How is a garment touched by a dog’s saliva cleaned?

- It is said that when a dog or dog’s saliva touches our garments, the garment should be washed six times with water and once with soil.
- Will it be enough to wash it with detergent?

Dear Brother / Sister,

What is essential in Hanafis is that the dog itself is not najis (dirty) because it is used for protection and hunting. The pig itself is dirty. What is meant by the verse “it is dirty” in the Quran is the pig. What is meant by the verse is the pig. However, the dog’s mouth water or saliva and feces are dirty. Other parts of his body are not compared to them.

According to Malikis, the dog is absolutely clean, whether it is a watch dog or a shepherd dog that is allowed to be kept or any other dog. According to the famous view, when the dog puts only its mouth in something, it is washed seven times. If it puts its feet or its tongue without moving it, or if its saliva falls into something, it is not necessary to wash that thing.

According to Shafiis and Hanbalis, dogs, pigs and their offspring, their remains and sweat are dirty. Items dirtied by them are washed seven times, including once with soil. The Prophet (pbuh) states the following:

“When a dog licks your bowl, it is cleaned by being washed seven times, the first washing being with soil.” (Bukhari, Wudu 33; Muslim, Taharah 90-91; Tirmidhi, Taharah 68; Musnad, 2/245)

In some narrations of the hadith, the first part is as follows: “When a dog drinks from your bowl...”.

The word ‘seven’ in the hadith may refer to ‘seven’ times, as well as multitude. Therefore, Hanafi scholars considered washing three times sufficient. If cleaning is possible with three times, it is washed three times. (Sarakhsi, al-Mabsut 1/48; Qasani, Badaius-Sanai’ 1/64; Marghinani, al-Hidaya, 1/23)

- Acting upon the hadith “If a dog licks a bowl, wash it seven times (in the narration of Muslim, with soil for the first time)” in Bukhari and Muslim, Shafii scholars state that if the bowl licked by the dog is washed fewer than seven times, it will not be cleaned. According to Imam Nawawi, that is the view of the majority of Shafii madhhab and other scholars. (see Majmu, 2/580-58)

- Although the dog is not dirty in Maliki madhhab, they recommend that the container licked by it should be washed seven times - in line with the sound hadiths mentioned above. (see Sharhul-Kabir, 1/83; Zuhayli, ibid). Hanbalis also hold the same view as Shafiis regarding dogs (al-Mughni, 1/52; Zuhayli, ibid).

- There are two views about whether it is permissible to wash with water alone seven times, without soil. According to Nawawi, the view stating that it is not enough for cleaning is the soundest. However, as a third view, it is sufficient to wash it eight times, where there is no soil, the eighth of which is instead of soil. (ibid, 2/583-84)

- Today, especially in city life where it is really difficult to find soil, we think that it is all right to act according to the third view and that it will be in accordance with the above-mentioned views of the scholars.

- There is also disagreement about whether washing with soap replaces soil (see Sharhul-Wajiz, 1/367). The views of the scholars who accept that it replaces soil, especially in today’s city life, should not be ignored.

- The hadith above, which has enough content to write a book about, actually gives important clues about prophethood. It has now become clear that there are some diseases that can pass from dogs to humans. This issue, which should be attached great importance in terms of hygiene, is miraculous news in terms of attracting attention to the fact that dogs and humans can have some common diseases and warning that common viruses and microbes that cause diseases in both dogs and humans can live in both species.

Today, it is known how the dog tapeworm passes to humans and that the dog is the source of some cysts formed in humans and that dog feces must be buried.

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