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Originally Posted by skysidhe
Why can't you touch dogs?
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Muslims consider dogs to be "unclean", in the same way that all carrion eaters are unclean to both Muslims and Jews. I believe the dog got this bad rap because in the environment where Islam spread, back in the 10th century, a lot of dead bodies got created. Dogs ran through the area of the fighting, eating the bodies of the dead. Vultures and eagles are also unclean for the same reason, and since pigs are fed garbage and have been known to eat anything that happens to venture into their pen.....
The only dogs traditional Muslims were allowed to have were the Salukis and other breeds which were used for hunting, as were the hawks. Although neither of these creatures may be eaten, they may be touched. They are not unclean if being used as hunting implements. However, making a PET out of an animal is either discouraged or forbidden in most Muslim cultures. There is a crackdown going on in Saudi Arabia right now by the "Morals Police" against people who are bringing pedigreed dogs or cats out in public as status symbols. Defenders of the right to own pets have pointed out that the Prophet kept cats, and even allowed his favorite cat to drink from the basin where he made his ablutions before praying.
I read an explanation of the indifference to animal suffering that has been noted in so many Muslim countries. This author explained that a Muslim has a different concept of pity. Of course, he was speaking of men, who tend to be the only face of these cultures for reasons best not gone into right now. Anyway, pity makes you weak so you must not let pity enter your mind. They believe that pity is not in YOUR nature, it is an essence sent out by the animal, woman, prisoner, whatever, which invades you and weakens you. It is like a contageon. It is not part of you. Therefore, the suffering of another entity does not affect you unless you allow it to. That might have something to do with why the people can calmly walk through rivers of blood during these sacrifices. Very possibly the women are not instructed in these fine points because it serves the culture to have them respond to the pain of others and offer succor, I don't know. It would be interesting to see what our new visitor's comments on this are.