Q: I wanted to know more about keeping dogs as pets in regards to Islam. Some scholars say that it’s okay to keep dogs in the house, while others think of it as impure and haraam. I wanted to know if it is permissible to keep dogs in the house as long as they are only allowed in certain rooms. For example, if a room is reserved for prayer and the dog is prevented from going in it, does it still mean that keeping the dog in the house is not allowed? I want to emphasise that this question is about having a pet rather than a hunting dog or a guard dog.
A: Let them be out of the house. You can build a small kennel. The permission is given for security reasons only. Hence, there is absolutely no need for them to be living within the house. Keeping them as pets is forbidden and haraam.
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)