me. By Allah, he never broke his promises; and Allah's Messenger (Sal) spent the day in this sad (mood). Then it occurred to him that there had been a puppy under their cot. He gave an order and it was turned out. He then took some water in his hand and sprinkled it on the place. When it was evening Gabriel met him and he said to him: You promised me that you would meet me the previous night. He said: Yes, but we do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture. So the very next morning he commanded the dogs to be killed. He announced that the dog kept for the orchards should also be killed, but he spared the dog used for the protection of extensive fields (or big gardens)"
(Muslim)
Hadith-6-A'isha (Rali) narrated that Gabriel (peace be upon him) made a promise with Allah's Messenger (Sal) to come at a definite hour; that hour came but he did not visit him. And there was in his hand (in the hand of Allah's Apostle) a staff. He threw it from his hand and said:
"Never has Allah or His messengers (angels) ever broken their promise. Then he cast a glance (and by chance) found a puppy under his cot and said: 'A'isha, when did this dog enter here? She said: By Allah, I don't know He then commanded and it was turned out. Then Gabriel came and Allah's Messenger (Sal) said to him: You promised me and I waited for you, but you did not come, whereupon he said: It was the dog in your house which prevented me (to come), for we (angels) do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture".
(Sahih Muslim)
There are several hadiths like the above mentioned that clearly forbid keeping a dog inside a house because angels won't enter a house where there is a dog but this is one part we must understand. The other part is that you still can keep a dog as a pet for the below mentioned reasons as mentioned in the these hadiths.
Hadith-7-Narrated Ibn `Umar:
The Prophet (Sal) said, "Whoever keeps a (pet) dog which is neither a watch dog nor a hunting dog, will get a daily deduction of two qirat from his good deeds."
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
In the above hadith, the prophet (Sal) explained clearly that you can keep a dog as a pet if it is a watch dog that guards that house or property or for hunting purposes. There are similar hadiths as follows.
Hadith-8-Abu Hurayrah (Rali) Narrated,
The prophet (Sal) said,
“Whoever keeps a dog that is not a dog for hunting, herding livestock or farming, two qirats will be deducted from his reward each day.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Hadith-9-Ibn Umar (Rali) narrated,
The prophet(Sal) said,
“Whoever keeps a dog, except a dog for herding livestock or a dog for hunting, a qiraat will be deducted from his good deeds each day.” ‘Abd-Allaah said: Abu Hurayrah said: Or a dog for farming.
(Sahih Muslim)
From the above hadiths it is clear that we should understand that it is only forbidden for a dog to be kept inside a house because angels do not enter the house where there is a dog and good deeds amounting to one or two qirats will be deducted unless the dog is kept as a guard dog or for hunting or for livestock. Qirat is an amount equal to a large mountain and two qirats equals to two large mountains.
Hadith-10-The prophet (Sal) said,
"Whoever follows the funeral procession and offers the funeral prayer for it, will get a reward equal to one Qirat, and whoever attends it till burial, will get a reward equal to two Qirat.'' It was asked, "What are two Qirat?'' He (Protphet (Sal)) replied, "Equal to two huge mountains.''
(Bukhari and Muslim)
There is another point we need to understand and that is, keeping dogs under necessity is allowed. a dog can be kept for sniffing narcotics, explosives,help with crime scene investigations,leading or assisting a blind person etc. Allah (Swt) says:
"He has only forbidden you carrion, blood, and swine, and that which has been consecrated to any other than Allah. But who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. For Allah is Forgiving, Compassionate."
(Al Quran-2:173)
And further, Allah (Swt) says:
"And why should you not eat of that (meat) on which Allaah’s Name has been pronounced (at the time of slaughtering the animal), while He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity?”
(Al Quran-6:119)
Imam Nawawi said,
'Is it permissible to keep a dog to guard houses, alleys and the like? There are two points of view. The first is that it is not permissible, because of the apparent meaning of the ahaadeeth, which clearly state that keeping dogs is forbidden except for farming, hunting and herding. The more correct view is that it is permissible, by analogy with those three cases, knowing that the reason that is understood from the Ahaadith is necessity."
(Sharh Muslim (10/340)
For more insight about the concept of necessity in Islam with evidence , you can read my full article by clicking here https://cjislam.weebly.com/why-watching-porn-is-allowed-in-islam-for-a-necessity.html
The other argument that is put forward to prove that keeping a dog as a pet is haram is based on an unrelated hadith. The hadith is as follows.
Hadith-11-Narrated by Ibn Umar (Rali),
The prophet (Sal) ordered that the dogs should be killed
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
The above hadith has no relation with keeping dogs as pets and the prophet (Sal) anulled this command later by forbidding the killing of dogs except the jet black ones with two spots on the eyes.
Hadith-12-Narrated by Jabir bin 'Abdullah (Rali) saying: Allah's Messenger (Sal) ordered us to kill dogs, and we carried out this order so much so that we also kill the dog coming with a woman from the desert. Then Allaah's Prophet (Sal) forbade their killing. He (the Prophet further) said: It is your duty the jet-black (dog) having two spots (on the eyes), for it is a devil.
(Sahih Muslim)
All the available evidence clearly proves that the the story that keeping a pet dog is haram is not true because you can keep a pet dog as a guard dog or for protecting livestock or hunting and also in circumstances arising due to necessity. There are many benefits in keeping a dog as a pet. A study from the university of Bristol,England has found out that that dogs alerted their owners to 83 percent of hypoglycemic episodes in more than 4,000 hypoglycemic attacks. You can read the complete post by clicking here https://www.healthline.com/health-news/dogs-can-help-people-with-diabetes-regulate-insulin-levels
In general, having a pet will help you to fight depression and anxiety and a study published by the "Centers for disease control and prevention" have found out that children can cope with anxiety if they have a pet dog. (Click here https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2015/15_0204.htm For the evidence)
Islam is a religion that facilitates and eases problems and it would be clear for the reader that You can have a pet dog in Islam with some conditions and trying to go to extremes is forbidden in Islam and extreme puritanism is not what the prophet (Sal)or his companions practiced. The Kawarij were the ones who went in to becoming austere in worship and ended up becoming bloodthirsty killers.
You can also read my article "Why Touching a Dog Is Not Haram in Islam"
By clicking here https://cjislam.weebly.com/why-touching-a-dog-is-not-haram-in-islam.html
C J Ahmed