My Dog Used to Play With My Shoes. What Should I Do Regarding Their Purity?

Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas

Question: 1. For many years I lived with my parents who have a dog. Our dog would often times playfully take our shoes in her mouth. I can’t remember which of my shoes she did this with. What should I do?

2. When I visit my parents, can I follow the Maliki position that dog’s spit is pure?

Answer: Assalam alaykum

1. The basis is that your shoes are pure. If you have doubts regarding whether a certain pair of shoes was effected by dog saliva, this alone would not be sufficient to establish the ruling of impurity. As such, you can ignore these doubts.

2. It would be permitted for you to follow the Maliki position although the more precautious approach would be to wash the effected area in order to avoid the difference of opinion on the issue.

For more see: Can I Pray in Clothes that Were Licked by a Dog?

[Ustadh] Salman Younas

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Salman Younas graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Political Science and Religious Studies. After studying the Islamic sciences online and with local scholars in New York, Ustadh Salman moved to Amman. There he studies Islamic law, legal methodology, belief, hadith methodology, logic, Arabic, and tafsir.