Princely Companion or Object of Offense? The Dog’s Ambiguous Status in Islam

Abstract

Negative attitudes toward dogs are common in Muslim societies. Thus, in studying both past and present Muslim writings on dogs, a contradictory picture emerges, indicating that Muslim attitudes toward dogs have had their ambiguities. At times the dog has been presented as the lowest, filthiest, and vilest of creatures, and at times the dog appears as a perfect role model, exemplifying qualities like loyalty, devotion, and selfsacrifice. There are signs that attitudes toward dogs are changing in some Muslim soci eties. One such sign is that an increasing number of people in Muslim countries are now keeping dogs as companion animals. The following research will be used to highlight ambiguities as well as changes in order to not only better understand the position of the dog within Islam, but also to provide a very concrete example of how interpretations of religions are not isolated or single but are dependent on context. Negative attitudes toward dogs are common in Muslim societies, and manyMuslims consider the dog to be an unclean animal. It is said, for example, that the prayers of Muslims will be invalidated if a dog wanders by a praying per son; and the Swedish media has occasionally run stories about Muslim taxi drivers who refused to transport dogs in their vehicles. In 2002 Iran imposed a ban on public dog walking (Foltz, 2006, p. 132); and, according to the major Islamic schools of law, when a dog has eaten from a bowl it must be washed at least seven times to be fit for human usage (Bakhtiar, 1996, p. 13).

Seroprevalence estimates for toxocariasis in people worldwide: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Another for the situation in South America or East Asia regions might be that contact with pets and stray animals is close [45–47], and in some countries of East Asia such as Korea, China and Vietnam dog and cat meat is commonly consumed [48–50], while in East Mediterranean countries, due to religious beliefs, close contact with dogs and cats seems to be relatively limited. In addition, in some of East Mediterranean countries, there are legal restrictions to having pets and taking them to public places [51, 52].…”

Inclusive Clinical Practice and Policy for Muslim Nursing Students

“…As with all cultures and religions, there are diverse interpretations and practices, so one must not assume, for example, that all Muslims avoid dogs. Berglund (2014) provides commentary on the history of dogs in relation to Muslim history, culture, and religious texts. Prior to clinical or employment in similar settings, inform all students and colleagues of the presence of animals and ask if anyone has any concerns that might need to be addressed.…”

Pets: Theological Dilemmas and Spatial Accommodation Among Turkish-Speaking Migrants in the Northwest of England

“…Additionally, the negative image of dogs in modern Muslim lives is discussed in the work of Berglund (2014) on dog status in Islam. For example, in Pakistan culture, dogs have been used as a provocation material (Berglund, 2014, 555) unclean and should not be kept as companion animals inside houses.…”