July 11, 2013 Kuala Lumpur: Muslims in general treat dogs badly, believing the creatures to be 'najis' or 'unclean'. Touching a dog even accidentally means a panic rush to get mud and a wash of that part of one's skin seven times with water and once with the mud. This, where the followers of Imam Shafie of the Sunni Muslim school of thought are concerned. And Malay Muslims of this country are of that sect.

Amongst the four schools of Islamic thought (the Mazhabs), Hanafi, Hambali, Maliki, Shafie (all named after the Imams who prescribed how in their view Islam should be practiced), the Maliki school is the most lenient. Imam Malik it is said did not view dogs to be 'unclean' and he prescribed no other form of washing of one's hands for example if touched or licked by a dog other than a simple wash.

Independent preacher, Ustaz Wan Ji Wan Husin sheds light into the relationship between a Muslim and dogs through the hadiths.

The basis of his argument that dogs are not unclean from a verse in the Quran: "eat what they catch for you, but pronounce the name of Allah over it: and fear Allah; for Allah is swift in taking account."

So if a dog kills a rabbit for instance and you are allowed to cook and eat the rabbit, then how is it possible for a dog be unclean or najis?