Saliva of a Dog

QUESTION:

I follow the opinion that if a person comes into contact with impurity, it is obligatory to wash one’s self seven times, including one time with soil. Recently a dog came and sniffed my trousers, so I tried to purify myself according to the method I learned mentioned above, but failed to do so. As a result, I did not perform Salaah for three days due to being impure. Does this classify me as Kaafir?

ANSWER:

The saliva of a dog is impure, and it must be removed by washing it thoroughly with water. There is no need to use soil to clean one’s self if a dog licks him.

As for missing Salaah, it does not take one out of the fold of Islam, thereby making one a Kaafir. However, it weakens a person’s Imaan. Therefore, you should immediately make sincere Taubah for missing those Salaah and make Qadhaa (making up for it).

In conclusion, in a case where a person finds himself in a situation and he does not know a Mas’ala of Deen, he should find out from a reliable scholar and not take matters into his own hands. This can cause more problems on one’s behalf.

و القسم الثاني: سؤر نجس نجاسة غليظة وقيل خفيفة لا يجوز استعماله أي لا يصح التطهير به بحال ولا يشربه إلا مضطر كالميتة وهو: أي السؤر النجس ما شرب منه الكلب سواء فيه كلب صيد وماشية وغيره

(مراقي الفلاح مع حاشية الطحطاوي 30 مكتبة رشيدية)

أما النجاسة الحقيقية فإن كانت غير مرئية، كالبول ونحوه، ذكر في ظاهر الرواية أنه لا تطهر إلا بالغسل ثلاثا.

(بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع، 1/87)

فَسْـَٔلُوٓا أَهْلَ ٱلذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Muhammad Isa Ali

Date: 14 Dhul Qa’dah 1446 / 13 May 2025

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb