Does Touching a Dog Break Wudu? Find Out Here!
Hi all readers! Are you looking for an explanation of “Does touching a dog break wudu?” If your answer is “Yes,” congratulations! You are now reading the right article. Why? Because that is what I will explain in this article. As Muslims, we need to understand this. That’s why I wrote this article. So, you should read it to the end.
Specifically, there are some important things about “Does touching a dog break wudu?” which I will explain in this article. Some important things I mean are as follows:
What Does Islam Say About Dogs?
The important thing about “Does touching a dog break wudu?” that I will explain now is "What does Islam say about dogs?". I want you to understand this before you read any further explanation in this article because it is one of the basic things about this topic that must be understood very well.
One thing we must always remember is that dogs are one of the creatures that Allah has created. Dogs are a type of animal. Allah has given them life and the right to live, just like us. Thus, we must be kind to dogs.
We can find an explanation that Muslims should be kind to dogs in the two hadiths below:
مَنْ رَحِمَ وَلَوْ ذَبِيْحَةً عُصْفُورٍ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
Whoever shows mercy even to a slaughtered sparrow, Allah will have mercy on him on the Day of Judgment.
الرَّاحِمُونَ يَرْحَمُهُمُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَىٰ ۚ ارحمُوا مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَرْحَمْكُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ
Merciful people will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful (Allah). Be merciful to those on earth, and you will be shown mercy by those in the heavens.
In Islam, dogs can be an example of both goodness and negativity. We can find an example of goodness in the Quran below:
سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَاثَةٌ رَّابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ ۚ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمْسَةٌ سَادِسُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ رَجْمًا بِالْغَيْبِ ۚ وَيَقُولُونَ سَبْعَةٌ وَثَامِنُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ ۗ قُلْ رَّبِّيٓ أَعْلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِمْ مَا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ ۚ فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيْهِمْ إِلَّا مِرَاءً ظَاهِرًا ۗ وَلَا تَسْتَفْتِ فِيْهِمْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا
They will say, 'There were three, the fourth of them being their dog.' And they will say, 'There were five, the sixth of them being their dog,' guessing at the unseen. And they will say, 'There were seven, and the eighth of them was their dog.' Say, 'My Lord knows best their number; none knows them except a few. So do not argue about them except with an obvious argument and do not inquire about them among those who speculate.' (Al-Kahf [18]: 22)
We can also find an example of negativity in the Quran:
وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَاهُ بِهَا وَلَٰكِنَّهُٓ أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ ۚ فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ ۚ إِنْ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَثْ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا ۚ فَاقْصُصِ الْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
And if We had willed, We could have elevated him thereby, but he adhered instead to the earth and followed his own desire. So, his example is like that of the dog: if you chase him, he pants, or if you leave him, he still pants. That is the example of the people who denied Our signs. So, relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought. (Al-A’raf [7]: 176)
One thing that Muslims should always keep in mind is that Islam strictly forbids them from eating dog meat except in a state of necessity. Necessity means that if they do not eat dog meat, they would die. If they are in such a condition, then they are allowed to eat dog meat; necessity permits someone to do something that is otherwise forbidden!
That's a brief explanation of "What does Islam say about dogs?". As Muslims, we must understand that.
Is It Haram to Touch a Dog?
The important point about “Does touching a dog break wudu?” that I will explain now is "Is it Haram to touch a dog?". I want you to understand this because it is one of the important questions about dogs in Islam that some Muslims do not understand.
But before I explain "Is it Haram to touch a dog?", first, I will explain "What is Haram in Islam?". You must understand it first so that you have a complete understanding of our discussion.
The meaning of "Haram" in Arabic is forbidden. We can find an explanation about it in the following Quranic verse:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَهُمَا عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ
Verily, Allah has forbidden them to the disbelievers. (Al-A'raf [7]: 50)
The term "Haram" in Islamic legal terminology has two meanings as follows:
مَا طَلَبَ الشَّارِعُ تَرْكُهُ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْحَتْمِ وَالْإِلْزَامِ
Something that Shari' (Allah and the Prophet Muhammad) requires to be abandoned for sure.
