Answer
Wa `alaykum as-Salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
Islam does not categorically forbid owning dogs, but it restricts keeping them as pets without necessity. However, it is not haram to have a dog for protection if there is a genuine need, such as guarding property. The owner must avoid contact with the dog’s saliva and provide it a separate living area to comply with Islamic cleanliness guidelines.
Answering your question, Dr. Wael Shehab, PhD in Islamic Studies from Al-Azhar University and currently the Imam of the Downtown Toronto Masjid in Canada, states:
As you have said, a Muslim is not allowed to keep a dog except for an acceptable reason such as guarding.
You are allowed, for a valid justification, to keep a dog for guarding, but you have to take every precaution not to have contact with its saliva. You should also arrange for a separate living space for it.
Given the above, you may, in case of a real need, opt for a guard dog over personal protection dog in order to avoid direct contact with the dog.
Detailed explanations are found in these fatwas:
- Are Dogs Impure?
- Is Breeding Dogs Haram?
- Can You Sell Dogs in Islam?
- Is It Haram to Raise Dogs for Hunting or Guarding?
- Training Dogs for Herding: Permissible?
- Is the Killing of Predatory Dogs Allowed?
Can Muslims Keep Dogs at Home?
Allah Almighty knows best.
Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.