Ruling on keeping a dog as pet in Islam

(1) Keeping dog is forbidden in Islam except one who keep dogs for hunting, guarding livestock and guarding crops. The punishment for keeping dogs is that the one who does that loses one or two qiraats from his hasanaat (good deeds) each day.

Narrated from Abu Hurayrah (R.A) that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Whoever keeps a dog, except a dog for herding, hunting or farming, one qiraat will be deducted from his reward each day.”( Muslim, 1575)

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Umar: I heard the Prophet saying, “If someone keeps a dog neither for hunting, nor for guarding livestock, the reward (for his good deeds) will be reduced by two Qirats per day.” (Volume 7, Book 67, Number 390: Sahih Bukhari)

(2) With dogs, Najaasah (impurity) is a big problem. In Islam if a dog drinks watar from the vessel, then one has to throw away the water and wash it seven times with water and the eighth time with soil, if a person wants to use it for himself.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (R.A) that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “The purification of the vessel of one of you, if a dog licks it, is to wash it seven times, the first time with soil.” (Sahih Muslim, 279.)

(3) kissing or touching the dog can cause many diseases. The diseases that people may get by kissing dogs or drinking from their vessels before purifying them are many, such as pasturella which is a bacterial disease, the cause of which exists naturally in the respiratory systems of humans and animals, but under certain circumstances this germ can invade the body and cause disease, parasitic disease that affects the intestines of humans and animals, and usually affects the liver and lungs, the abdominal cavity and the rest of the body.

This disease is caused by tapeworms, which are small wormsm, 2-9 millimeters long, which are formed of three sections, a head and a neck; the head has four suckers.

The adult worms live in the intestines of their hosts, such as dogs, cats, crows and wolves.

This disease is transmitted to human who love dogs, when they kiss them or drink from their vessels.

Parasites normally enter the body through the skin or mouth. Close contact with dogs can lead to parasite infestation as they are host to many parasites. Approximately 240 diseases may be spread from animals to humans through parasites.

(4) There are many ahaadeeth which state that it is forbidden to sell dogs. The general meaning of these ahaadeeth include all kinds of dogs, those which it is permissible to keep and those which it is not permissible to keep.

Narrated by Abu Juhayfah (R.A): The Prophet (pbuh) forbade the price of a dog. al-Bukhaari (1944)

 Narrated Abu Mas’ud(R.A): The Prophet forbade the utilization of the price of a dog, the earnings of prostitute and the earnings of a foreteller. (Volume 7, Book 71, Number 656: Sahih Bukhari)

Narrated by ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas (R.A) said: The Messenger of Allaah forbade the price of a dog, and if a person comes asking for the price of a dog, then fill his hand with dust.”[Abu Dawood (3021)].

(5). There are so many ahadeeth in which Prophet (pbuh) said that Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog.

Narrated Abu Talha(R.A): The Prophet said, “Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or there are pictures.” (Volume 7, Book 72, Number 833: Sahih Bukhari)

Narrated Salim’s father: Once Gabriel promised to visit the Prophet (pbuh) but he delayed and the Prophet (pbuh) got worried about that. At last he came out and found Gabriel and complained to him of his grief (for his delay). Gabriel said to him, “We do not enter a place in which there is a picture or a dog.” (Volume 7, Book 72, Number 843: Sahih Bukhari)

Allah knows the best.