A Malaysian celebrity preacher has called for members of the public to be barred from keeping dogs, citing religious guidance and concerns over public safety.
Haris Ismail shared the view in a post on Threads, saying dog ownership was subject to strict limitations under the school of Islamic jurisprudence he follows.
He argued that people living in urban areas generally had little practical need for dogs, such as for guarding farms.
“If it is not too much to ask, members of the public in Malaysia should no longer be allowed to keep dogs,” he wrote.
According to Haris, such a restriction would also be consistent with religious guidance, given the limitations surrounding dog ownership under the Islamic jurisprudence he follows.
He also raised concerns over incidents involving people being bitten by dogs, including students who encounter the animals while travelling to school.
“It is heartbreaking to see people being bitten by dogs while on their way to school, with some nearly losing their lives,” he said.
Haris added that he personally feels uncomfortable around dogs, whether they are pets or strays.
He said this also extended to dogs kept by his non-Muslim neighbours.
The preacher acknowledged that his views may not be shared by everyone and stressed that they represented his personal opinion.
“I apologise if you disagree. This is merely my personal opinion,” he said.
