18/17. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1488 — Dog Exceptions in Islam
What Has Been Related About How Much Is Deducted From The Reward Of One Who Keeps A Dog
Hadith About Dog Exceptions in Islam
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1488
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1488
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَمَرَ بِقَتْلِ الْكِلاَبِ إِلاَّ كَلْبَ صَيْدٍ أَوْ كَلْبَ مَاشِيَةٍ . قَالَ قِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ كَانَ يَقُولُ أَوْ كَلْبَ زَرْعٍ . فَقَالَ إِنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ لَهُ زَرْعٌ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Ordered Killing Dogs, Except For The Hunting Dog, Or The Dog That Guards Livestock." It Was Said To Him: "Abu Hurairah Would Say: 'Or A Farm Dog' So He (Ibn 'Umar) Said: "Abu Hurairah Had A Farm."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1488In-book reference : Book 18, Hadith 30English translation : Vol. 3, Book 16, Hadith 1488
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1488
This hadith about dogs mentions that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم ordered killing dogs, except for a hunting dog or a dog that guards livestock. The report then mentions that Abu Hurairah would also say, or a farm dog, and Ibn Umar replied that Abu Hurairah had a farm. The text is important because it shows named exceptions. It is not written as a simple, open-ended permission for every use. It also records a difference in what was mentioned by the Companions in this report. The main teaching is to read the exception carefully: hunting, livestock, and in another wording farm use are the named cases.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith names hunting dogs as an exception.
- The hadith names livestock guard dogs as an exception.
- The report mentions Abu Hurairah’s wording about a farm dog.
- The narration should be read with its stated exceptions.
