Q: I’d like the ruling on keeping a dog. I know that it is impermissible to keep them as pets and that it is allowed to keep them for security purposes. But between keeping them as pets and keeping them for security, I am unsure which category I fall into.
I’ve never liked dogs in my life due to the cleanliness aspect of them. After moving into a house, we get the odd yard break in and theft from our yard. We therefore have chosen to keep a dog to deter criminals from entering. At the moment, our main purpose is for security reasons but we find ourselves enjoying the dog. When we go out they run to us and we pet their heads and due to their excitement, they lick our hands and clothing. We utterly detest this and feel disgusted by it and we make sure to wash our hands and clothing immediately afterwards.
My question is, even though we have them for security purposes, would giving them attention and petting them fall into the category of keeping them as pets also? We have also taken a fond liking to them as they are very playful and they need attention. But we do not want to risk our good deeds being destroyed and risk the angels not coming to our home. Please advise based in my situation.
A: If you are concerned about break-ins and theft and that is one of the reasons why you are keeping a dog, then it is permissible. This falls under the category of keeping a dog for security reasons.
Keep the dog outside the house and do not allow it to enter your home.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:
Checked & Approved: