Dogs and Islam

[mybackpages 0]

Maybe i'm imagining things, but when we were in Essaouira in Al Maghreb, it seemed like cats were very well loved and appreciated by the local folks. I've seen cats wander into hotel restaurants at breakfast in Casablanca and no one even looked twice. When I've seen that happen in other places, people panic, throw shoes, yell obscenities, etc.

My question is, do Moroccans along the coast or any other specific groups in Al Maghreb have any special cultural feelings towards cats? It seemed that way. I never saw people shooing away cats or being to them like i have in other places, and it was very nice.

I've shared many a table with a cat in different restaurants throughout Morocco.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

yep those cats are everywhere looking for the fish

[morocco4ever 63]

I can't say my husband has sort of special attachment to cats, but they are everywhere. His sister did take in a really sick kitten once and tried to nurse her back to health, but it died. I don't see it as anything Moroccan, but rather they are kind to animals.

[sandinista! 1,816]

technically its not ok to have a dog unless its for protection and even then its a tender subject.

The main reason hubby didn't want our dog was coz if any part of the dog touched him , he would be considered "unclean" and unable to pray until he took a shower. It is more hassle than its worth in respect to prayer.

Same goes for if I touched the dog and then touched him with the same hand I touched the dog with, it would make him unclean and he'd have to shower in order to pray.

The reason its so unclear to a lot of ppl is coz in the Qura'an the dog was in the cave with the men. There has been and always will be a controversy over wether its ok or not to have a dog in the house....

hope this helps

amal

that being the case, i fail to see how it could be construed as unclear or controversial.

[mybackpages 0]

yep those cats are everywhere looking for the fish

In the desert they prefer the chicken

[Donna A 4]

i think i would be more worried about a cat digging in their litter box and then jumping up on ur table more then i would think a dogs mouth is dirty. there are tests that prove that dogs mouths are cleaner then humans.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

i think i would be more worried about a cat digging in their litter box and then jumping up on ur table more then i would think a dogs mouth is dirty. there are tests that prove that dogs mouths are cleaner then humans.

word. no cats (or dogs) on my table.

[Sassy1natl 0]

My husband and I have had this discussion, and he said "no animals in the house, they are unclean". I left it alone. It was done. Fast forward 2 weeks... his cousin gets a cat. Now all of sudden pets are ok. . His aunt told him the "unclean" portion came from disease that was once spread by dogs (?)... Now Laeeq wants to get a Pug. GO FIGURE. I really don't think that the dog will affect prayer, as a shower is always taken before anyway.

[amal 4]

technically its not ok to have a dog unless its for protection and even then its a tender subject.

The main reason hubby didn't want our dog was coz if any part of the dog touched him , he would be considered "unclean" and unable to pray until he took a shower. It is more hassle than its worth in respect to prayer.

Same goes for if I touched the dog and then touched him with the same hand I touched the dog with, it would make him unclean and he'd have to shower in order to pray.

The reason its so unclear to a lot of ppl is coz in the Qura'an the dog was in the cave with the men. There has been and always will be a controversy over wether its ok or not to have a dog in the house....

hope this helps

amal

that being the case, i fail to see how it could be construed as unclear or controversial.

because yes the dog was in the cave BUT it also says that the angels won't visit the home if there is a dog inside. It also says that dogs are unclean and that one has to fully shower after coming in contact with a dog if that person wants to pray. So therefore it is controversial because on 1 hand it was ok for the guys to have a dog in the cave but the dog was for protecting them, therefore was allowed BUT when is a dog considered "for protection only" these days? (no u don't have to answer that..its merely a statement in the form of a question) which causes the controversy over wether its ok or it's not ok to have a dog period. There is also always the controversial question of .. if the guys were in the cave with the dog, did they take a full shower every time they wanted to pray? and how does that differ from todays times?

yes, very much a controversy...

[Sassy1natl 0]

technically its not ok to have a dog unless its for protection and even then its a tender subject.

The main reason hubby didn't want our dog was coz if any part of the dog touched him , he would be considered "unclean" and unable to pray until he took a shower. It is more hassle than its worth in respect to prayer.

Same goes for if I touched the dog and then touched him with the same hand I touched the dog with, it would make him unclean and he'd have to shower in order to pray.

The reason its so unclear to a lot of ppl is coz in the Qura'an the dog was in the cave with the men. There has been and always will be a controversy over wether its ok or not to have a dog in the house....

hope this helps

amal

that being the case, i fail to see how it could be construed as unclear or controversial.

because yes the dog was in the cave BUT it also says that the angels won't visit the home if there is a dog inside. It also says that dogs are unclean and that one has to fully shower after coming in contact with a dog if that person wants to pray. So therefore it is controversial because on 1 hand it was ok for the guys to have a dog in the cave but the dog was for protecting them, therefore was allowed BUT when is a dog considered "for protection only" these days? (no u don't have to answer that..its merely a statement in the form of a question) which causes the controversy over wether its ok or it's not ok to have a dog period. There is also always the controversial question of .. if the guys were in the cave with the dog, did they take a full shower every time they wanted to pray? and how does that differ from todays times?

yes, very much a controversy...

This thread is very intriguing. It has sure has raised alot of questions in my mind. I definitely want him to talk to the imam beforehand. And if there is any doubt, I would rather NOT get a dog.

[mybackpages 0]

As with most areas this issues comes down to how narrowly or broadly you will interpret Islamic law. There is nothing in the Quran to make dogs haram. The hadiths contradict each other. Culture only complicates the matter.

IMO it says a lot about how a person will likely handle all sorts of issues that may come up in a couple's relationship. It really doesn't matter which side you fall on, but how well do both of you agree on the larger issues here.

Edited June 26, 2008 by mybackpages

[Donna A 4]

i think i would be more worried about a cat digging in their litter box and then jumping up on ur table more then i would think a dogs mouth is dirty. there are tests that prove that dogs mouths are cleaner then humans.

word. no cats (or dogs) on my table.

how do u know what that cat is doing while ur gone...never say never.

[Nutty 2]

In Iran, there are feral cats. One feral cat had "adopted us" and would not leave our residence (and since doors are left open he would sneak in). In fact, the first morning I woke up to the cat licking my toe (sleeping at the foot of the bed). His mother threw shoes at it. But my husband was very kind to it and liked the cat's company when sitting in the garden. Eventually even his mother softened up to the cat and became gentle towards it.

I know that some Iranians secretly like to keep dogs as pets too (it is against the law there to own a dog as a pet).

I know my husband is kindhearted to animals. So I am hoping his feeling about owning a dog will change eventually. Especially since he knows how much I want one and I provide him with documents showing how owning a pet is beneficial for mental/physical health of human owners.

Like I said, I don't want a slobbery dog...I want a non-shedding small dog breed (like a #######-a-poo).

I don't want to start harping on how dirty a cat's mouth is because I don't to add another animal to the "WE CAN NOT HAVE" list.

[mybackpages 0]

Like I said, I don't want a slobbery dog...I want a non-shedding small dog breed (like a #######-a-poo).

My dog is a #######-a-poo. He is a little on the larger side at 18 pounds, but no shedding, no doggie odor. Smart and gentle. He is an inside dog all the time. Best dog ever!

[Alhamdulillah 0]

There are several ahadith that say it's not allowed to keep a dog as a pet for other than hunting, herding or protection (and even then it's not allowed to sleep in the house where the ppl sleep); the dog's saliva is impure and anything it comes in contact with must be washed 7 times (and in another hadith, an eighth time with dirt) to be pure again; it's not allowed to buy or sell dogs (or cats) and angels don't enter a home with a dog (or pictures on display).