Is the hadith: "The black dog at night is a devil" authentic, and what is its meaning?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The "The black dog is a devil at night" has not been found; rather, what is reported in Muslim is "The black dog is a devil." Scholars have differed concerning its meaning: some interpreted it literally, meaning that a jinn devil takes its form, while others interpreted it metaphorically, because it is more harmful and rebellious. Some scholars favored the interpretation that it means a "devil among dogs," i.e., the most wicked of them, and not a jinn devil. Others, however, went on to say that the devil might take the form of a black dog or a black cat because blackness gathers the demonic forces.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 101172
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- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Read the full answer on Ftawy