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Coming in contact with dogs

Question

Can we pray if a dog rubs his body towards our legs/clothes? What if he licks our skin or we touch the dog? If not then should we wash our hands and change our clothes? Is it enough, or do we have to take a bath or do ablution again?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The preponderant opinion of the scholars  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them is that the saliva of a dog is impure but its hair and skin are pure.

Therefore, if a dog touches a praying person with its skin or hair, then this does not harm provided there is no other impurity on its body.

If there is any impurity on the dog’s body and it touches a praying person, his prayer becomes null since being away from impurity during the prayer is compulsory. Likewise, the prayer becomes null if the saliva of a dog touches a praying person. In this case, one should wash his/her body or clothes seven times; one of which should be with soil.

Allaah Knows best.

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