A prophet orders killing dogs!

A prophet orders killing dogs!

They sarcastically said: The prophet of Islam's mercy reached to the extent that he ordered killing the dogs in Madina! Their references were the following:

1 – Ahmad's Musnad, no. 25935. Salem Ibn Abdullah narrated from Abu Rafea, who said: The messenger of Allah (PBUH) ordered me to kill the dogs, so I went out to kill them. I killed every dog till I saw a dog running around a house, I went to kill it when I heard someone from inside the house asking: O you man, what do you want to do? I answered: I want to kill that dog. The person inside the house said: I'm a lonely woman, this dog protects me from wild animals, and predicts the visitors, so go to the prophet and tell him about that. I went to the prophet (PBUH) and told him what happened, and he (PBUH) ordered me to kill the dog.


2 – Ahmad's Musnad also, no, 22745. AL Fadl Ibn Obaidellah narrated from Abu Rafea, who said that the prophet (PBUH) said: "O Abu Rafea, kill every dog in Madina". He said: I found some women from Al Ansar with their dog, they said: O Abu Rafea, the messenger of Allah ordered our men to go in incursions, and this dog protects us, so say that to the prophet (PBUH). Abu Rafea told the prophet (PBUH) about the matter, and he (PBUH) said: "Kill it, Allah protects them".

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The reply to this misunderstanding:

First: The Islamic law orders Muslims to be merciful with animals, as they're innocent creatures that worship Allah, the Almighty. This is proved in the following:

1 – The prophet (PBUH) prohibited mayhem with animals. This is mentioned in The Correct Nasaee's Sunan, no. 4440, and in The Correct Series, no. 2431. Abdullah Ibn Jaafar narrated that the messenger of Allah (PBUH) passed by a group of people throwing a ram with stones, he (PBUH) hated that, and said: "Don't mayhem animals".


2 – He (PBUH) ordered to fear Allah, the Almighty, and to be merciful with animals. This is mentioned in Abo Dawood's Sunan, no. 2185. Sahl Ibn Al Hanthalia said: The messenger of Allah (PBUH) passed by an emaciated camel and said: "Fear Allah regarding these dumb animals. Ride them when they are in good condition and feed them when they are in good condition".


3 – He (PBUH) ordered to comfort the animals while slaughtering. This is mentioned in The Correct Muslim, no. 3615, Shaddad Ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Two are the things which I remember the messenger of Allah (PBUH) having said: "Verily Allah has enjoined goodness to everything; so when you kill, kill in a good way and when you slaughter, slaughter in a good way. So every one of you should sharpen his knife, and let the slaughtered animal die comfortably".


4 – He (PBUH) said informing Muslims about a woman that was put in hellfire because of a cat. This is mentioned in the Correct Bukhari, no. 2192. Ibn Omar ( may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the prophet (PBUH) said: "A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger". The messenger of Allah (PBUH) further said, (Allah knows better) Allah said (to the woman): "You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the earth".


5 – He (PBUH) informed Muslims about a man that gave water to a thirsty dog, and was rewarded with paradise. This is mentioned in the Correct Bukhari, no. 168. Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the prophet (PBUH) said: "A man saw a dog eating mud from (the severity of) thirst. So, that man took a shoe (and filled it) with water and kept on pouring the water for the dog till it quenched its thirst. So Allah approved of his deed and made rewarded him with Paradise".


4– He (PBUH) prohibited cursing the cock and other animals. This is mentioned in the following:
a) In Al Targheeb Wal Tarheeb, no. 2797 Abu Dawood and Ibn Hebban narrated that Khaled Al Jahny (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Do not curse the cock, for it awakens for prayer".


b) Abu Dawood's Sunan, no. 3562. The prophet (PBUH) said to a man: "Do not abuse anyone". He said: I did not abuse a freeman, or a slave, or a camel or a sheep thenceforth.
7 – He

(PBUH) used to get angry and curse who abuses an animal. This mentioned in The Correct Muslim, no. 3953, Jaber (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the prophet (PBUH) passed by an ass the face of which had been cauterized, whereupon he (PBUH) said: "Allah has cursed one who has cauterized it (on the face)".


