Source: Fatāwā ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawdīḥ al-Aḥkām), Vol. 2, p. 499
Question:
Some preachers and speakers, in the heat of their sermons, claim that the dog of the People of the Cave (Aṣḥāb al-Kahf) will enter Paradise due to its loyalty. However, from a Shar‘i perspective, a dog is najis al-ʿayn (intrinsically impure), and Paradise is a pure place reserved only for the close servants of Allah.
Is it possible for such an animal to enter Paradise?
Please clarify this issue in the light of the Qur’an and Hadith.
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Amā baʿd!
The statement that:
“The dog of the People of the Cave will enter Paradise”
has no explicit evidence in the Qur’an or in the authentic Sunnah.
If someone insists on saying, “This dog will definitely enter Paradise,” they must be asked to provide proof — in writing — from the Qur’an or authentic Sunnah.
Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Damīrī (d. 742–808 AH) quoted without chain from Khālid ibn Maʿdān:
“Three animals will enter Paradise: the dog of the People of the Cave, the donkey of ʿUzayr عليه السلام, and the she-camel of Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام.”
(Ḥayāt al-Ḥayawān, Vol. 2, p. 262)
Status: This statement is without chain and unreliable.
➊ Imdādullāh Anwar Deobandī cited Ibn Nujaym al-Ḥanafī (d. 971 AH) and al-Mustaṭraf (an unreliable book) claiming:
“Five animals will enter Paradise: the dog of the People of the Cave, the ram of Ismāʿīl عليه السلام, the she-camel of Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام, the donkey of ʿUzayr عليه السلام, and the Burāq of the Prophet ﷺ.”
(Jannat ke Ḥusn Manāẓir, p. 531)
➋ Additional lists attributed to Qatādah al-Tābiʿī in Ḥamawī’s Sharḥ al-Ashbāh wa-al-Naẓāʾir include:
“The she-camel of the Prophet ﷺ, the cow of Mūsā عليه السلام, the fish of Yūnus عليه السلام, the ant of Sulaymān عليه السلام, and the hoopoe of Bilqīs.”
(p. 531–532)
➌ Statement attributed to Imām al-Suyūṭī:
“The wolf of Yaʿqūb عليه السلام will also enter Paradise.”
(p. 532)
All these reports are without chain, baseless, and unreliable.
They have no scholarly weight, nor are they supported by any authentic hadith or Qur’anic proof.
Paradise is a pure place for believers, the righteous, and those close to Allah.
A dog, from a fiqh perspective, is najis al-ʿayn (intrinsically impure).
No animal — simply on the basis of loyalty — can be said to enter Paradise unless it is established by divine revelation or clear textual evidence (naṣ qaṭʿī).
◈ There is no Qur’anic or Hadith proof that the dog of the People of the Cave will enter Paradise.
◈ All transmitted statements are without chain, weak, or unreliable.
◈ This claim has no Shar‘i or scholarly basis.
◈ Whoever insists on this claim must be asked to provide clear and authentic proof.
Hādhā mā ʿindī, wallāhu aʿlam biṣ-ṣawāb.
Question:
Some preachers and speakers, in the heat of their sermons, claim that the dog of the People of the Cave (Aṣḥāb al-Kahf) will enter Paradise due to its loyalty. However, from a Shar‘i perspective, a dog is najis al-ʿayn (intrinsically impure), and Paradise is a pure place reserved only for the close servants of Allah.
Is it possible for such an animal to enter Paradise?
Please clarify this issue in the light of the Qur’an and Hadith.
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Amā baʿd!
No Explicit Evidence in Qur’an or Hadith
The statement that:
“The dog of the People of the Cave will enter Paradise”
has no explicit evidence in the Qur’an or in the authentic Sunnah.
Demand Proof from the Claimant
If someone insists on saying, “This dog will definitely enter Paradise,” they must be asked to provide proof — in writing — from the Qur’an or authentic Sunnah.
Report of Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Damīrī
Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Damīrī (d. 742–808 AH) quoted without chain from Khālid ibn Maʿdān:
“Three animals will enter Paradise: the dog of the People of the Cave, the donkey of ʿUzayr عليه السلام, and the she-camel of Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام.”
(Ḥayāt al-Ḥayawān, Vol. 2, p. 262)
Status: This statement is without chain and unreliable.
Other Attributed Sayings and Their Weakness
➊ Imdādullāh Anwar Deobandī cited Ibn Nujaym al-Ḥanafī (d. 971 AH) and al-Mustaṭraf (an unreliable book) claiming:
“Five animals will enter Paradise: the dog of the People of the Cave, the ram of Ismāʿīl عليه السلام, the she-camel of Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام, the donkey of ʿUzayr عليه السلام, and the Burāq of the Prophet ﷺ.”
(Jannat ke Ḥusn Manāẓir, p. 531)
➋ Additional lists attributed to Qatādah al-Tābiʿī in Ḥamawī’s Sharḥ al-Ashbāh wa-al-Naẓāʾir include:
“The she-camel of the Prophet ﷺ, the cow of Mūsā عليه السلام, the fish of Yūnus عليه السلام, the ant of Sulaymān عليه السلام, and the hoopoe of Bilqīs.”
(p. 531–532)
➌ Statement attributed to Imām al-Suyūṭī:
“The wolf of Yaʿqūb عليه السلام will also enter Paradise.”
(p. 532)
Reality of These Statements
All these reports are without chain, baseless, and unreliable.
They have no scholarly weight, nor are they supported by any authentic hadith or Qur’anic proof.
Fiqh and Rational Perspective
Paradise is a pure place for believers, the righteous, and those close to Allah.
A dog, from a fiqh perspective, is najis al-ʿayn (intrinsically impure).
No animal — simply on the basis of loyalty — can be said to enter Paradise unless it is established by divine revelation or clear textual evidence (naṣ qaṭʿī).
Summary of Research
◈ There is no Qur’anic or Hadith proof that the dog of the People of the Cave will enter Paradise.
◈ All transmitted statements are without chain, weak, or unreliable.
◈ This claim has no Shar‘i or scholarly basis.
◈ Whoever insists on this claim must be asked to provide clear and authentic proof.
Hādhā mā ʿindī, wallāhu aʿlam biṣ-ṣawāb.
