Hadith Text

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "If anyone gets a dog, except a sheeping or hunting or a farm dog, a qirat of his reward will be deducted daily."

Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 2844 | Book: Game (Kitab Al-Said)

Meaning of Key Terms

Qirat: A small measurement of weight, here referring to a portion of spiritual reward. Scholars explain this as a significant decrease in one's spiritual recompense.

Sheeping dog: A dog trained to guard livestock from predators.

Hunting dog: A dog trained for lawful hunting purposes.

Farm dog: A dog used to guard crops, orchards, or agricultural property.

Scholarly Commentary

This hadith establishes the general prohibition of keeping dogs without legitimate need, as angels do not enter houses containing dogs. The deduction of reward serves as a spiritual deterrent.

The three exceptions demonstrate Islam's practical recognition of legitimate needs: protection of livelihood (sheep), procurement of food (hunting), and safeguarding property (farming). These utilitarian purposes transform the otherwise discouraged act into permissible.

Classical scholars emphasize that even permitted dogs should be kept outdoors when possible and maintained with cleanliness. The prohibition primarily concerns keeping dogs as mere pets without benefit, which constitutes unnecessary imitation of non-Muslim practices.

Legal Rulings (Ahkam)

The majority of scholars consider keeping dogs without need to be makruh (disliked) rather than haram (forbidden), based on this hadith's wording.

Maliki scholars permit keeping dogs for additional purposes like house protection, considering this analogous to farm guarding.

The reward deduction applies only to unnecessary dog ownership and ceases once the dog is removed or a legitimate purpose is established.

Wisdom and Context

This ruling preserves household purity and distinguishes Muslim practice from pre-Islamic customs of dog veneration.

The exceptions reflect Islam's balanced approach - prohibiting what is harmful while permitting what is beneficial to human welfare.

Modern applications include guide dogs for the blind, which contemporary scholars permit under the principle of necessity (darurah).