Muslims do not “hate” dogs as a rule; Islamic teachings distinguish between spiritual/ritual rules about purity and the moral duty to treat animals kindly, including dogs. What many people notice is that some Muslims avoid keeping dogs inside the home or touching dog saliva, which can be misread as hatred rather than a purity rule plus cultural habit.

What Islamic teachings say

Classical Islamic law generally considers dogs (especially their saliva) ritually impure, so if a dog licks a food vessel it must be washed in a particular way before reuse. This is similar to other purity rules in Judaism and Islam that do not mean an animal is “evil,” only that it affects ritual cleanliness for prayer and worship.

Islamic legal schools also traditionally restricted owning dogs “just as pets,” but allowed them for specific purposes such as herding, guarding, and hunting. Many scholars explain these rules historically by the real dangers of rabies and hygiene problems from free-roaming dogs in 7th‑century Arabia and later, which made religious leaders emphasize caution.

Attitudes vs. hatred

The Qur’an and many Muslim scholars emphasize mercy to all animals, and stories in Islamic tradition praise people who gave water or food to thirsty or starving dogs. Because cruelty to animals is considered a sin, Muslims are not permitted to hurt or abuse dogs without a serious reason like self‑defense or protection from a real threat.

In practice, attitudes vary widely: some Muslims avoid dogs completely, others keep working dogs outside, and others happily keep pet dogs while trying to respect purification rules for prayer spaces. The idea that “Muslims hate dogs” is therefore an oversimplification that mixes specific religious purity rules, historical health concerns, and modern cultural habits, rather than reflecting a general teaching of hatred.