Dogs Are "unclean" And Not To Be Kept As Pets

[MarieC]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65I0M220100619

(Reuters) - A senior Iranian cleric has decreed dogs are "unclean" and should not be kept as pets -- a move aimed at discouraging Western-style dog ownership in the Islamic state, a newspaper reported on Saturday.

Dogs are considered "unclean" under Islamic tradition but, while relatively rare in Iran, some people do keep them as pets.

By issuing a fatwa -- a religious ruling -- Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi has sent a clear message that this trend must stop.

"Friendship with dogs is a blind imitation of the West," he was quoted as saying in Javan daily. "There are lots of people in the West who love their dogs more than their wives and children."

Guard dogs and sheep dogs are considered acceptable under Islamic law but Iranians who carry dogs in their cars or take them to public parks can be stopped by police and fined.

What ignorance :rolleyes:

I can't imagine living in a society where keeping dogs as pets is not allowed

[MissyPriss]

Thats really sad, I couldnt imagine my life without a dog, cat...or three of each!!

[Guest belgian.blue]

Apparently it's their saliva that is the unclean part of a dog ..

Had an islamic guy come look at the room and he was unsure about meeting my dogs and told me that back where he is from, dogs aren't welcome due to their salvia.

[DerRottweiler]

Meh. Different cultures, different beliefs.

Least they don't eat em ey?

[Kirislin]

It's sad but I wonder if there's some truth in the old beliefs in as much as I dont imagine their dogs are treated for worms or any parasites for that matter. Would hydatid tapeworm be more prevalent over there? I dont know, but I suspect the beliefs have stemmed from having close contact with parasite infected dogs. Do dogs over there get rabies?

It would be nice if they could be convinced that modern medicine and correct hygiene can offer solutions.

[WoofnHoof]

Cleanliness is a relative term you'll often find that the people who make the loudest noises about hygiene are often the ones that dont wash their hands after they go to the toilet.

[Sandra777]

It's sad but I wonder if there's some truth in the old beliefs in as much as I dont imagine their dogs are treated for worms or any parasites for that matter. Would hydatid tapeworm be more prevalent over there? I dont know, but I suspect the beliefs have stemmed from having close contact with parasite infected dogs. Do dogs over there get rabies?

It would be nice if they could be convinced that modern medicine and correct hygiene can offer solutions.

Yep, these would be the reasons behind the origin of the beliefs IMO. And the fact that village dogs were around and used to clean up rubbish, human waste etc so were the only dogs around the average person and probably were ''unclean". Any different to our cultural belief pigs are ''dirty'' ??

[Scarlet]

I have no problem with their "rules" as long as they don't break the law of the country they are in.

Such as taking dogs in taxis. Religious leaders need to make this quite clear.

They should view this as they do other working dogs.

IMO a lot of religions have or have had funny little rules over time.

[Robbi]

Meh. Different cultures, different beliefs.

Least they don't eat em ey?

No, but they can be very, very inhumane. I have a friend serving in Afghanistan at the moment, he asked a local why none of the dogs have ears, apparently it makes them more aggresive having their ears cut off. The dog fighting problem s endemic in many muslim countries and in Afghanistan it is a public holiday for the biggest dog fighting day of the year, apparently by the end of the day 100,s of dogs are killed and maimed. Religiously sanctioned animal abuse is stil abuse.

When the taliban came to power in Afghanistan, the pets were rounded up and taken from peoples houses and burned on a large pyre by the religious zeolots. I read a book about a family who managed to smuggle their dogs out just before the dog killings began.

The koran however has a subclause about dogs, it says about all dogs being unclean except Salukis, who are classed as the hound of Allah and not really dogs but something very special and quite okay to share a tent with.

[MarieC]

IMO a lot of religions have or have had funny little rules over time.

True, this particular one has some pretty weird ones about dogs:

http://www.answering-islam.org/Silas/dogs.htm

Here's a particularly weird one:

4) DOGS ANNULLING PRAYER

From Bukhari Vol. 1, #490

Narrated 'Aisha: "The things which annul the prayers were mentioned before me. They said, "Prayer is annulled by a dog, a donkey and a woman (if they pass in front of the praying people)." I said, "You have made us (i.e. women) dogs. I saw the Prophet praying while I used to lie in my bed between him and the Qibla. Whenever I was in need of something, I would slip away, for I disliked to face him.""

