Question
(#070)
What is the ruling of keeping a guard dog in Islam?
Answer
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
حامدا و مصليا و مسلما
We acknowledge receipt of your query and our reply follows herewith:
The Malaa’ikah of Rahmat (mercy) do not enter homes in which a dog is kept.
Hadhrat Abu Talha radhiallahu anhu reports that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said:
“The Malaa’ikah (of Rahmat) do not enter such homes in which there is a dog or pictures (of animate objects).” [Mishkaat, 385].
This narration appears in the following books of Hadith compilation: Bukhari, Muslim, Thirmithi, Abu Dawood, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, Baihaqi, Haakim, Tabrani, Ahmad, etc. It has been accepted as authentic by the authorities in the field of Hadith,
The following quotation from Allamah Dimyari Rahimahullah succinctly addresses this point.
The angels that do not enter the homes that have a dog or picture within them are those angels that distribute mercies and blessings; and who seek forgiveness on behalf of the Muslims. As far as the recording angels and those instructed to remove the souls at the time of death, they enter all homes. The recording angels do not leave a person under any condition, since they are ordered to write down and preserve all a person’s actions. (Hayaatul Hayawaan al Kubra)
Due to the deprivation of such great blessings, it would be, under normal circumstances, prohibited to keep a dog as a pet or hobby etc. However, keeping dogs for purposes of necessity has been exempted from the above prohibition due to the following Ahadeeth:
Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Umar radhiallahu anhu reports that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: “He who keeps dogs other than those that may be required for tending to his animals (such as protecting his flock of sheep from wolves and other predators), or for hunting, will have the reward of his good deeds depreciated by two “Qeeraat” daily.” [Mishkaat, Pg. 359]
Note: A “Qeeraat” refers to a specific amount of depreciation in the reward of his good deeds, In another Hadith (Prophetic saying) Qiraat is described as the reward equivalent to Mount Uhud, a huge mountain outside of Madinah Munawwarah.
The Ulama have, on the basis of the above Ahadith, given permission to keep dogs for purposes of necessity. This permission has then been extrapolated to cover other areas of necessity such as keeping watchdogs around one’s home for security purposes. The Fuqahaa (Jurists) have made mention of this in their works as can be borne out from the following extracts:
“It is not proper to keep dogs unless one is afraid of thieves and the like.” [Fataawa Aalamghiri, Vol. 6, Pg. 240].
“To derive benefit from dogs for security and hunting purposes is unanimously permitted; however it is not appropriate to keep such dogs within the house unless one fears thieves or enemies.” [Al-Bahrur-Raa’iq, Vol. 6, Pg. 173]
Therefore in the necessity of safety and not as a pet one will be allowed to keep a dog. Together with this, one should be cautious of the saliva of the dog, this is because the dog’s saliva is regarded as impure in Shariah; therefore the dog should be treated as a guard dog and not a pet which is left free to roam around in one’s home but rather it should be kept outside the perimeters of one’s home.
And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
(Mufti) Muhammad Irshad Motara
2nd Jumaadul Ukhraa 1434
13th April 2013
Checked and approved by:
Mufti Musayab Sahib
