An interesting article published by PJ Media entitled “Why do so many Muslims hate dogs” discusses how dogs are treated from Muslims’ perspectives:
All about My Religion
According to PJ Media’s report, Abandi Kassim, a Muslim taxi-driver in England was recently fined for refusing to take on a blind passenger’s seeing-eye dog. Why? Kassim claimed: “For me, it’s about my religion.”
In other words, Kassim would rather risk losing a customer and even his job than betrays his faith. He is simply unwilling to “serve a dog”!
PJ Media points out that “many of the Somali taxi drivers – who comprise three-quarters of the 900 taxi drivers stationed at the Minneapolis airport – refuse to pick up blind passengers because of their dogs. When forced to do so, some of them simply quit.
We Hate Dogs This Much
PJ Media reports that “Blind and others with poor vision who rely on guide dogs have been forced by Muslim bus drivers to get off their buses often to calm the hysterical reaction of other Muslim passengers. Much worse, killings of dogs, chiefly by poison, in areas populated mainly by Muslims has been reported in Spain, Sweden, France, and Great Britain.”
Please note that torturing and killing dogs is also quite common in many undeveloped countries. DanielPipes.org states “this is the real reason why Muslims are forbidden to have a dog as a pet or allow one in their house”
A puppy deterred the “Archangel Gabriel” from entering Muhammad’s house, thus, dogs are ordered to be killed.
(from Sahih Muslim, Book 024, Number 5246)
Sahih Muslim is a collection of hadith compiled by Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj al-Naysaburi (rahimahullah). His collection is considered to be one of the most authentic collections of the Sunnah of the Prophet.
From a Muslim Dog Lover’s Perspectives
However, this excerpt from Quora gives another perspective of a Muslim who likes dogs. We think his voice should be heard as well.
Name: Abbas Naderi
I love dogs. I cuddle them, pet them and play with them.
I don’t keep a dog inside my house, I believe animals can not live with human standards, so to share a house with one, I’d have to live on its standards.
I am also an observant Muslim, but I know that Najis, the Islamic concept that applies to wetness caused by dogs, as well as blood, wine and etc. does not mean unclean or dirty, but rather impure (spiritually).
So I know very well that no matter how long or hard I cuddle a dog, play with it and let it lick me, I don’t get spiritually or permanently dirty. I just wash my hands, change my clothes and continue to live.
it is true that Gabriel ordered mohammed to kill the dog, but only specific types of dogs are hated/killed in islam, which are the black dogs, if you read Book 026, Number 1571, you would know that the dogs that hunts, the dogs that the blind people use, and the dogs that is used in the farms (for the animals) shouldn’t and aren’t allowed to be killed in our religion , even the black dogs, are never killed, but they are just avoided by us
Thank you for your precious input. Your intriguing comments have changed our perception of Muslim’s cultures. We appreciate your sharing and thank you for making our viewers understand your religion better.
Not all Muslims hate dogs. Many Muslims who hate dogs are simply afraid of dogs because they were taught by their parents to do so. I believe that once they know more about dogs, they will become dog lovers. A lack of familiarity can easily create fear and hatred. It is just that simple.
You are right on the nose.
It is interesting to learn about Muslims’ culture. They seem so mysterious to me.
Misunderstandings between people from different backgrounds often happen. Remember this – there is no religion better than LOVE!