From Muslim Number 1032

[Golden Rules]

There is a group of Muslim women at our local dog park everyday throughout summer, and they scream and carry on - as well as using really foul language when any of our dogs go near them.

My sister said I should just point to my big Goldie and say 'Australian Camel'

Edited June 20, 2010 by Golden Rules

[SkySoaringMagpie]

The original texts on hunting with dogs are here:

http://www.arabiansaluki.ae/hunting-islam.html

Salukis do not have the special blessing of Allah, it is the prey that must have the name of Allah spoken over it.

Edit: To clarify that it is true that distinction is drawn between salukis/hunting hounds and "kelb" in many parts of the middle east. However, it's important to bear in mind that the cultures - like any cultures - are still changing. Some of the younger men will bred with anything that they think will get them the fastest dog with the quickest kill, much to the despair of their elders. There is an active rescue program in the UAE, even Salukis aren't always treated well by people who prize them for their abilities. This is not dissimilar to the west, we have a greyhound industry operating on much the same model. Also, for some people, Saluki or not, any dog is unclean.

Edited June 20, 2010 by SkySoaringMagpie

[DerRottweiler]

Meh. Different cultures, different beliefs.

Least they don't eat em ey?

No, but they can be very, very inhumane. I have a friend serving in Afghanistan at the moment, he asked a local why none of the dogs have ears, apparently it makes them more aggresive having their ears cut off. The dog fighting problem s endemic in many muslim countries and in Afghanistan it is a public holiday for the biggest dog fighting day of the year, apparently by the end of the day 100,s of dogs are killed and maimed. Religiously sanctioned animal abuse is stil abuse.

When the taliban came to power in Afghanistan, the pets were rounded up and taken from peoples houses and burned on a large pyre by the religious zeolots. I read a book about a family who managed to smuggle their dogs out just before the dog killings began.

The koran however has a subclause about dogs, it says about all dogs being unclean except Salukis, who are classed as the hound of Allah and not really dogs but something very special and quite okay to share a tent with.

The abuse isn't sanctioned by religion.

Dogs aren't to be kept as pets, unless they are some sort of working dog. That is the rule. There is no rule that says, hurt dogs etc.

But it is true about fighting dogs in South/Central Asia, part of the culture (as opposed to religion) is to fight them.

I was surprised when I came to learn of the ''Bully Kutta'', apparently this dog could easily take a APBT in the pit.

[mita]

The abuse isn't sanctioned by religion.

Dogs aren't to be kept as pets, unless they are some sort of working dog. That is the rule. There is no rule that says, hurt dogs etc.

In fact, there's a section in the Koran about how someone is condemned to hell for cruelly ill-treating a dog. (Her sin being indifference to suffering.)

And the Bedouin relied heavily on their working dogs for organising their flocks & for hunting.

I think there was some connection made, in the lands of Arabia, where the religion developed....with spread of disease. As in the focus for 'uncleanliness' being on the dog's saliva.

In our modern world....with better knowledge about disease & control...there's a lessening about a sense of uncleanliness & dogs, especially among educated muslims. That's probably what happened in Iran....& people have got dogs as pets (which is annoying the fundamentalist cleric).

A leading Islamic scholar in the United States has written an article about why the 'unclean' view about keeping pet dogs, shouldn't apply any more.

Like, the autobiography of Queen Noor of Jordan, contains delightful stories about her family's dogs. She & the late King Hussein and their children loved dogs. That book is worth reading....just for the dog stories! Like, their labrador who took off swimming towards Israel with the King in hot pursuit in his motorboat.....while an Israeli patrol boat comes racing from their side. King Hussein managed to retrieve his lab before it caused an international incident. The family also owned pet german shepherds & a beagle....and the housekeeper owned a chihuahua.

More recently, the beloved pet dog of the present King Abdullah & Queen Raina of Jordan, was raced to a vet hospital in Israel....while the Gaza offensive was going on. Sadly, the vets couldn't save him.

http://boxerbriefsthebook.wordpress.com/20...uring-gaza-war/

Cats have been prized as pets in Islamic lands because Mahommed was said to love his pet cat (& cats didn't get 'connected' with disease as dogs did). Queen Noor tells how King Hussein's brother loved his cats so much, that all his gardens around his house were set up to be a comfortable & safe sanctuary for them.

