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Dogs in Islam. Should Malay hate and bully dogs?







howard
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Aug 19, 2006, 3:14 AM

Post #1 of 2 (1893 views)
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Dogs in Islam. Should Malay hate and bully dogs? Can't Post

source: http://www.quran-islam.org/119.html

Dogs!

Are they dirty

prohibited animals?





Editor's Note:

It is traditional among Muslims all over the world to regard the dog as a dirty animal that when touched would void your wudu (ablution) and give you nagasah (dirty impurity!

Sadly, this concept comes from fabricated hadith which claims that the prophet ordered the killing of dogs and gave numerous hadith that prohibit the keeping of dogs except for hunting and guarding, due to their dirty status!

However, by studying the Quran we find no such claims. Nowhere in the Quran are dogs prohibited. Consequently, we must dismiss all these hadith that fabricate lies against the prophet.

1- God tells us in the Quran about the story of the dwellers of the Cave (Surah 18)......in verse 13 God tells us that they were good believers and that God guided them.

In verse 18 God tells us that they had their dog with them.

Now if dogs are prohibited and dirty, would God speak of those dwellers of the Cave (who had a dog) as good believers?

2- In 5:4 God tells us that it is OK to eat what the trained dogs catch (dogs are used in hunting)..........if dogs are dirty would God say that it is OK to eat what they catch with their mouths?

3- There is not ONE verse in the Quran where God says that dogs are dirty or that they are prohibited to keep.

4- Is it logical that God would create an animal to be man's best friend and serve him in many ways, and then prohibit such an animal?

.

The following is a well writen article about the subject by Lydia kelley



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Dogs : Beyond Traditional Islam

By: Lydia Kelley



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Why is it that dogs are looked down upon in the so-called Muslim world ? Why has tradition made it so difficult to keep a dog in your home ? Why would a "Muslims" Taxi driver refuse to allow a blind man and his guide dog into his cab ?

Dogs are wonderful creatures of God. They bond with humans, protect them and serve them and that has been true almost since God placed man on earth. Does it make sense then that Muhammed (or any messenger of God) would place prohibitions on these loving creatures when God does not?

How do we know that Muslims are not forbidden to be around dogs? We look at God's word, at the Quran. In the story of the men of the cave in Sura 18, it becomes clear that God sees dogs as part of men's lives.

18:18 "You would think that they were awake, when they were in fact asleep. We turned them to the right side and the left side, while their dog stretched his arms in their midst."

Hadith tells us that angels won't enter a room where there is a dog. That means that for 309 years that the sleepers were in the cave, no angel ever entered. Yet God says "We turned them...." The use of "we" clearly indicates the participation of angels. There is absolutely no reason to mention the dog as part of this story, except to make it clear to future generation that dogs are permitted to live among people, right "in their midst." And 18:22 clearly shows that the dog was counted right along with the believers.


"Some would say, they were three; their dog being the fourth, while others would say, Five; the sixth being their dog, as they guessed. Others said, seven, and the eighth was their dog. Say, My Lord is the best knower of their number. Therefore, do not argue with them; just go along with them. You need not consult anyone about this."

There are books of the Bible that don't make it into all Bibles. They are recognized by some sects but not by others. These are called "apocrypha." One such book is entitles "Tobit." It is a wonderful narrative. It reminds me of Luqmaan in the Quran. A faithful man counsels his son to worship God always, to be righteous, to give charity and never begrudge the gift, to be humble and to be fair in all business dealings. In this book of Tobit, the son, Tobias, goes off on a journey to help his father. God sends with him an angel in the form of a man, and chapter 5 verse 16 says;

"So they went out and departed and the young man's dog was with them." And as they return home, after all the adventure and good things that happen , in chapter: " After this Tobias went on his way, praising God because He had made his journey as success....So they went their way, and the dog went along behind them."

There is no other mention of the dog in the whole narrative. It is just like the people of the cave. There is no reason to mention the dog at all, except to show that it's a perfectly natural thing to be accompanied by your dog. God certainly does not prohibit it.

God has given dogs qualities that make perfect companions and helpmates for humans. The fact that dogs like to be around people and like to please them makes them easy to breed for specific characteristics and to train for a variety of wonderful jobs. Dogs come in all shapes and sizes from the 5" tall, 6 pound Chihuahua to the Mastiff and St. Bernard which may reach 200 pounds. Some dogs are meant to simple be a companion to man, small enough to carry around and sit on your lap. Scientific studies have shown that just petting a dog can lower a person's blood pressure. So their simple companionship is a gift from God.

Beyond that, dogs perform a vast array of wonderful skills. Dogs are excellent herders and guards of sheep and cattle. Some dogs have a natural desire to protect. Police and the military frequently make use of this attribute, using German Shepherds , Dobermans and Rottweilers in their work. Dogs are wonderful in search and rescue. This has gone on for hundreds of years, from the famous St. Bernard of Switzerland finding people lost in the snow and laying down with them to keep them warm (they did not carry a keg of brandy) to modern times, finding survivors in the rubble of earthquakes.

Dogs have always participated in the sporting world, as the Quran attests in 5:4

"They consult you concerning what is lawful for them; say, Lawful for you are all good things, including what trained dogs and falcons catch for you. You train them according God's teachings. You may eat what they catch for you, and mention God's name thereupon. You shall observe God. God is most efficient in reckoning."

