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THE 54TH MEETING OF THE PERLIS STATE FATWA COMMITTEE / 2021

8 - 9 SEPTEMBER 2021 / 1 - 2 SAFAR 1443H

FATWA REGARDING MUSLIMS DEALING WITH DOGS

1. Muslims may use dogs for Shar'ie necessities, namely to assist in life affairs such as hunting, guarding livestock, detecting crimes or goods, and the like. This permissibility is sourced from the Qur'an and Sunnah.

2. Keeping dogs without Shar'ie necessity in life affairs is prohibited. This is due to the effects of impurity, hospitality, disturbance to worship, relationships amongst family members, neighbourhood, and the like. There exists authentic hadith that prohibits this matter.

3. Being a veterinarian who treats dogs is not an offense; rather, it is a good deed. In an authentic hadith, it is mentioned that a prostitute was forgiven by Allah for giving drink to a dog.

4. Being a trainer who trains dogs, such as for hunting, detecting goods, criminals, and the like, is a Shar'ie occupation as stated in Surah al-Ma'idah, verse 4.

5. The jurists hold differing opinions regarding contact with wet dogs. Among the main views of the schools of jurisprudence are:

a) Contact with a wet or moist dog must be washed seven times, namely six times with pure water, one with soil-mixed water.

b) Only the licking of a dog must be washed seven times

c) Washing seven times is not obligatory but is rewarded if performed.

6. Since the textual evidence (nas) of the hadith mentions that the licking of a dog must be washed seven times, including once with earth water, limiting that obligation to dog licking only is the opinion adopted in this fatwa. This opinion has been mentioned by al-Mutawalli and al-Rafi'i in the Shafi'i school of jurisprudence and is considered strong by al-Imam al-Nawawi in al-Majmu'.

7. Therefore, if it is ascertained that dog licking has come into contact with utensils, the self, clothing, places, or any items, it must be washed seven times, including one time with soil-mixed water. Other cleaning substances as a substitute for earth water may only be used if the use of earth water could cause damage, property loss or unavailability. 

8. The obligation to wash items that have come into contact with dog impurity (najis) applies if the items in question are to be used for purposes of worship or for eating and drinking.

9. If the contact occurs in a dry state on both the one touching and the one being touched, then the ruling of washing is not obligatory based on the consensus of scholars.

10. Dogs that cause harm to humans may be disposed of. They are included in the list of animals that may be killed as mentioned in authentic hadith.

Approval of the Members of the Perlis State Fatwa Committee:

1. YBhg. S.S Prof Madya Dato' Arif Perkasa Dr Mohd Asri Bin Zainul Abidin – Mufti of the State of Perlis

2. Sahibul Fadhilah Prof Dato' Kaya Bakti Dr. Mohd. Radzi bin Haji Othman

3. Sahibul Fadhilah Dato' Dr. Johari Bin Mat

4. Sahibul Fadhilah Profesor Dr. Basri bin Ibrahim

5. Sahibul Fadhilah Prof Madya Dr. Muhamad Rozaimi bin Ramle

6. Sahibul Fadhilah Dr. Hj Zaharuddin Bin Hj Abdul Rahman

7. Sahibul Fadhilah Prof Madya Dr. Mohd Akram Bin Dato' Dahaman @ Dahlan

8. Sahibul Fadhilah Dr. Kamilin Jamilin @ Ahmad Kamil Jamilin

9. Sahibul Fadhilah Dr Ahmad Sufian Bin Che Abdullah

10. Sahibul Fadhilah Prof Madya Dr Ahmad Wifaq Bin Mokhtar

11. Sahibul Fadhilah Ustaz Syed Abu Bakar Bin Syed Kamal Bharin

12. Ustaz Muhammad Khidhir Bin Abdul Ghani – Secretary

Endorsed at the Meeting of the Perlis Islamic Religious Council and Malay Customs (Majlis Agama Islam dan Adat Istiadat Melayu Perlis) Bil. 4/2021 on 14 September 2021.