Q. I came across a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4:540 Allah’s Apostle ordered that the dogs should be killed, and Hadith 4:541 Allah’s Apostle said, “If somebody keeps a dog, he loses one Qirat (of the reward) of his good deeds everyday, except if he keeps it for the purpose of agriculture or for the protection of livestock. I have two dogs at home as pets for protection for my home. What I want to know is if this is wrong and is there any more hadith to support or clarify this even more?
A. The Prophet (SAS) himself allowed one to keep a dog for protection of the home, farm etc. Hence, if you keep your dog for this purpose, then it will be allowed.
The order of killing the dogs was given in the very beginning of Islam, when the people used to show extreme love for dogs. The Prophet (SAS) wanted them to refrain from doing such, since dogs were impure and the evil devils also sometimes came in the form of dogs. Hence, by killing the dogs, a type of dislike and detestation would come about for dogs. When this was achieved, then the order for killing dogs was revoked and the Prophet (SAS) then allowed one to keep a dog for protection of the home, protection of the farm and for hunting. Besides these, it is not allowed to keep a dog. (Taqreer Al Bukhari- Explaination on Sahih Al Bukahari vol. 2 pg. 43).
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan