Dogs for guarding are lawful

30-10-2003 | IslamWeb

Question:

I like to keep a dog in my house. It gives me a good feeling of security, dogs are loyal and honest animals, I know the saying of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) about the Angels who, don't get into a house with a dog or picture. I keep the dog out of my main home in separate area. Please tell me in details, what I can do?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

In principle, it is not allowed to have dogs except those the Sharee'ah made an exception to.  The Prophet said: "Whoever keeps a dog, one Qirat (the size of a huge mountain) of the reward of his good deeds is deducted daily unless the dog is used for guarding his farm or cattle or for hunting." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Many scholars added to these three dogs, any dog that is used to bring benefits and ward off harm, like dogs used for guarding houses and the like.

Therefore, if you are keeping a dog for these purposes, then this is permissble, Allaah willing, since this is allowed in the Sharee'ah.

As regards how to keep a dog for guarding and yet let the angels get into the house, then the answer is keeping your dog outside the house as you mentioned in your question. This can be undestood from the apparent meaning of the Hadeeth "The angels do not enter a house where there is a dog or a picture." And also the Hadeeth that Jibreel (Gabriel) did not enter the house of the Prophet until the latter took out the puppy.

Allaah Knows best.