Reading it, I realise that most Malaysian Muslims have forgotten that we are khalifah's on this earth... and that it is our duty to protect everything on it... Earth isn't ours', we are merely its' caretakers...
Before going on, Muslims’ should remember that the Al-Quran, our Holy Book, is the literal transcript of the word of Allah S.W.T. as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W.
“This is the Book (the Holy Quran), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqun [the pious and righteous persons who fear Allah S.W.T. much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah S.W.T. much (perform all kind of good deeds which He has ordained).]
Al-Baqarah, Verse 2.
One should also remember that the Hadith’s (sayings/traditions of the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W.) were compiled by those around the Prophet S.A.W., amongst whom are followers and believers, and also munafiqs and non-believers... For this reason, the validity of every Hadith is questionable and never to be taken literally… As Muslim’s, it is our duty to ponder, to question and to give thought to everything in life…
My fellow Muslims, the question regarding the rules in Islam pertaining to dogs have always been a popular topic of discussion… What saddens me is that most Malays whom claim to profess Islam make the statement that dogs are dirty and impure creatures… When asked why, and when asked prove of it they (more often than not) will say:
(a)They learn it in school
(b)They say it’s written in the Al-Quran
(c)They say it’s written in the Hadith
If they learn it from school, I challenge them to prove to me that their Ustaz or Ustazah are really qualified and knowledgeable about Islam… Cause let’s face reality people, most of our teachers just read from prescribed text given to them by the Ministry... Those people we call our teacher are not really teaching us, they are merely reading to us… Hence why we are only really educated in the literal meaning of the word in tertiary level, where lecturer’s (most, if not all) are more concerned with teaching us how to think and question about facts, and not to blindly accept facts as facts…
Hmmm… they say it’s in the Holy Quran… my question to them is where? Correct me if I’m wrong, but by some miracle, the Holy Quran, Chapter 5 (Al-Maidah) & Chapter 18 (Al-Kahf), which instead of degrading dogs, actually spell out the purpose and functions dogs have in our life. No verse in the Holy Quran which condemns dogs are dirty & filthy animals, but verses in two surah chapters with numerous verses regarding the functions of dogs to us humans…
Hidith? Out of the tens of thousands of Hadiths out there, many are questionable in it’s authenticity… can you prove, or can anybody out there prove any Hadith to be 100% authentic? Can you prove to me that there hasn’t been any alteration to the Hadith since it was written? Nay! You can’t… let’s use logic, the possibility of tempering is very high… Hadith Bukhari, Hadith Abu Dawud, and Hadith Muslim have very conflicting statements in them… one part they say the Prophet S.A.W. ordered the killing of all dogs… in another part, the Prophet S.A.W. talked about the rules regarding game caught by hounds… and in another part, the Prophet S.A.W. talked about the role of dogs are for protection and hunting… my logic-senses are beeping! Didn’t the Holy Quran ask us to think and deliberate? Are Hadiths the word of Allah S.W.T.? No, the Holy Quran is… so must we blindly accept the Hadiths are authentic? My personal stand on this is use logic… some parts of the Hadiths makes a lot of sense, it’s writings are consistent with what’s written in the Holy Quran, some part just make no sense whatsoever, it contradicts everything that’s written in the Holy Quran, and more evidently it contradicts what’s written in the Hadith itself… perhaps those verses from the added later on? Question it yourself…
Back to the main issue here… dogs, it’s context in Islam…
Why I believe there is a need to write about this is cause the rampant mistreatment of dogs by Malays, and thought I do not accept them as Muslims, I am very well aware of the fact that they claim themselves to be Muslims, and more importantly they are the yard-stick in which non-Muslims in Malaysia compare Muslims to… in simple terms, they are the image of Islam in Malaysia…
Traditionally, dogs have been seen as impure, and the Islamic legal tradition has developed several injunctions that warn Muslims against most contact with dogs… Unfortunately, many Muslims have used this view to justify the abuse and neglect of dogs, even though cruelty contradicts the Holy Quran's view that all animals form "communities like you"…
Let me clarify a few myths and make a few points:
1. It is NOT haram to own a dog, though it is not hygienic to keep a dog in the house…
2. It is NOT haram to touch a dog or any other animal… If the saliva of a dog touches you or any part of your clothing, then it is required of you to wash the body part touched and the item of clothing touched by the dog’s mouth or snout...
3. It is incumbent upon all Muslims who own animals, whether for farming or work purposes or as pets, to provide adequate shelter, food, water, and, when needed, veterinary care for their animals... Arrangements must be made, if one is going to be away from home, to have one’s animals taken care of as well...
4. It is haram to keep a dog or any other animal on a short lead for long periods without food, water, and shelter... Dogs need exercise and are social creatures who form organized “family” structures in nature… Dog owners therefore need to spend time daily with their dogs…
5. It is cruel, and therefore haram, to keep any animal in a cage so small that it cannot behave in a natural way…
6. It is haram to participate in any blood “sport,” like dog fighting and trophy hunting…No animal has been cursed in any way...
Animals are referred to in many instances in the Qu’ran. In Surah Al-Kahf, verses 18 to 22, mentions about the companions of the Cave and their dog… We would love for Allah to bestow His mercy upon us, so let’s show mercy and compassion to all His creation… This will also give non-Muslims a true reflection of Islam, aiding daqwah…
What puzzles me is how the Malays came to the conclusion that dogs are dirty creatures and that it is haram to own one, and how they justify ill-treating dogs, based on what is probably fabricated Hadith… are these people devoid of all common sense?
Dogs are wonderful creatures… They bond with humans, protect them and serve them and that has been true since Allah S.W.T. placed man on earth, the first animal that Adam A.S. touched when he first came down to earth was the dog, and it was the dog that protected him and became his companion is his search for Hawa… Does it make sense then that Muhammad S.A.W. would place prohibitions on these loving creatures when Allah S.W.T. does not?
"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."
Ash-Shura, verse 29
"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."
Al-Jathiyah, verses 3 & 4
Here’s the summary of what I’ve written:
1 – Allah S.W.T. tells us in the Holy Quran about the story of the dwellers of the Cave (Al-Kahf)… In verse 13 Allah S.W.T. tells us that they were good believers and that Allah S.W.T. guided them… In verse 18 Allah S.W.T. tells us that they had their dog with them… Now if dogs are prohibited and dirty, would Allah S.W.T. speak of those dwellers of the Cave (who had a dog) as good believers?
2 - In Al-Maidah, verse 4 Allah S.W.T. tells us that it is OK to eat what the trained dogs catch (dogs are used in hunting)… But if dogs are dirty would Allah S.W.T. say that it is OK to eat what they catch with their mouths?
3 - There is not one verse in the Holy Quran where Allah S.W.T. says that dogs are dirty or that they are prohibited to keep…
4 - Is it logical that Allah S.W.T. would create an animal to be man's best friend and serve him in many ways, and then prohibit such an animal?
Use the ability to think and rationalize that Allah S.W.T. has given all of us, and think about this issue, and rationalize the reality for what it really is…
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