Critical Thinker

The Mystery of Muhammad's Hatred for Dogs Dogs unfortunately became scapegoats. This began when the pagans of Mecca presented three questions to Muhammad as a test. However, he was unable to provide answers for the next 15 days. Muhammad then offered an excuse, stating that Gabriel had not visited him with the answers because there was a puppy in his home. Ibn Mundhir narrated from Mujahid that the pagans of Quraysh gathered and said to Muhammad, "You have deviated from the religion of our ancestors. Where did you get this new religion from?" Muhammad replied, "This religion is from Rahman (i.e. another name of Allah)." The Quraysh responded, "We only know Rahman from Yemen." They associated Musaylmah Kadhab with it, who was another person claiming prophethood during Muhammad's era, and also claimed his new religion was from al-Rahman, i.e., God. Then, the Quraysh wrote to the Jews, informing them that a person had emerged among them claiming to be a prophet, having abandoned the religion of their ancestors. The Jews replied, "Ask him three questions about the Ashab-e-Kuhf (the People of the Cave), Dhulqarnain, and the spirit. If he can answer these questions, then he is from Rahman, who is God. But if Rahman is from Yemen, he will not be able to answer them." The Quraysh became pleased with this and said to Muhammad, "If you have already abandoned the religion of our ancestors, then tell us about the Ashab-e-Kuhf, Dhulqarnain, and the spirit." Muhammad told them, "Come to me tomorrow (and I will answer)." However, Muhammad forgot to say Insha-Allah (i.e., if Allah will). Gabriel appeared to him after only 15 days. Muhammad said to Gabriel, "The Quraysh came to me and asked me about certain things (as a test of my prophethood), but I didn't know the answers. I was in a very difficult situation during this period." Gabriel replied, "Have you not seen that we (i.e., the angels) do not enter a house with a dog or a picture? There was a puppy in your house, and you were not aware of it." Consequently, the following revelation was sent down: "[... and do not say of anything, 'Indeed, I will do that tomorrow,' except (when adding), 'If Allah wills.' Quran 18:22-24]" (i.e., the puppy entered his house while he forgot to say Insha-Allah). Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 3227: Narrated Salim's father: Once Gabriel promised the Prophet (that he would visit him, but Gabriel did not come), and later on he said, "We, angels, do not enter a house which contains a picture or a dog." The actual situation was as follows: • Muhammad neither knew the answers to the three questions nor was he in contact with any Allah or angel. • Consequently, Muhammad began seeking information from others, which took him 15 days to gather. • However, Muhammad made an excuse that he was unable to answer the questions as he had forgotten to say Insha-Allah (if God wills). And he claimed that a puppy entering his house prevented Gabriel from delivering the answers. There are reasons to question the validity of this excuse: • Muhammad went outside of his house during those 15 days to relieve himself and pray in the mosques. Why didn't Gabriel come to him there? • How was it that the purity of a great angel like Gabriel could not overcome the presence of a small puppy? • Why couldn't the purity of Muhammad himself overcome the impurity of a small puppy? • What about the two angels, Kiraman Katibin, who are said to sit on the shoulders of every person, recording their deeds? Are Kiraman Katibin also expelled from the house by dogs, allowing one to commit sins inside without being recorded? • Furthermore, if dogs are truly considered impure, why did the "people of the cave أصحاب الكهف" take a dog along with them? In simple terms, it appears that Muhammad used the puppy as a scapegoat for his inability to answer the questions the next day.