Second: The prophet's (PBUH) order to kill the dogs mentioned in the previous two speeches was neither out of bitterness in his merciful heart, nor oppression for animals, and this was proved by the previously mentioned speeches in which he (PBUH) ordered Muslims to be good and merciful with animals. Besides, the Quran praises people who are kind with dogs and don’t kill them, as Allah, the Almighty, says: {They ask you, [O Muhammad], what has been made lawful for them. Say, "Lawful for you are [all] good foods and [game caught by] what you have trained of hunting animals which you train as Allah has taught you. So eat of what they catch for you, and mention the name of Allah upon it, and fear Allah." Indeed, Allah is swift in account"} (The Table Spread with Food:4).


The prophet (PBUH) reported that the black dog is devil (devil can reincarnate its soul), which makes us understand that his order to kill the dogs at that time was for a certain reason. He (PBUH) only knew that those dogs in Madina were a kind of danger for people and their safety, not a bitterness in his heart as they objectors claimed….!
As for the activity of devils, we don’t know anything about it. Therefore, we conclude that Allah, the Almighty, informed His prophet (PBUH) that those dogs would spread a disease among people…


The proof that Muhammad's (PBUH) order to kill the dogs was at a certain time, then he (PBUH) prohibited killing them, is the speech mentioned in The Correct Muslim, no. 3617, and in Ibn Majah, no. 3178, and others. Ibn Abbas narrated that the prophet (PBUH) said: "Do not make anything having life as a target".


The meaning is that the prophet (PBUH) prohibited making any living soul a target for killing by arrows or weapons…
Thus, his order to kill the dogs was at a certain time for a certain reason. Many scholars agreed that the order was only for the black dogs, because devil can reincarnate in it.

This is mentioned in the following:


1 – Abu Dawood's Sunan, no. 2462. Abdullah Ibn Mughfil (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the prophet (PBUH) said: "Were dogs not a species of creature I should command that they all be killed; but kill every pure black one".


2 – Abu DAwood's Sunan also, no. 2463. Jaber said: The prophet (PBUH) ordered us to kill dogs, and we carried out this order so much so that we also kill the dog coming with a woman from the desert. The messenger of Allah (PBUH) forbade their killing. He (PBUH) said: "It is your duty to kill the jet-black (dog) having two spots (on the eyes), for it is a devil".


Third: Nowadays some governments kill dogs in the streets, as they harm people. Some of which are rabies, and others have a disease, and we didn’t find anyone objecting this act, rather people were satisfied with that for their safety and health…


It’s worth mentioning that the objectors objected to something they don't know. Allah, the Almighty, says in the Quran: {Rather, they have denied that which they encompass not in knowledge and whose interpretation has not yet come to them. Thus did those before them deny. Then observe how was the end of the wrongdoers} (jonah:39).


Fourth: The Bible mentions in The Old Testament that the Lord ordered killing animals. This is in the following:


1 – The lord orders killing animals. This is in 1 Samuel 15:3:
3 Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction[a] all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
I have a question here: what's the sin of the ox, sheep, camel, and donkey to be killed?!


2 – The Lord orders stoning the ox that gores a man or a woman to death. This is in Exodus 21:28-29:
28 “When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable29 But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.

No comment!!


3 – The Lord orders breaking a donkey's neck. This is in Exodus 13:11-13:

11 “When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you,12 you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord's.13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.

No comment!!


Besides, The New Testament mentions that Jesus, the Christ (PBUH) killed innocent animals (pigs), when he (PBUH) pulled out the unclean spirits from a man, then they entered a herd of pigs. So, the pigs were all killed by being drowned in the sea, and they were about 2000 pigs. On the other side, Muhammad (PBUH) did never kill a pig although he prohibited eating its meat…!!


The whole story is mentioned in Mark 5:1-13:
5 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 And when Jesus[b] had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
I have some questions here:


1 – What's the sin of those pigs, which Jesus, the Christ (PBUH) killed by drowning in the sea?!


2 – Did the objectors attack Jesus's (PBUH) act same as what they did with Muhammad's speech mentioned previously?!

Written by: Akram Hassan Morsi

Translation to English: Professor Islamic translation