What is the ruling on keeping a hunting dog?

The Shaykh : As for what branches off from this question, which is the second question, the hadith regarding the dog is an exception in terms of the impermissibility of keeping it. It is not important, my brother, tell me, is it correct or not?

The questioner : Authentic

The Shaykh: What is its wording?

The questioner :

The Shaykh : Okay, the second branch or the second question, , this prohibition is an exception from, this exception is an exception from the prohibition of keeping a dog. So your saying, "Can a cat be analogized to a dog?" is not applicable, because is an exception. An exception from what? From keeping. And a cat is not like a dog in this respect, because you know, I think, that keeping a cat or a tabby is permissible based on many pieces of evidence, among which is his saying (peace be upon him): The dog is not like that. So we need either to correct the question or to cancel the question. Where did the hadith lead us?

The questioner : The cat and the dog.

The Shaykh : What did you come up with? Do you cancel the question or did you correct it?

The questioner : I am telling you, O Shaykh, in reality.

The Shaykh : And I am listening to you.

The questioner : Yes. It is stated in fiqh that whatever has benefit is permissible to sell. So there were some opinions and commentaries that say, since the benefit exists in the cat for killing rats and others, and it cannot be done except by the cat, the prohibition of the price of the cat is understood to apply only if it is killed, and not in buying it to get rid of rats. This is what I understood and this is what I read, but now it has become clear to me from your words that the issue is not related to the dog, because the issue is not one of benefit but rather keeping. Yes, that is right.

The Shaykh : And I clarify to you that what you mentioned from some books of fiqh is incorrect, because the dog differs from the cat. A hunter, for example, cannot rely on any dog for hunting, but only on a trained dog, as indicated in the same verse, Yes, that is right. Likewise, a guard dog is not any dog you take from the road and put as a guard. As for the tabby or the cat, by its nature and disposition, it hunts mice and catches them, as well as insects and the like. So the cat is not equal to the dog in this respect, is that clear?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Branching off from the distinction between one dog and another are two things. One of them is explicitly stated in a clear, known text: It is mentioned in some hadiths: And in some narrations: Yes, here there is disagreement. This dog that is an exception from the prohibition, is it permissible to sell and buy it or not? There is no doubt that it is permissible to sell and buy it for the meaning you pointed to from what you quoted from the jurists, but the cat is not like that, is that clear?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : So when the hadith is authentic, , it should remain in its general form. As for the dog, it is restricted to other than a hunting dog, a guard dog, and the like, is that clear?

The questioner : Yes, it is clear.