Is it permissible to rescue dog?

[anonymous]

Assalamualaikum brothers and sisters of Islamic Board,

I'm currently volunteering at an animal rescue and shelter homes and I was wondering if it would be permissible for a Muslim to rescue, feed and foster a dog while looking for suitable candidate to re home the dog or puppuies. Or is it a sin to be rescuing dogs and puppies? I have no intention of keeping them as pet. Just merely helping out, saving them from the outside harm and making sure that they be safely re home.

And what do you think of the taharah clay soup? are they allowed to be used as cleaning severe impurities(mughallazah)?

Jazakallah in advance for helping out.

[Ramadhan]

:sl:

I think rescuing animals in general, including dogs should be fine. Allaahu alam.
There's a few exception which include rabid dogs (now we know why prophet SAW commanded us to kill rabid dogs, because they contained rabies), in which case you have to kill them.

There are two separate hadith narrated by Abu Hurayra (ra) whereby prophet SAW said a man was blessed by Allah swt for giving water to a thirsty dog, and the other about a prostitute who filled a shoe with water from a well and gave it to a very thirsty dog, and for this Allah swt forgave her sins and reward her with paradise.

[zakirs]

Remember all the animals are created by Allah and he loves them all. Just like saving a human being equals to saving the entire humanity, I believe saving any animal is as good as saving a human being. Just remember the basic fact that god loves us more than anything else.

There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end.

http://www.cmje.org/religious-texts/...mt.php#006.038

[anonymous]

Assalamualaikum wbt,

Jazakallah for the quick reply. But I'm still having some doubts as I have been getting some conflicting feedbacks from other Muslim. I don't really have a lot of Muslim friends in real life but when I try to ask around...most would say that dogs are haram and therefore I should try my utmost best to stay away from them :( I felt so bad for the stray animals outside. Here in my country, if the animals are caught by the pound people they would keep them for a week or two and if nobody claims them they will be disposed :( its so sad. When I think of this it just scares me and breaks my heart. Animals deserved to have better life just like any other living thing on this earth. This is the only reason why I rescue animals. And if it's not too much to ask, would it be permissible to keep the dog in a separate room if not living room? because I live on a apartment and the management does not allow owners to keep their pets outside. I'm honestly just fostering the dog until I am able to find him a new responsible owner. Please help. I've been so depressed over this for few days now and I'm so sick and tired of some people slandering me with hurtful judgment just because I'm Muslim and I rescue dogs :(

Jazakallah in advance for helping.

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[Snowflake]

Keeping dogs as pets which means they live with you inside the house is haram because the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) said the angels of mercy do not enter a house in which there is a picture or a dog. (Bukhari) It would be a different matter if you had to temporarily shelter a dog from harm and release it as soon as the danger passed. But taking in dogs as you mentioned means there will always be a dog(s) present which would make their presence in your house constant. This would ultimately lead to a deliberate disregard of the hadith of the Prophet, salallahu alayhi wa sallam.

I truly commend your compassion for Allah's creatures. But you should at alternative ways of helping them. Remember animals in your care would need to fed and provided treatment for if they are sick/injured. It's not cheap. And you could fall into neglect and incur sin upon yourself. Also considering, you're not allowed to keep pets outside, where will the dogs go to poop? You need to be practical about finances, the dogs’ needs, and be able to provide outdoor accommodation to facilitate this project successful on a long term basis. Even so, you should ask a scholar if this is permissible. Animal shelters all over the world have to put down animals because they just simply don’t get rehoused and become impractical and expensive to keep in large numbers. How will yours be any different? Islam also prohibits the sale of dogs. So in the case this venture was permissible, you'd be either paying for it out of your own pocket and/or relying on public donations to get by. I think you're a kind and sensitive human being but one who's overlooking practicalities and letting compassion get the better of them. May Allah be pleased with you.





I heard Allah's Apostle

saying; "Angels (of Mercy) do not enter a house wherein there is a dog or a picture of a living creature (a human being or an animal)." Hadith - Bukhari 3:515, Narrated Abu Huraira

Allah's Apostle

said, "Whoever keeps a dog, one Qirat of the reward of his good deeds is deducted daily, unless the dog is used for guarding a farm or cattle." Abu Huraira (in another narration) said from the Prophet, "unless it is used for guarding sheep or farms, or for hunting." Narrated Abu Hazim from Abu Huraira: The Prophet

said, "A dog for guarding cattle or for hunting." [Hadith - Bukhari 3:515, Narrated Abu Huraira]

[Ramadhan]

Assalamualaikum wbt,

Jazakallah for the quick reply. But I'm still having some doubts as I have been getting some conflicting feedbacks from other Muslim. I don't really have a lot of Muslim friends in real life but when I try to ask around...most would say that dogs are haram and therefore I should try my utmost best to stay away from them I felt so bad for the stray animals outside. Here in my country, if the animals are caught by the pound people they would keep them for a week or two and if nobody claims them they will be disposed its so sad. When I think of this it just scares me and breaks my heart. Animals deserved to have better life just like any other living thing on this earth. This is the only reason why I rescue animals. And if it's not too much to ask, would it be permissible to keep the dog in a separate room if not living room? because I live on a apartment and the management does not allow owners to keep their pets outside. I'm honestly just fostering the dog until I am able to find him a new responsible owner. Please help. I've been so depressed over this for few days now and I'm so sick and tired of some people slandering me with hurtful judgment just because I'm Muslim and I rescue dogs

Jazakallah in advance for helping.

