Are dogs acceptable pets, Muslim scholars ask?

AMONG THE many controversies that divide Muslim thinkers, the status of dogs is a minor one. But every now and then the debate is renewed. Earlier this month Egypt’s grand mufti, Shawki Allam, weighed in on the side of man’s best friend. Whereas some interpretations of Islam deem dogs impure, Mr Allam says: “It is possible to coexist with a dog and still worship God.” Citing the Maliki school of Islam, he claims that every living animal is pure.

Conservative clerics are not rolling over, though. They cite certain hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) to support their dogmatically anti-dog position. Angels will not enter a house if there is a dog present, says one. Another warns that a Muslim keeping a dog will lose out on some of the spiritual rewards from his good deeds. Yet there are caveats. Angels don’t seem to mind if the dog is outside. And dogs used for herding, hunting, farming and guarding appear to be exempt from the rules.

Perhaps the most contentious issue is a dog’s saliva. “Cleanse your vase which the dog licked by washing it seven times and the first is with earth (soil),” goes another hadith. But Mr Allam says that if you perform wudu (ablution) and a dog licks you, there is no need to rewash before praying. What about dog fur?...