‘I Want To Touch A Dog’ Muslim founder braves stigma and prejudice to bridge divide

Syed Azmi Alhabshi wants to help people, especially Muslims, get over their fear of dogs. – Facebook pic, October 18, 2014.Syed Azmi Alhabshi is afraid of dogs. But he is less afraid of what people think of him, a Muslim, for pioneering what is possibly the first of its kind in Malaysia – an event that will see Muslims touching and interacting with dogs.

In a Malaysia where race and religion have become hypersensitive issues of late, Syed Azmi's "I Want To Touch A Dog" event tomorrow has drawn both praise and criticism.

But he stresses that its objective is to help people overcome their fear of dogs and learn compassion for all animals, which Islam teaches.

"I Want To Touch A Dog" will be held at the Central Park in Bandar Utama, from 8am to 10am tomorrow, and is for Muslims and non-Muslims alike who are afraid of dogs.

"The objective is to overcome one's fear of dogs, to understand them better and also to practise 'sertu'. It is not to promote dog adoption," Syed Azmi, a pharmacist in his 30s, told The Malaysian Insider in an interview.

The Kuala Lumpur native said he wanted to help people overcome certain misconceptions and sensitivities surrounding dogs.

Dogs are deemed impure in Islam and a Muslim who touches their saliva or excrement must cleanse himself with earth and water in a ritual called "sertu".

But lack of exposure to dogs, increasing conservatism in some segments of society, and lack of animal rights awareness have seen cases of the animal being treated horribly.

One such incident was of a dog, later named Brianna before she died, which was shot with a bow and arrow by a man in Balakong while it stood outside the man's house.

More recently, there were reports of mass poisoning of stray dogs living in a parking lot in Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur.

Another recent incident was captured in a video recording showing a boy swinging a puppy by its tail and throwing it on the ground.

And ever so often, cases of starving dogs abandoned by their owners are shared on social media.

In the past, there have also been complaints from residents about the violent methods dog catchers from municipal councils used when snaring stray animals.

Dismantling fear and prejudice

Syed Azmi said he had permission from the police and the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) to hold the event, which will be monitored by a medical team on standby.

Surprised and thankful that the authorities allowed him to proceed with the event, he said they seemed to understand his explanation that it was aimed at helping people overcome their fear of dogs.

"I live in (Taman Tun Dr Ismail) a Malay neighbourhood. I have no Chinese neighbours so there are no pet dogs around.

"I have seen cases of people running away at the sight of a dog, or throw stones at it. It broke my heart... How do people feel when they see an animal ill-treated, abused or knocked over?" he said.

Out of his own fear of dogs, a desire to help others like him understand dogs better, and to prevent cruelty to animals, Syed Azmi posted a Facebook status one day, saying he wanted to touch a dog but was afraid.

His statement attracted so many replies and comments and made him realise that there were others who felt the same.

"Since there are so many of us, I thought why don't we have a public event, touch dogs and then perform 'sertu' together?

"I decided that the best way to learn about dogs is to learn from people who love them," he said.

Syed Azmi said response towards the event had been good, and as of Thursday night when The Malaysian Insider interviewed him, he had 86 dog owners volunteering their pets for the event.

In promoting the event, however, Syed Azmi found himself the target of people who could not accept what he was trying to do.

Total strangers scolded him, he said.

One Facebook user Noriah Yusof commented: "Apa event bodoh ni. Ini nak menyesatkan org Islam." (What stupid event is this? This is to deviate Muslims.)

While another by the name of Zainab Tambi wrote: "Macam x ada benda lain." (Like there is nothing else to do.)

"I just kept calm and responded to them politely. I even had to calm my non-Muslim friends down when they got very angry about the nasty remarks that were directed at me.

"I don't know those people so I won't condemn them. Whatever words they used against me, I will still have others, like the media, on my side.

"I have always been honest about the objective of the event and together with the help of my friends, we have all done our best for it. There is nothing to be disappointed about now," he said, adding that there were also threats made against him, which has put him on his toes but not dampened his spirit.

"To quote (American fashion and reality television celebrity) Kimora Lee Simmons, if you don't have haters, you are not there yet," he quipped.

There were also many who welcomed the event, like Tantty Ali, who posted: "This is good news, awareness and understanding, tolerance."

Siew Mee Khew wrote: "How delightful to know we have fellow Muslims who are down to earth and aware that dogs too are God's creatures! Dogs have clean thoughts, loyal and trusting."

Several Muslim Facebook users also posted helpful comments to explain that the Quran never forbade Muslims from touching dogs, that it was not a sin, and the meaning of "samak" and "sertu".

While "sertu" is the cleansing ritual if a Muslim touches a dog or pig, "samak" is performed when one touches the corpse of an unclean animal.

Promoting love and unity

Syed Azmi comes across as an ever-cheerful optimist. If the event were to be cancelled at the last minute, he won't deem it a failure because he would have succeeded in raising awareness about dogs.

"Cruelty towards animals like dogs is not a Muslim issue. It is a Malaysian issue," he said.

The event will also bring Malaysians together through a love for animals, he added.

All participants should bring bottles of water to the park for everyone to clean themselves, especially Muslims who must perform "sertu".

"We will see non-Muslims sharing their water with Muslims so they can perform 'sertu'... this is a way we can promote mutual respect, understanding and tolerance.

"We should always focus on moral and noble values. Each religion and culture have their own values. There is no need to be obsessive and arrogant," he said.

The eldest of five children, Syed Azmi said his parents and younger siblings were worried about his latest project, given the rise in Muslim-Malay sensitivities.

"They worry that I will have a hard time but they have been supportive," he said.

This is not the first of Syed Azmi's many personal projects, although it may be the most public and daring.

The bachelor has a passion for doing little pet tasks as part of his own "Tamak Pahala" (greedy for reward)  personal project.

Once, he gave away RM1,500 worth of vegetables to low-cost flat residents. Those who wanted them merely had to queue up and tell him what dish they wanted to cook that day and ask for the vegetable.

Another time, he bought 10 packets of nasi lemak and left them in a public place on a tray with a note that welcomed anyone who had no money or was hungry to take a packet.

He observed that some people later bought new packets of nasi lemak to replace the ones taken from the tray.

"Nothing is eternal in this world and what we do today may be our last. It is better to leave a good impression on people by doing small but meaningful things while I am still here.

"I hope to have many people remember me for my deeds and pray for me when I die," Syed Azmi said.

"I Want To Touch A Dog" is open to the public and no registration is needed. However, participants are advised to follow a colour code to indicate their level of participation.

Those who only want to look at or be near a dog should wear orange T-shirts while those who want to touch a dog, or even play with it, must wear yellow tops.

Volunteer "sertu" coaches will wear green and other volunteers purple, while dog owners, who have volunteered their pets for the event, will be in red. The dogs will be vetted before they are approved as canine volunteers.

The event will begin with a short briefing; a briefing by an animal rescuer, taxi driver, veterinarian and a Muslim scholar on the challenges of handling a dog; and a demonstration that should take about 30 minutes in total.

After an hour's interaction with the dogs, participants can learn how to perform the "sertu" ritual from volunteers. – October 18, 2014.