:: good nite, faye ::

received this email:

so, if a tear, when thou art dying,
should haply fall from me,
it is but that my soul is sighing
to go and rest with thee.

emily bronte

it was an ode which my very good friend, L, used to announce the passing of her dearest dog, faye.

faye has been fighthing with her diabetics for the past 2 years, and her battle has taken its final toll today.

the last time i saw faye, my heart sank. i was at L''s place to help her transport her used clothes for a donation-drive when there faye was - blind and aging, growling and barking at my feet. she was still as gusto and strong spirited, despite her weaken physical being.

i was sadden by the cruel twist of fate - that has transformed a cute and energetic beagle into one that is blind and tired. but faye was never helpless. L knew that my heart had sank that day, because my teary eyes could not hide it from her.

i could not remember when was the first time that i met faye, it didn't matter, because to me, she has always been this wonderfully-adopted dog into L's family and i know for every penny that i have, that she has brought much joy to them.

faye was L's 2nd adopted dog, the 1st, Noi-Noi, has passed away and i knew L and her family were devasted but were strong enough to adopt faye.

before i knew L (some 16 years ago), i must admit that i have a dog-phobia as i have been chased by two wild fierce dogs (can't remember which breed) before when i was young. serve me right for being 'overly friendly' with them.

through L, i got to know about pet adoption, being more involved with the SPCA and about being kinder to animals.

i had another phobia too, that is, a pet-phobia. as my little cat, Lucky, was taken away from me when i was a little boy. and i have been horrified by her lost that i had almost vow never to have pets anymore and was actually afraid of cats for some good years.

over the years, my liking to animals have been stronger. and together with my mom, we have decided to adopt my current pet, Sumoki. it was from here that i know that my mom loves dogs too...although it would be religiously and culturally insensitive for us to actually own dogs, as being a malay-muslim.

here, i must emphasis that islam is not an anti-dog religion. traditionally, dogs have been seen as impure, and the Islamic legal tradition has developed several injunctions that warn Muslims against most contact with dogs.

this is wrong.

dogs are being considered impure, and this will therefore means inconvenience to muslims. inconvenience in getting themselves cleaned (ie: abulation) when the time comes to peform the prayers. that's all.

and this 'impurity' has a way to be cleaned according to the islamic way as accordingly.

Muslims can touch dogs. However, certain Muslim scholars are of the view that if the part in contact with dog is wet, then a ritual washing should follow, that is by washing that part seven times with water, one of it water mixed with earth. The Muslim in South East Asia follow this opinion. Whereas other Muslim scholars are of the view that there is no ritual washing for the part in contact with dogs.

from MUIS

read this article, dogs in islam to correct any misconception.

so i hope, you could understand why i become rather emotional about the news of a dog's demise. it was not just about a dog's life, but it was about a loyal and spiritual joy that one will encounter, of having to cross path with a wonderful being, a pet, such as faye.

good night, faye...and thank you for bringing much joy to L's household and to all who know her, including yours truly.