Muslims, stop judging, will you?

Hafidz Baharom, Malay Mail Online

I decided to take a break from the socioeconomics involved in Bajet 2015 in order to look at just the social issues for once. And honesty it was a huge mistake on my part.

It seems that a selected group of Muslims have found it a cause worth carrying to the ends of the earth or at least social media. This time around, it is on touching dogs.

Because apparently, right after a federal budget which guaranteed no such rise in salaries and an increase in the cost of living, the dipping into our EPF accounts to buy homes and continuous silence on assisting bankrupts other than to tell Malaysians to “go get a second job,” touching dogs being “disgusting” is apparently high on the list of concerns for Muslims.

And I cannot fathom why? Would an outbreak of dog touching suddenly cause Muslims to become less Muslim? Would it erode their faith?

Or do these Muslims believe touching dogs would somehow cause a Butterfly Effect of disastrous proportions?

One Muslim touches a dog, and suddenly we have tornadoes in Kedah, perhaps?

I’ve no idea. From a logical standpoint these accusations are ludicrous. Even from a religious standpoint these thoughts are ludicrous.

And there is a reason that has made the touching of a dog event justified in Islam as an education. Because somehow the Muslim society has found it necessary to villify these noble creatures.

Let us first admit that as Muslims we have an issue with two creatures that no other Malaysians have a problem with; dogs and pigs.

And then let us also admit that while many of us have no issue with dogs as an animal, there are those out there who go about poisoning, maiming and abusing dogs while the majority remain silent.

We saw this abuse by local council enforcers who catch strays. We also saw this with the poisoning of stray dogs which was highlighted on social media. We even saw a video of how a blind man who uses a guide dog was treated worse than a leper, denied access to public transport or even to walk in malls.

Since there has yet been a way to train guide cats for the blind, we need to consider this an amenity for those less fortunate.

So why are there those who are bothered by Muslims touching dogs? It is not haram to touch a dog. It is considered unclean and in Islam, there is a way to cleanse ourselves from this.

And quite frankly, we are talking about the act of touching. We are not talking about breeding or rearing dogs. Even if we were, while Jakim and the former mufti of Johor go so far as to say it is “haram” and “a threat to clerics,” we now know that Selangor’s JAIS and MAIS gave the green light for the event to take place.

And furthermore, there was even an ustaz on site who spoke on dogs, and how Muslims should cleanse themselves as well as the religious edicts involved.

So let us think about this rationally instead of spewing religious dogma out of prejudice with the summaries of events.

A Muslim arranged an “I want to touch a dog event.” He was given the green light to do the event by both JAIS and MAIS, the religious authorities of the state of Selangor. An ustaz was on site to tell Muslims about the religious edicts and also how to cleanse themselves.

So why venture a biased opinion. There were no politics involved. There was no breach of religious authority.

In the end, it was just pure justification of people who felt a need, or compulsion to spew before rational thought or investigation and as such, caused a ruckus which was truly unnecessary. The last time I opened my Holy Book, I am pretty sure a fitna is worse than murder and rumour mongering or “mengumpat” is also a sin.

And far be it from me to call myself a pious or even practising Muslim on some days, I would have kept my mouth shut until we all knew what was what and judge with an open heart before vilifying the organisers and those who took part in the event.

After all, if we were to follow the Islamic edicts, we would have to beg for forgiveness from the person we wronged up till the end of days. I for one would rather spare myself such a challenge in the Hereafter.

But if you would all like to try such an exercise, there are 2.038 billion Muslims worldwide now, not counting those who have passed on according to Muslim Population’s website. I suggest you try thinking of how to find one person to beg forgiveness in such a crowd on Doomsday before speaking, typing, rumour mongering and issuing threats.