The Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais) today clarified that while it is true that it had approved the controversial 'I Want to Touch a Dog' event, what actually took place was not what was discussed with the organiser.

"The act of touching, hugging and kissing the dogs by Muslims on that day is highly regrettable as it goes against Islamic teachings.

"It was also not what was described by the organiser and does not match with the objectives set in the letter sent to us by the organiser," Mais chairperson Mohd Adzib Isa (right) said.

He said that in the letter and meeting with the organiser prior to the event, Mais was told that the event was to "enlighten the public on the positon of dogs in Islam".

He said that based on the letter sent on Oct 3, the objectives were:
  • To explain the need for Muslim to rescue dogs in times of emergency or from neglect;
  • To explain in what situations Muslims can keep dogs;
  • How to handle dogs; and
  • How to cleanse one’s self after touching dogs.
He added that in response, the Selangor Mufti Department in a letter on Oct 9 set out guidelines which among others note that although dogs have many benefits, it is forbidden to touch the dogs when one is wet and the dog is dry or vice versa.

"But if both are dry then it is not considered najis (impure or filth). Thus it is best for the dog to be kept outside if one is to keep it as a watchdog or for hunting," he said.

Ustaz apologises

The event, organised by activist Syed Azmi Alhabshi, has received brickbats from various clerics, some of whom have called for Muslim participants to repent.

It has also prompted the online circulation of a poster featuring Syed Azmi's name and phone number, for a hoax event called 'I Want Touch Breasts'.

Organised to break the stigma Malay Muslims have against dogs, the event at Petaling Jaya last Sunday attracted hundreds of people including Muslims who were photographed patting or hugging the dogs.

The event also included a session by a religious teacher Mohd Iqbal Parjin, who gave a demonstration of how Muslim can cleanse themselves after touching a dog.

In a statement on Facebook today, Mohd Iqbal apologised for the participants’ acts of kissing and hugging the dogs and stressed that he had advised in his talk that unnecessary contact is not allowed.

He also apologised for not realizing that the programme could be seen as encouraging Muslims to be unnecessarily affectionate with dogs.

"I admit that I did not realise that this programme can be misinterpreted and that some quarters may use it to encourage Malays in general to be affectionate to dogs with no reason," he wrote.

The Shafie school of thought, adhered to by most Muslims in Malaysia, is the most strict on contact with dogs.


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