Hadith Text & Transmission

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'If a dog licks the vessel of any one of you, let him throw (the contents) away and wash it seven times.'"

Abu 'Abdur-Rahman (An-Nasa'i) said: I do not know any one who followed 'Ali bin Mushir in narrating it with: "Let him throw it away."

Juridical Ruling

This hadith establishes the legal ruling that when a dog licks a vessel, the contents become ritually impure (najis) and must be discarded. The vessel itself requires purification through washing seven times.

Purification Procedure

The seven washings must be performed with pure water. The majority of scholars hold that one of these washings should be with soil or dust mixed with water, based on related narrations. This addresses the unique impurity associated with dogs' saliva.

Scholarly Commentary

Imam An-Nawawi explains that this ruling demonstrates the special consideration given to canine impurity in Islamic law. The wisdom behind this strict purification may relate to health considerations and spiritual purity.

The narrator's note indicates scholarly scrutiny of transmission chains, showing the careful preservation of prophetic traditions and the importance of verifying each word in legal texts.

Practical Application

This ruling applies to all vessels from which people eat or drink. If the licked substance is solid food that cannot be washed, the entire portion must be discarded. The ruling emphasizes maintaining ritual purity in matters of consumption.