I am a muslim and I want a dog (puppy). If God wants us muslims to be happy why can't I have a pet dog and become happy?

If we analyze scientifically Allah knows best but today's science tell us that there are certain diseases in the saliva of the dogs. For example one of the most dangerous is rabies known as hydrophobia and this can go to people to people. You can only keep the dog to guard your house outside like an hunting dog but you cannot keep it for your happiness because its totally haram and if you are a muslim so how can something that Allah (swt)  isn't happy for makes you feel happy?

 Yeah dogs are cute and if they were forbidden in islam so I would myself keep them but if they aren't that doesn't mean Allah don't want you to be happy or not. If its not allowed in Islam so that's your own benefit maybe he is saving you from many diseases. How much he loves and cares for you no one else can ever do that so its something you should accept if its not allowed so it's not. Allah knows better.

I guess it also comes down to how we define happiness. God knows best. The main issue really is keeping the dog inside the house. There are many things we can look at and go in depth, but one thing that stands out for me is hygiene.

Hi there,

This is a tough call to make, as religions can be interpreted in different ways.

As I understand it, the main concerns with Islam and keeping dogs is that they are considered unhygienic.

I've had a pet dog, and two cats.. And I can tell you all animals (including us humans) can be unhygienic.

I can't really advise whether your religion approves or keeping a dog as a pet or not, but what I would say is that you should do a little bit of research to get as many viewpoints on the matter as possible - and then make a decision accordingly.

For example, http://www.islamicconcern.com/dogs.asp makes some very common sense recommendations with regard to dogs and muslims.

Interestingly, point number one states that:

1. It is NOT haraam to own a dog, though it is not hygienic to keep a dog in the house.

I'd also urge you to think about what the lives of early muslims would have been like. Many of them travelled with their animals (camels, goats etc..) and these animals were probably kept separate from human quarters.

So having pets seems like a logically acceptable thing in Islam, although there are recommendations for how they should be kept and treated.

Things like keeping a dog on a short lead or mistreating it in any way, for example, are forbidden.