Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When a dog drinks from any one of your vessels, wash it seven times (then it will become pure).
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 172, Sahih Muslim: 279)
.The doubt is: What is it about the dog that it has such a special ruling which is not applicable to other animals, and why is the use of soil necessary to clean that vessel, even though there are some other substances that can clean the vessel better than soil!?
First Point
In reality, Shariah rulings are of two types.
◄ Ta’abbudi and Ta’lili.
Ta’abbudi means those rulings whose reason cannot be comprehended by human intellect, such as the Fajr prayer consisting of two rak’ahs and fasting being obligatory in Ramadan. Now, can human intellect understand why fasting is obligatory only in the month of Ramadan?
Legislative commands are those whose reasons can be understood by human intellect. For example, Zakat, whose cause is explained as purifying the soul and wealth. Allah Almighty says:
خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِمْ بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ
Reference: (At-Tawbah:103)
Translation: Take charity from their wealth so that you may purify them and cause them increase, and invoke [Allah's blessings] upon them.
After this becomes clear, it will be easier for us to understand that the command given in the mentioned hadith is an act of worship because the Shariah does not explain the reason for this command. At most, it can be understood that thorough washing aims at proper cleanliness, but the wisdom behind specifying this particular number is known only to الله تعالى احكم الحاكمين.
Second point
The mentioned hadith is one of the miracles and proofs of prophethood of you ﷺ that you foretold something fourteen hundred years ago which was impossible to know with the means available at that time. However, in this modern scientific era, many investigations have proven that numerous dangerous diseases are transmitted to humans through dogs, including the deadly disease Rabies, whose primary cause is the dangerous germs found in dogs, which mostly spread through the saliva of dogs.
Third Point
Some doctors have explained the reason for washing the utensil seven times is that there is a tiny germ in the intestines of dogs which is 4 millimeters long. So when the dog defecates, this germ comes out in a specific quantity with its feces and sticks to the hair on its back. Therefore, when the dog tries to clean itself with its tongue, as is its habit, its tongue and mouth become contaminated with it, and when it eats or drinks something, these germs easily transfer to that item.
Fourth Point
As for the use of soil, scientific research and experiments have also proven that soil is the only substance through which the dangerous and extremely small germs found in a dog's saliva can be completely eliminated, whereas no other substance possesses this quality.
Fifth Point
The aforementioned hadith is clear evidence of the truthfulness of Islam and its guarantee of the welfare and well-being of humanity, showing how effectively Islam has prescribed measures for the protection of human health. By following these measures, the preservation of human life is possible, and many diseases can be prevented.
