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One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam-malikum I have asked several times this question, but never got any answer:- We have a dog and Cats at home as a pet, we know the cats are no problem for us, but incase if dog touch you or you touch the dog just before the prayer, do we have to wash whole body or just do the WAZU again, question is whenever you touch the dog, do we have to wash the body everytime.. five time pray.. five time washing??? is that so, same problem have few of my collegues! we really need the clarification! Thanks for your kind advise and reply.

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Answer:

Dogs najis and prayer washing 5 times

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4102   Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mughaffal

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "No family attaches itself to a dog without a ‘qirat’ of their good deeds being deducted daily, except in the case of a hunting dog, a farm dog, or a sheepdog."

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.13a

Dogs are considered impure in Islam. Any container that a dog has licked must be washed seven times, the first time with dirt. Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenager of Allah (saws) said, "Purifying a container that a dog has licked is done by washing it seven times, the first washing being with dirt (that is, water mixed with dirt until it becomes muddy)."

Related by Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and al-Baihaqi.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 227       Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘Angels do not enter the house where there is a picture, or a dog.’

The keeping of dogs as mere pets is absolutely discouraged and disallowed for the believers who sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day.  Unfortunately in the day and age we live today, some amongst the believers have become so bold and so daring that they absolutely disregard the warnings of the Noble Messenger of Allah (saws) that if a dog is kept as a pet in their homes the Angels of Mercy will not enter their houses and a portion of their good deeds will be deducted on a daily basis as long as the dog remains their pet in the house!

The absolute majority of the scholars and the jurists in Islam are of the opinion that the dogs are from amongst the 'najis' or impure creatures, and if a dog happens to touch someone, one should at least thoroughly wash the part of the body and the clothes the dog has touched and purify themselves with the 'wudu' before they make themselves available for prayer.

If one amongst the believers is so daring and so bold that even after the consequences declared by the Messenger of Allah (saws) chooses to keep a dog as a pet.....so much so that one is in physical contact with the dog before every time of prayer, then indeed such a person would be required to purify their bodies and their clothes which have been touched by their dog each time before they can make themselves available for prayer!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is only ones. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brothers and well wishers in Islam,

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