My glass is usually half full.

But after reading about how Joy the dog was beaten till his jaw was broken beyond repair, any bit of fullness in my glass is now slowly leaking away down the monsoon drain.


Joy, after surgery. His jaw was beyond repair from the beating he received.

Joy was beaten continuously by a group of Indonesian workers, while they yelled "Haram" at it.

The poor dog's lower jaw was so badly injured that it had to be surgically removed, but his tongue was saved despite having lacerations and blood clots. Joy still manages a friendly wag at strangers, despite his injuries.

Injuries caused by ignorance.

Ignorance because dogs are not "haram" under the laws of Islam. I did a little research about this, and found some information at an Islamic scholar's website. Here are some of the key points he highlighted:

1.
It is NOT haraam to own a dog, though it is not hygienic to keep a dog in the house.

2.
It is NOT haraam to touch a dog or any other animal. If the saliva of a dog touches you or any part of your clothing, then it is required of you to wash the body part touched and the item of clothing touched by the dog’s mouth or snout.

3.
It is haraam to keep a dog or any other animal on a short lead for long periods without food, water, and shelter. Dogs need exercise and are social creatures who form organized “family” structures in nature.

Traditionally, and through age-old customs (customs only - not Islamic law), dogs are seen as impure. Unfortunately, many Muslims have used this view to justify the abuse and neglect of dogs, even though cruelty contradicts the Qur'an's view that all animals form "communities like you."

So back to my glass. Slowly leaking whatever liquid to keep it half full. Till I saw this picture in today's New Straits Times.



It shows a stranger rescuing two dogs, stranded in the Johor floods.

There is Hope for dogs yet.

:)

Tech Tags: animal+cruelty dogs Islam