What is the ruling of keeping a dog in the house?

The majority of jurists have agreed that it is not permissible to keep a dog except out of need (hajah) like hunting, guarding, and other kinds of benefit that the law has not prohibited. The Malikis said that it is disliked to keep a dog for purposes other than agriculture, herding, or hunting, but some of them said that it is permissible (i.e. not disliked).

This is based on the saying of the Prophet, “The reward of a person who keeps a dog for reasons other than herding, hunting, or agriculture is decreased every day by a qirat.” According to Ibn ‘Umar the Prophet said, “The reward of a person who keeps a dog for reasons other than hunting or herding is decreased every day by two qirats.” They said it is permissible to train puppies that are expected to learn for this purpose.

Imam al-Nawawi said, “Al-Shafi’i and his companions said, ‘It is permissible to keep a dog for hunting, agriculture, or herding without disagreement based on what is mentioned by the al-Musanif. There are two positions mentioned by al-Musanif along with their evidence concerning keeping them to protect homes and neighborhoods and the most correct (asah) one is permissibility as is stated in the al-Mukhtasir.”

Sheikh ‘Ilish, one of the great muhaqiqun of the Malikis said, “It is permissible to keep dogs for all beneficial purposes, and to ward off harm, even if it is not in the wilderness where thieves are feared.”

Based on this, it is permissible to keep dogs for beneficial purposes or out of need, and it is impermissible otherwise. And God is Most High and Knows best.