Laws for Keeping an Employer's Dog
Peace, mercy and blessings of God
Ustadz, I want to ask a question.
What is the ruling on keeping an employer's dog?
Thank you, Ustadz.
Greetings, Fulanah
ANSWER:
ليكم السلام الله ات
Bismillah… The original law of keeping a dog is haram, for several reasons, namely:
First, unclean animal dog. From Abu Hurairah radiyallahu anhu, the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam said:
اءِ ا لَغَ الْكَلْبُ لَهُ اتٍ لَاهُنَّ التُّرَابِ (أَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ)، لَفْظٍ لَهُ لْيُرِقْهُ، لِلتِّرْمِذِيِّ اهُنَّ أَوْ لَاهُنَّ
"The sanctity of the water for someone among you when a dog licks it is to wash it 7 times, the first of which is mixed with dust (earth)." (HR Muslim). In another narration it is stated: "Let him throw the water." According to the narration of Tirmidhi: "The last or the first (mixed with earth dust)".
Second, angels (mercy) will not enter a house in which there is a dog. From Abu Talha radiyallahu anhu, the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam said:
لَا لُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ا لْبٌ لَا (متفق ليه)
"Angel does not enter a house in which there is a dog and neither is there a picture." (Narrated by Bukhari Muslim)
Third, For those who keep dogs, their reward is reduced by one or two qirath each day. From Abu Hurairah radiyallahu anhu, the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam said:
اتَّخَذَ لْبًا لَّا لْبَ اشِيَةٍ انْتَقَصَ لَّ اطٌ (رواه لم)
"Whoever makes (uses) dogs other than dogs (to guard) livestock, hunting, or (guarding) crops, then his reward (will) decrease every day (as much as) one qirath ". (HR Muslim)
In another narration of Imam Muslim, the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam said:
اقْتَنَى لْبًا لَيْسَ لْبَ لَا اشِيَةٍ لَا اطَانِ لَّ
"Whoever keeps a dog that is not a hunting dog, livestock guard, or garden guard, then his reward will be reduced (as much as) two qirath every day".
According to the scholars, the measure of qirath as a punishment referred to in the above hadith is different from the reward qirath for those who pray for the corpse and or deliver it to the grave. If qirath the reward is as big as Mount Uhud. So the qirath of reducing the reward for keeping a dog is smaller than that.
Indeed, scholars differ on the impurity of dogs, including:
- Imam Abu Hanifa is of the opinion that a dog is only unclean in saliva, sweat, dirt, and what is wet on his body.
- Imam Malik is of the opinion that dogs are not unclean in both their saliva and their whole body.
- Imam Shafi'i and Imam Ahmad are of the opinion that the saliva and the whole body of a dog are unclean.
Then what is the ruling on a Muslim who works to maintain the dog's owner? In certain conditions (e.g. an emergency), it is permissible for a Muslim to keep a dog to guard the house, provided that the dog is placed outside the house. This is a qiyas (analogy) of the permissibility of keeping dogs for certain needs, such as for field and plant guard dogs, as well as hunting dogs.
But for non-Muslims, keeping a dog in the house is a commonplace and commonplace. For Muslims who work to keep dogs belonging to their employers, of course, as much as possible, they should avoid working like that. Because even if he follows Imam Malik's opinion about the absence of najis in dogs, but there are some graces of Allah that he does not find, such as misgivings and others. Unless, indeed, a profession that requires interacting with dogs such as a veterinarian and his assistant, or a police officer in charge of tracking with sniffer dogs. And even then do not put the dog in a room in a house.
My advice, as long as we can still find another job or find another employer, do it. Meanwhile, asking Allah to give the best way out of every problem in our life. If it is already bound by a contract, then temporarily live it, while looking for another job that is more comfortable.
The most risky is bathing the dog. That's why in Islam, a Muslim is not allowed to sell a dog, but buying it is permissible because of a need that is permissible. Because usually those who keep and sell dogs are non-Muslims.
Hope it works!
Wallâhu a'lam bish-showâb.
Peace, mercy and blessings of God
...
(Answered by: Ustadz Very Setiyawan, Lc., S.Pd.I., MH)
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