When a dog drinks from the vessel of any of you, let him wash it seven times

Arabic text

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: «إِذَا شَرِبَ الْكَلْبُ فِي إِنَاءِ أَحَدِكُمْ فَلْيَغْسِلْهُ سَبْعًا». ولمسلم: « أولاهُنَّ بالتُراب».

Translation

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When a dog drinks from the vessel of any of you, let him wash it seven times." In a version by Muslim: "the first of which is with dust."

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that a vessel be washed seven times if a dog puts its tongue into it. The first of these times should be accompanied by dirt, followed by water, so that it is completely clean from its impurity and harm.

Benefits

• The dog's saliva is extremely impure.
• When a dog licks a vessel, this makes it and the water in it impure.
• The command to cleanse a utensil with dust and repeat this seven times is only related to the dog's licking, apart from its urine and excrement and anything else it has made dirty.
• How to wash a pot with dirt: Put water in the pot and add dirt to it, and then wash the pot with this mixture.
• Apparently, the Hadīth applies to all dogs, including those sanctioned by the Shariah to be acquired, like hunting and guard dogs and those associated with cattle.
• Soap and potash may not replace dust in this regard, because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) specifically mentioned dust.

Topics

• Jurisprudence and Juristic Principles
• Jurisprudence of Acts of Worship
• Purification
• Removing Impurities
• Utensils