مَا يُثَابُ تَارِكُهُ إِمْتِثَالًا ، وَيَسْتَحِقُّ الْعِقَابَ فَاعِلُهُ
Something that, if avoided by someone, will result in a reward, and if done, will result in punishment.
Specifically, we can say that Haram in Islam is something that should not be done.
Now, is it Haram to touch a dog?
Touching an animal is a sign of affection. In the previous discussion, I explained that the dog is one of the creatures that Allah has created. Allah has given them life. I also explained that Islam strongly recommends that Muslims love anyone and anything, including dogs.
So, specifically, I would say that “Touching a dog is not Haram in Islam.” Thus, Muslims are allowed to touch a dog if it does not harm them.
That's a brief explanation of "Is it Haram to touch a dog?". As Muslims, we must understand that.
Does Touching a Dog Break Wudu?
The important point about “Does touching a dog break wudu?” that I'm going to explain now is a specific answer to that question. I want you to understand this discussion very well because there are differences of opinion on this topic.
Before I go into further detail on “Does touching a dog break wudu?”, I want you to understand that this discussion pertains to the dog's body. Why? Because the meaning of the word "touching" is to rub the palm of the hand on an object. In this context, the object is the dog's body.
In Islamic legal terminology, there are some opinions about the dog's body: is it holy or najis?
- According to the Hanafi school, dogs are not considered najis animals because dogs are useful as guards and hunters.
- According to the Maliki school, dogs are considered sacred animals. This sacred status applies to any breed of dog, including guard dogs, hunting dogs, and dogs with other functions.
- According to the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools, dogs are considered najis animals.
Now, does touching a dog break wudu?
One more thing I would like to say before explaining the answer to the question discussed in this article is that what invalidates wudu is impurity (hadas), whether minor or major. Something that is impure (najis) does not break wudu. Therefore, the conclusion is that touching a dog does not break wudu.
Although there are differences of opinion about the status of a dog's body (whether it is holy or najis), all scholars agree that if a dog has licked an object, then that object is najis and must be purified by washing it with water up to seven times, with one of those washings mixed with dust. We can find this explanation in the hadith below:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ : طُهُورُ إِنَاءِ أَحَدِكُمْ إِذَا وَلَغَ فِيهِ الْكَلْبُ أَنْ يَغْسِلَهُ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ أُوَلَاهُنَّ بِالتُّرَابِ. أَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ وَفِي لَفْظٍ لَهُ : فَلْيُرْقِهِ. وَلِلتِّرْمِذِيِّ : أُخْرَاهُنَّ بِالتُّرَابِ
From Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, he said, "The Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) said, 'The way to purify your container if it has been licked by a dog is to wash it with water up to seven times. The first wash should be with dust.' This hadith was narrated by Muslim. In another version also narrated by Muslim, it states, 'Let him pour out the contents.' According to Sunan at-Tirmidhi, 'The last wash should be with dust.'"
That's a brief explanation of "Does touching a dog break wudu?". As Muslims, we must understand that.
What to Do After Touching a Dog in Islam?
The important point about “Does touching a dog break wudu?” that I will explain now is “What to do after touching a dog in Islam?” I want you to understand this because there is a difference of opinion about the status of a dog's body (whether it is holy or najis). Thus, what should be done after touching a dog also differs.
In the previous discussion, I explained that there are two different opinions about the status of the dog's body. So, if we follow the opinion that the dog's body is holy (Hanafi or Maliki schools), then we don't need to do anything. But if we follow the opinion that the dog's body is najis (Shafi'i and Hanbali schools), then we have to wash our hands up to seven times, one of which should be with dust.
That's a brief explanation of “What to do after touching a dog in Islam?” As Muslims, we must understand that.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the rules regarding touching dogs and its effect on wudu is essential for every Muslim. This article aimed to provide clarity on whether touching a dog breaks wudu and what steps should be taken afterward, based on various Islamic scholarly opinions. Remember, the perspectives differ among Islamic schools of thought, but what remains constant is the importance of adhering to the principles of cleanliness and respect for all creatures as guided by Islam.
I hope this article has been informative and helpful. Should you have any further questions or need more clarification, feel free to ask. Your understanding of these practices is crucial in maintaining both your spiritual and ritual purity.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. May it benefit you in your journey of knowledge and practice. Until next time, stay blessed and keep seeking knowledge.
See you again in the next article.
Kudos!