Photos Of A Man Bringing His Dog To A Laundry Shop Sparks Further Controversy

"Ismaweb" is a website of a Muslim rights group called IKATAN Muslimin Malaysia.

The Muslim rights group published the photos a man cradling a dog whilst tending to his laundry at a launderette, arguing for the need of Muslim-only launderettes.

Isma said that the person who submitted the photos was a fellow customer, who said the dog was also left on a chair and allowed to roam while the owner did the laundry.

While there were no details as to where and when the photos were taken, Isma claimed the photos were published by a netizen in light of the controversy over a laundrette which catered exclusively for Muslims in Johor.

"The photographs show a man bringing his pet dog into a laundrette. He is seen cradling the dog as he placed clothes in the washing machine. As he waited for the clothes to be washed, the man put the dog on a chair," read the article, according to a Malaysiakini translation.

A dog's saliva and its wet fur are considered ritually unclean in Islam, and items that come in contact with either must be ritually cleaned.

According to Isma, the netizen, who sent the photographs, argued that such actions necessitated the setting up of laundrettes for Muslims.

"He also asked if the particular laundrette needs to be subjected to 'samak' (ritual cleaning) once the photographs become viral," Isma added.

"It is wrong to open a shop for Muslims only. But it is not wrong to bring a dog or a pig into a shop patronised by Muslims? It is not wrong to place a dog in a shopping trolley in a mall?" Isma said, according to a report in The Malaysian Insight.