The Shafi’iya consider the dog to be najis while Imam Malik differed and considered it to be pure.
Dogs which are kept for a purpose, such as hunting, guarding cattle or crops are permissable.
In a hadith reported by both al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (peace be on him) said, Whoever keeps a dog except for hunting or for guarding crops or cattle will lose one large measure (qirat) of his reward each day.
On the basis of this hadith some jurists argue that the keeping of dogs as pets can be classified as makruh rather than haram, as the haram is absolutely prohibited without regard to whether there is a decrease in reward or not.
However, the prohibition of keeping dogs in the house does not mean that dogs may be treated cruelly or that they should be eradicated. Referring to the following verse of the Qur’an, There is not an animal on the earth, nor a bird flying upon two wings, but comprise nations like yourselves. (6:38), the Prophet (peace be on him) said, “If dogs were not a nation (ummah) among nations, I would have ordered that they be killed.” (Reported by Abu Daoud and al-Tirmidhi.
