Touching dogs against mainstream Islamic practice in Malaysia - Fatwa

The National Fatwa Council Muzakarah today decided that touching and holding dogs is against mainstream Islamic doctrine in this country which follows the Imam Shafie school of thought.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said Islam revered all animals including dogs, however, Muslims must adhere to the stipulated Islamic code with regard to touching dogs.

He said this to reporters after closing the National Fatwa Committee Conference 2014, which was also attended by Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director-general Datuk Othman Mustaffa and National Fatwa Council chairman Tan Sri Dr Abdul Shukor Husin here today.

Jamil Khir said Jakim would call on the organisers of the recent ('I Want To Touch A Dog') campaign to get a clear picture of the event.

The event held at Central Park in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, which attracted over 800 people from all faiths, was held to encourage compassion towards dogs.

However, it drew flak from the Islamic religious authorities after some Muslim visitors to the event including children were pictured touching and petting the dogs brought to the event by the owners.

On another note, Jamil Khir said among the major issues discussed at the conference were the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), particularly on Malaysian jihadists fighting in Syria, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and surrogacy.

On ISIS, he said the National Fatwa Council found that Muslims were still confused about the context of jihad, martyrdom and the religious rulings on these not just held by Muslims in Malaysia but also throughout the world.

Jamil Khir said the Malaysians recruited were willing to fight in Syria in the name of ISIS while this was against true Islamic teachings.

On the GST to be implemented next April, Jamil Khir said the National Fatwa Council was of the view that Islam allowed a ruling government to collect tax but it must be within the Islamic legal framework.

On surrogacy, the minister said the National Fatwa Council decided that it was not encouraged except in mitigating circumstances.

He said the details of the decisions or edicts made by the council at its meeting would be released soon by the secretariat of the Malaysia National Fatwa Committee.