Filthy and Impure

Not surprising:

Authorities in the Saudi city of Mecca have banned the sale of pet cats and dogs at the request of religious police, the Arab News reported Thursday.

The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice made the request after many young Saudis had gone outdoors with their pet dogs thus violating the kingdom's culture and traditions.

Link via Western Resistance.

Click here to read what an imam has to say. My take:

I didn't see a single dog in over ten years of my sad life in Saudi Arabia. There, I only heard a dog once and it sounded like someone was beating the poor thing.

You have no idea how utterly repulsed Muslims feel when they see Westerners petting a dog on a TV show. To them, a dog is a filthy and dirty creature. They don't get how anyone could lower themselves to touch such a hideous thing. In my extended family in Pakistan, only one relative kept a dog. That dog was always chained and kept outside for protection. More than once in Pakistan, I've seen a group of kids throw rocks at a hapless street dog and heard the terrible cries of pain.

In "moderate" Turkey early this year: "Pro-islamic municipalities in Turkey are killing stray dogs, animal rights groups claim. Municipal workers are hunting, torturing and killing the animals by the hundreds, the campaigners say."

Comments

[sophia]

OK, well, the Turks did breed a magnificent mastiff, the name of which I forget, for guarding purposes.

Now, back to hating dogs. Humans evolved with dogs. This is very deep in the human genome, to love dogs. How do Muslims overcome this?

[Isaac Schrödinger]

"Humans evolved with dogs. This is very deep in the human genome, to love dogs. How do Muslims overcome this?"

One doesn't see many dogs in Muslim countries. Because of this little contact, there isn't much of a connection between Muslims and such pets.

The first time I saw a dog in real life was in Pakistan: The dog was chained outside the house and from the way it barked and looked at me, I thought it would rip me apart if it were free. So, my first impression of a dog wasn't that it was a "cute" animal but instead that it was a vicious creature.

That's the overwhelming majority view. A dog is filthy, hideous and dangerous. When these Muslims look at Western shows in which people play and (Allah forbid) pet their dogs, they're disgusted. They think that infidels are "lowering" themselves by touching such an unclean thing.

It's a crazy, retrograde, and (as you say) an unnatural mindset. The hatred and unpunished torture of such animals is symbolic of something far worse in Islamic borders.

[The Jut]

This is actually quite amusing. 'Pious muslim caught walking pet dog!' It would seem that some of those arabs have finally seen enough western pet shows to come around to dogs. That imam's reference to the belief, that angels don't enter houses with dogs was interesting as well. You know, there are those who believe, that dogs scare off evil spirits. Hehe.

[Isaac Schrödinger]

It's a matter of belief but within Islamic borders it's enforced on everyone.

A few Arabs gave in to the cute puppies and supply arose to meet demand. No-one was hurt. Yet, in the 21st century, an arm of the Saudi regime comes down with the hammer: NO PETS FOR YOU!

Because that would be against Islam.

It's just another arena where we see extremes: The Muslims ban dogs. The West breeds them, spends billions of dollars on them, and showcases them in numerous dog shows and competitions.

And both sides think that the other one is crazy.

There is one positive outcome: As Westerners read more about Islamic laws and rulings, they'll realize just how non-sensical Islam really is. And that one can't compromise with it.

[*lynne*]

This has always puzzled me: according to Malaysian Malay/Muslims, dogs are haram.

Okay, so it's not like I've hunted through the Koran to find the specific verse that says so, but I've heard contradictory statements that such a belief [practice?] is actually wrong because nowhere in the Koran is it stated that dogs are haram.

I noticed that in what you've highlighted above, I don't see a direct statement about "haramness", just that Arabs/Muslims view dogs as lowly creatures.

Just curious if anyone knows for sure if there's anything in the Koran about them canines.

Oh - and whether or not dogs *are* haram? Doesn't mean that gives Muslims the green light to torture maim and/or kill these creatures!! I've never understood such a mentality.

[Muslihoon]

This should explain all that one wants regarding dogs according to Islam.

[Isaac Schrödinger]

"Just curious if anyone knows for sure if there's anything in the Koran about them canines."

As Muslihoon points out, it's not exclusively the Quran that animates Muslims; the life and the sayings of Muhammed have a huge impact as well.

If Muhammed disliked or hated X, then Muslims frown upon another brother who has an affection for X.

In sharia-based nations, they ban X. For example, Muhammed wasn't a big fan of alcohol...In Saudi Arabia alcohol is outlawed and one earns a public beheading for the possession of an alcoholic beverage.

[sophia]

OK, I read further & it does say:

"Do not own a dog unless used for hunting, or as a guard dog to people or animals such as cattle, or any other necessary reason such as a help to the blind, etc."

So breeding a guard dog as the Turks did is Islamic. The Akbash:

http://www.turkishdogs.com/akbash/

And it is a magnificent beast! So, I dare you NOT to fall in love with it.