Islamic rulings on washing after being licked by a dog
If you are licked by a dog, what are the rulings regarding cleaning the saliva?
The Prophet ﷺ said:
طَهُورُ إِنَاءِ أَحَدِكُمْ إِذَا وَلَغَ فِيهِ الْكَلْبُ أَنْ يُغْسَلَ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ أُولَاهُنَّ بِالتُّرَابِ
“The purification of the vessel of one of you when a dog licks it is to wash it seven times, the first of them with soil.” (Bukhari)
Hanafi School
The Hanafis consider the dog to be generally impure, but they do not classify its saliva as najasah mughallaẓah (major impurity).
For them:
• The hadith about washing seven times applies only to vessels, not to skin or clothes.
• If saliva touches the hand or clothing, one thorough wash (or normal washing until impurity is removed) is enough.
• No soil is required.
Dog saliva = impure, but normal washing is sufficient, except for bowls.
Maliki School
The Malikis famously hold the most lenient opinion.
• The dog itself is considered pure (tahir).
• Its saliva is also not inherently impure.
• The command to wash seven times is seen as ta‘abbudi, specific to utensils only.
For Malikis, touching dog saliva does not transmit impurity. Only bowls need the seven washes, and even that is due to obedience, not impurity.
Shafi‘i School
The Shafi‘i position is the strictest:
• Dog saliva is najasah mughallaẓah – the highest level of impurity.
• Anything a dog licks, skin, clothes, floor, bowls, requires seven washes, the first with soil (or something that functions like soil).
• This applies broadly, not just to utensils.
Seven washes, one with soil, for any surface contaminated by saliva.
Hanbali School
The Hanbali view sits between Shafi‘i and Hanafi:
• Dog saliva is impure, requiring seven washes, with one involving soil.
• This applies to bowls and other surfaces that come into contact with saliva.
• Some Hanbalis restrict the seven washes to utensils; others extend it to clothing and skin.
Most Hanbalis: seven washes (one with soil).
Some Hanbalis: seven washes only for bowls.