The Dogs

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is detestable for a Muslim to allow a dog to live in his house.”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Whoever keeps a dog, every day one Qirat (a certain unit of measurement) is reduced from the (good) deeds of his owner.’”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), if we can keep a dog in the house. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, you must not do so.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘There is nothing good in dogs except hunting dogs or that which guards cattle.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must not keep a hunting dog in the house unless there is a door between you and the dog.’”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), if a hunting dog can be kept in the house. He (the Imam) said, ‘If a door can be closed in front of it, then it is not harmful.’”

“One of the two Imam, (abu Ja‘far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said that dogs of one color, all black are from Jinn.’”

“Once I was with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), on the road between Makkah and al-Madinah and I saw on his left side a dog of one color, all black. He (the Imam) said, ‘What is the matter with you, may Allah disfigure you, how fiercely you rush!’ It then resembled a bird. I then asked, ‘What is this? I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It was Ghuthaym, mailman of Jinn. Hisham has died in this hour and it flies to spread this news in every town.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Dogs are weak Jinns. If one of you eat food and something of it (dog or jinn) is in front of you, feed it or send it away because they have evil souls.’”*

“Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about dogs. He (the Imam) said, ‘Every dog of one color, all black or all red or all white is a creature of Jinn in the form of dog; but that of spotted colors is a metamorphosed of Jinn and man.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, granted permission to the people of al-Qasiyah (country side) to keep dogs.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the dog from al-Saluqiy (name of a place in Yemen). He (the Imam) said, ‘If you touch it you must then wash your hands.’”