Yet according to Hadith, anything a dog touches must be washed seven times, the final time in dust. That seems inconsistent with the Quran saying you may eat what they catch for you. The beautiful bird brought back proudly in the Retriever's mouth would have to be washed seven times, finally in dust. It does not sound very appetizing.

Recently man has come to rely on the dog more for companionship and affection than anything else. And out of that has come the use of dogs as eyes, ears, arms and legs for the disabled. To watch a seeing-eye dog guide a blind person down a busy street or through a crowded mall is a truly inspiring sight. It allows freedom and independence that this person would not otherwise have.

For a deaf person, a hearing-ear dog allows him or her to live alone without fear. The dog can be taught to alert his owner to the doorbell, telephone, alarm clock, and smoke alarm. A deaf couple can respond to their baby crying, for the dog will alert them. The world is not so frightening and they do not feel so alone, with a dog to hear for them.

For someone in a wheelchair, or someone whose arthritis won't allow them to bend or lift, a dog can provide so much help and comfort. The simple act of picking up a dropped objet is something we take for granted. But to a disabled person, it might mean the humiliation of always having to ask for help. With a service dog by his side, that same person achieve independence and self-esteem. The dog is happy to get the pen or the keys or the pill bottle, even if it rolls under a table.

The positive qualities of the dog-loyalty, dependability, tolerance- have been recognized throughout history. Mark Twain said "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." And Lord Byron's epitaph for his dog says "[He] possessed beauty without vanity, strength without insolence; courage without ferocity; and all the virtues of man without his vices."

And of course the most important trait of all, which Byron missed, is complete and total submission to God for all his life. I think we'd be well served to share our lives more with these wonderful creatures, and learn more from them.

"The heavens and the earth are full of proofs for the believers. Also in your creation, and the creation of all the animals, there are proofs for people who are certain." (45:3-4)

"Among His proofs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the creatures He spreads in them. He is able to summon them, when He wills." (42:29)

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potter
Member


Sep 14, 2006, 1:56 PM

Post #2 of 2 (1787 views)
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Re: [howard] Dogs in Islam. Should Malay hate and bully dogs? [In reply to] Can't Post

I have posted on another thread but after I posted, I found this thread which is much more suitable for the short article that I wrote: Ps forgive me for being long-winded.

"The issue of Islam and dogs has been a long standing one and there has been a long misconception that led to the killing of many innocent dogs.It is always the animal/dog that is so pitiful and at mercy. If in other more developed countries, a much more caring society, the animals are so much more well taken care of. Although there will always be the occasional cruelty reported, there are always animal officers in place to put these people behind bars or being slapped with a heavy penalty. Again, although animals are being "passed" on to Humane Societies and are sometimes being put to sleep, their chances of being adopted are always much much higher as people in the society are much aware of what is happening. Also, they have free adoption campaigns every 2 weeks thus highering the chance of animals being adopted. These officers are usually highly trained and loves animals alot. The law is in place because animals cannot speak and defend for themselves and usually, there is no license needed unless it is a banned breed like pitbull (again it is banned due to human breeding it for dog fighting purpose which is by no fault is the dog's). And you will never never see dogs being destroyed by the officers or treated cruelly by them as they are usually very firm but gentle. I am not trying to find fault here but sincerely, I do hope a better day will come by for animals especially dogs in Malaysia. My grandma used to have a Muslim neighbour that I call nenek. Nenek kept like 13 dogs of her own and she loves each and everyone of them and when her husband (a dog lover too) passed away, she grew even more attached to the dogs. I have seen alot of stray dogs being treated cruelly. I have adopted one stray myself and he is really such a good and gentle dog and even turned out handsome after baths and grooming.Although he was a couple years old when he came to us, he was still very trainable.He has free range of the house. I also do urge Malaysians to keep dogs in the house when it is too hot outside which usually is during the afternoon. Dogs do get heatstroke. Install a doggie door for them or use playpen in an area of your indoor house like the kitchen which the floor can be easily cleaned and remember to play with them and walk them once or twice everyday.Treat them like a family member. You wouldn't give up your family member when they are sick or when they are disabled and you will be assured your dog will still love you so much if you are sick/disabled.Socialize them when they are puppy and continue to socialize them. Bring them out, let them experience different situations.If anyone have questions about dog issues, you are welcome to write to me at wytien@puppy.com.my. I do have quite a bit of knowledge about solving dog behavioural issues.

Again, I do hope whomever that have read this piece of article will remember that animals can speak for themselves and us, human who are capable of defending and taking care of ourselves are given the task by God to take care and protect these animals.There is nothing like a dirty animal and after all, we are all Living Breathing things sharing this earth temporarily.

And o, I do believe that however horrible a dog's past is, or whatever a dog's problem is, they are usually retrainable unless they were trained from young to be a fighting dog which their temperament has to be assessed first before being adopted/retrained.Usually it starts with training the owner to train the dog.My adopted dog used to be so scared of human beating him, he don't even come near us at first but he has transition to a very happy dog and have forgotten about all the abused he has had. He is no longer with us but I am glad and proud to say that his remaining years with us have been a happy one.I do miss him dearly and look forward to have more dogs or maybe run a dog shelter if I have the financial capabilities; a no-kill one if possible and with more support from private foster homes."
potter

www.dogster.com/pet_page.php?j=t&i=410379

 
 




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