FatwaFederal TerritoriesFunerals & Death
AL-KAFI #1612: HUKUM MENGGUNAKAN CADAVER DOGS BAGI MENCARI MAYAT YANG HILANG
What is the ruling on using cadaver dogs to search for missing bodies or separated body parts?
Short answer
Using cadaver dogs by rescue personnel is permissible because there is a benefit and a need to speed up the search.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Funerals & Death
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Using cadaver dogs by rescue personnel is permissible because there is a benefit and a need to speed up the search. The fatwa likens them to trained dogs (al-kalb al-mu'allam), whose use is allowed by the Quranic verse on hunting and the hadith of Adi bin Hatim. It is preferable for the dogs to be handled by a non-Muslim. If a Muslim handles them, he must perform the ritual cleansing (sertu) after touching the dogs.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
hukum menggunakan cadaver dogs oleh anggota penyelamat adalah diharuskan.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #1612: HUKUM MENGGUNAKAN CADAVER DOGS BAGI MENCARI MAYAT YANG HILANG”, 17 February 2020. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/4195-al-kafi-1612-hukum-menggunakan-cadaver-dogs-bagi-mencari-mayat-yang-hilang. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-using-cadaver-dogs-missing-bodies/