Q: If one has dogs for a valid need, is it necessary that their kennels are a minimum of 40 steps from the home? I have heard this a few times.
A: Keeping dogs as pets is not permissible. Keeping dogs causes the angels to stay away from the home and the reward of one's good deeds to decrease. However, if one keeps a dog for a valid reason (e.g. security purposes or as a guide for a blind person), then permission is granted by shariah for one to keep a dog.
However, one should not keep the dog in the house as the saliva of the dog is impure (napaak). One should keep the dog outside anywhere within the yard. It does not have to be forty steps away.
Some muhadditheen are of the opinion that since permission is granted to keep a dog in such a situation, it will not prevent the angels from coming and it will not cause the reward of one's good deeds to decrease.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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