Edited June 20, 2010 by mita

[HeavyPaws]

My neighbours are Muslim, and came over to Australia last year with their four children. I have no problem with them, in fact I adore the wife. They all speak great English and are absolutely lovely in their manners. They invite me to their feast days and explain about each dish; it's really nice.

However, the first time they came to my house, there was a big fuss over my dane. Padma {wife} said back home, the only dogs that were kept are the ones that guard homes and stores, and they are very, very vicious, and the bigger they were the more dangerous they were.

None of her children had ever seen a dog as big as my girl, and they were all very scared. The oldest boy is still petrified of her and protects his sisters by standing in front of them when they visit, but the two girls and youngest boy have come to be really attached to her.

Her husband told me to bring her over on their last feast day, they were celebrating their brothers coming over from Islam and he'd told them the girl next door was tougher than a man, and he could prove it. So I brought her over with her spikey collar on, and they all leapt up from their chairs yelling, snatching children out of the way and ducking into rooms.

They all had a good chuckle over it when he explained how dogs here weren't fierce, and he called his brothers ladies. They all took photos on their phones of putting their hands in her mouth and feeding her hot dogs from their mouths.

She had a grand time, everyone fussing over her and feeding her forbidden foods. She's invited everytime they celebrate anything, they call her something that apparently means "baby pony", but I can't even pronounce it

It gave me a smile over how different cultures are.

I can understand how they feel towards dogs. If they've been set in a particular way for centuries, there's no way we can expect them to change straight away. They're not like western society, and we have to remember that they don't dress up toy poodles in fluffy pink jackets or cart poms around in prams. The dogs there are bred for a purpose and keep to that purpose, which is not companionship or replacement for children and/or partners.

[Vehs]

not very strict muslims; eating hotdogs and touching dogs! Edited June 20, 2010 by Vehs

[mita]

A muslim, General Mushariff of Pakistan, became President after a military coup in 1999. He walked into his first press conference with Western journalists, with a surprise. They expected he'd arrive in army clothes & carrying a gun. But he was in casual clothes & carrying his family's two pet dogs, under his arms. The western journalists called the dogs, Pekes. But they look like something else...

[cashew]

I know quite a number of Muslim dog owners. It is the wet areas of the dogs that are considered "unclean" but like any religion, followers do not necessarily follow every single doctrine. A Muslim lady I know goes through the Ramadan (month of fasting) without feeding her dog from sunrise to sunset. It's quite cute because she would wake her chow chow up at 4am or something and feed him a great meal before commencing their fasting with prayers. But dog is allowed water as she considered the dog a child.

[Moselle]

Meh. Different cultures, different beliefs.

Least they don't eat em ey?

No, but they can be very, very inhumane. I have a friend serving in Afghanistan at the moment, he asked a local why none of the dogs have ears, apparently it makes them more aggresive having their ears cut off. The dog fighting problem s endemic in many muslim countries and in Afghanistan it is a public holiday for the biggest dog fighting day of the year, apparently by the end of the day 100,s of dogs are killed and maimed. Religiously sanctioned animal abuse is stil abuse.

When the taliban came to power in Afghanistan, the pets were rounded up and taken from peoples houses and burned on a large pyre by the religious zeolots. I read a book about a family who managed to smuggle their dogs out just before the dog killings began.

The koran however has a subclause about dogs, it says about all dogs being unclean except Salukis, who are classed as the hound of Allah and not really dogs but something very special and quite okay to share a tent with.

I have no time whatsoever for any society that is so cold and cruel towards defenceless animals. I do agree that "religious sanctioned animal abuse is still abuse!" I abhor China for what they are doing and I guess the islamic society is a close 2nd, that is for the extremists. Just read other posts here about some muslims treating dogs as members of the family so as per usual there is always someone or other that isn't so blinded by their supposed faith.

Edited June 20, 2010 by Moselle

[Monah]

our muslim friend adores the dogs and he's a very recent immigrant. as usual generalistations are just that, generalisations. I realise only hunting hounds are the 'norm' in that culture, but many muslims don't abide by all the religious rules.

My daughter spent a lot of time all through the middle east and was very upset over the state of all the animals, especially donkeys ;) but many people who live there are christians and other religions too, so it's not just a muslim culture. In christianity animals a 'sub human' and dont have souls etc. ;)

It's awful what happens to animals worldwide, just awful