:sl:

As far as I know, those who say dogs are haram -period- need to give any daleel which say dogs are haraam period.
However, based on shahih hadith, Rasulullaah (saw) gave us examples that dogs' saliva is najis (unclean) and you have to specifically clean parts of your body that are in contact wit saliva and you have to clean up your personal items that are in contact with dogs saliva.
Also, we cannot keep dogs as pets but we are allowed to keep dogs as guard dog, helping dog or hunting dog.

Now, if you can, please find a way where you can rescue dogs permanently without violating those restrictions. Maybe you can work with other people to build separate facility as shelter for dogs?

Another thing is, you cannot rescue every animal on earth, and I agree with sister dying rose:

I think you're a kind and sensitive human being but one who's overlooking practicalities and letting compassion get the better of them.

May Allah SWT help you deal with your difficulty, emotion and feelings, and let us be aware that our presence in this world if very short and Allah knows what's1 best for us.

[Tyrion]

Jazakallah for the quick reply. But I'm still having some doubts as I have been getting some conflicting feedbacks from other Muslim. I don't really have a lot of Muslim friends in real life but when I try to ask around...most would say that dogs are haram and therefore I should try my utmost best to stay away from them

Use your own brain. There are some rules concerning dogs and the impurity of their saliva, and some issues with them being inside the house as opposed to outside, but that's a separate matter and in no ways does that make dogs themselves "haram" creatures... Remember, a dog was mentioned as a companion of the people of the cave in the Qur'an, and the Hadith that Ramadhan shared should show you that it's not only acceptable, but encouraged to help these animals. I sincerely doubt God would punish you for showing some compassion to one of his creatures, but that's just me. :p:

[anonymous]

Use your own brain. There are some rules concerning dogs and the impurity of their saliva, and some issues with them being inside the house as opposed to outside, but that's a separate matter and in no ways does that make dogs themselves "haram" creatures... Remember, a dog was mentioned as a companion of the people of the cave in the Qur'an, and the Hadith that Ramadhan shared should show you that it's not only acceptable, but encouraged to help these animals. I sincerely doubt God would punish you for showing some compassion to one of his creatures, but that's just me. :p:

You know bro, you need not be harsh with your responses. The only reason why I came here in the first place was to gain knowledge and get some concrete advices and get a few things straight. I cannot be doing things right if I keep having doubts now can I? and don't you worry, I am using my brain. That's why I came here for help. Right now I'm in doubts and it tells me to look for some concrete answers that would help me better myself. heh. People like you sometimes just made very sad.

To the other respondent, thank you very much for your helpful answers.

Jazakallah khair.

[Tyrion]

You know bro, you need not be harsh with your responses. The only reason why I came here in the first place was to gain knowledge and get some concrete advices and get a few things straight. I cannot be doing things right if I keep having doubts now can I? and don't you worry, I am using my brain. That's why I came here for help. Right now I'm in doubts and it tells me to look for some concrete answers that would help me better myself. heh. People like you sometimes just made very sad.

To the other respondent, thank you very much for your helpful answers.

Jazakallah khair.

Uh, there was no harshness in my reply. Perhaps you should calm down and stop reading into things? :rollseyes

[zakirs]

Everybody please remember that we are not allowed to pet dogs because their saliva is impure. It has nothing to do with the fact that they are evil or something bad. They are animals who deserve compassion and kindness too.

[Hamza Asadullah]

Assalamualaikum brothers and sisters of Islamic Board,

I'm currently volunteering at an animal rescue and shelter homes and I was wondering if it would be permissible for a Muslim to rescue, feed and foster a dog while looking for suitable candidate to re home the dog or puppuies. Or is it a sin to be rescuing dogs and puppies? I have no intention of keeping them as pet. Just merely helping out, saving them from the outside harm and making sure that they be safely re home.

And what do you think of the taharah clay soup? are they allowed to be used as cleaning severe impurities(mughallazah)?

Jazakallah in advance for helping out.

Asalaamu Alaikum, it is a very good deed to help out an animal in need, for example feeding a thirsty animal or saving it from harm etc. A companion asked Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) whether there is any good in being good towards an animal and the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) confirmed that there is. It is also a major sin to harm an animal needlessly. A person who tortures an animal will be severely punished in the hereafter.

But when it comes to looking after animals such as dogs then i would personally not recommend it. If you want a scholarly opinion then you should ask a scholar but the reason why i am personally against it is because firstly keeping dogs is not permissable and if you were to keep one in your home then according to hadith a dog should never be kept in ones home because the angels do not enter the houses where dogs are kept. Looking after dogs will certainly make your heart soft for them and you may even end up keeping one or wanting a dog and keeping a dog is not permissable unless it is for use in hunting or kept for security outside of the home. When your heart gets attached to an animal you are looking after and then the animal dies which happens a lot of the time due to their very short life spans, then this will break your heart.

I would recommend getting involved in helping humans rather than animals, although there is nothing wrong with helping out in the animal shelter itself sometimes, but it is far better to concentrate ones time and effort in helping humans who are in need and our communities do need more volunteers to help the youth, homeless and helping the deprived, those who have gone through domestic abuse, those who are addicted to drugs, alcohol, gambling etc. There is SO much to do in ones local comunity. So concentrate your efforts on your local community and here and there you can devote a couple of hours in the animal shelter to. That is my personal advice to you.

Please keep posting and if you need any help or advice on anything at all then please do not hesitate to ask.