Islam on Dogs

Islam on Dogs



Many Muslims in Malaysia, venerate the form of religion, handed down blindly for generations without understanding the essence of Islam. Sometimes the form is cultural and not religious in origin but they confuse the two.

An example is that I keep a dog, Speedy. Read Dogs: From a Sufi Point of View. Many uninformed Muslims are horrified that I do. Islam never said we, as Muslims, cannot keep a dog. It just says that we should avoid letting a dog's saliva come into contact with our skin. If it does, we have to wash it with clay (in those days soap wasn't even invented yet, so clay was their idea of "soap," let alone surfactants.) There is a fatwa (religious ruling), that not many of these traditionalists are aware of, that says we can now use soap instead of clay. I wash my hands with soap and water when I come into contact with Speedy. I also train her not to slobber over me.

Now the essence of this business about dogs and their saliva has to do with disease and cleanliness. Everyone knows dogs carry ticks and fleas, just as cats do. So I don't let Speedy in the house. This is where I draw the line. I also bathe her once a week and use anti-tick shampoo.

There are non-Muslims who keep house-dogs and some even let them in bed with them. This is unacceptable to me. And I'm not even talking about bestiality. Not merely because I am a Muslim per se but simply on hygiene grounds.

My religion serves by providing broad guidelines. Only by understanding the essence or rationale behind these religious guidelines can we interpret them into practical rules by which we live our lives.

Nota Bene
Just in case any of you are terrified of the thought that I'd be eternally condemned to that place full of fire and brimstone, you'd be glad to learn that when I move to my new house in the country, I'd have a gaggle of geese for security and not a dog. Geese preen themselves, eat snails and don't need to be bathed regularly. They may even turn out to be better watch-guards than Speedy. Besides their eggs make lovely omelettes for breakfast.

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